Special Report: War in Iraq - Playing our Part in Helping Israel

Introduction
Ever since the 1991 Gulf War brought Iraqi SCUD missiles raining down on Israeli cities, Israel has worked tirelessly to prepare for a renewed conflict with Saddam Hussein. As with the terrorism they have endured for so long, it is Israel's people - its ordinary and extraordinary men, women and children - who are once again in the firing line.

But if, now as always, Israel carries the burden of protecting its citizens, American Jewry too has a part to play. As you will read, support from the UJC/Federation Israel Emergency Campaign, from the Israel Now campaign that preceded it, and from individual federations and donors, has enabled JDC to help Israel prepare its most vulnerable citizens for this fateful time.

War and Peace of Mind
"... to provide for the common defense." This commitment, expressed so concisely in the United States Constitution, is the most basic responsibility of sovereign governments to those they serve. For few governments, though, is that responsibility heavier than for Israel's. The country's small population, small territory, and ruthless, uncompromising enemies leave little room for error.

So Israel has worked for 12 years to defend against unconventional warfare. The Arrow anti-missile system, a sophisticated civil-defense plan, and a population steeled psychologically - all reduce, though they do not eliminate, the danger. But with the threat of a new war with Iraq rising, Israel stepped up the pace of its preparations - even as it was simultaneously fighting its grim battle against terrorism and absorbing the debilitating effects of economic recession.

Plans for safeguarding the general population had been well laid. All buildings constructed after 1991 have been required to have gas-proof "secure areas." Every citizen has a personal protective kit containing gas masks and atropine injectors. And in addition to providing contact numbers for questions and clarifications, the country's telephone directories include general instructions on when and how to prepare "sealed rooms," and when and how to use the gas masks and atropine.

With these at arm's reach, average Israelis can move quickly to shelter from a missile attack. But the authorities were also concerned about the "non-average," those who, for reason of language, disability or dependency, might not respond as needed. Amid growing urgency to ensure protection for these Israelis, the government and the IDF's Home Front Command turned to JDC.

Extending Israel's Protective Blanket
JDC was well placed to respond. With its long experience of partnership with Israeli agencies to help the least fortunate Israelis - and with UJC/federation emergency funding - JDC was able to begin working to make Israel's blanket of protection as all-embracing as possible.

Among the most pressing needs were those of the elderly, disabled, and children at risk who depend on others even for many routine activities. Many live in or attend institutions, built before 1991, whose bomb-proof air raid shelters were not sealable against chemical or biological weapons. To rectify this situation, JDC has worked with its Israeli partners to prepare sealed areas, complete with air-filtration systems and air-tight doors and windows, at 100 locations, and to ensure that 50 institutions for children are properly equipped to protect their young residents.

Some Israelis, though, faced a second problem. People with autism, severe facial deformations, or respiratory problems find standard-issue gas masks impossible to wear. For them, federation funding enabled JDC to respond to an IDF request by providing 1,600 specially designed loose-fitting masks with battery-operated blowers that allow the wearer to breathe effortlessly.

Profile: Customized Gas Masks
When most Israelis were making the preparations that could save their lives in wartime, 17-year-old Yoav already knew what to do. Yoav is autistic and has difficulty with any change, especially one as drastic as wearing a gas mask. To prepare him, the staff at Beit Aviv, the Jerusalem home where he lives with 13 other autistic Israelis, needed the right equipment - and plenty of time. They had them. With federation funding, JDC was able to provide Beit Aviv with customized, loose-fitting masks and other emergency equipment two months ago, enabling staff to get the early start they needed. "The residents here would never wear regular masks," Beit Aviv's director, Ami Levi, explains. "Even with the special masks, we've had to practice every day - down to the basement, put on masks, go inside the sealed space." Now, weeks later, Ami and Yoav are both ready for the worst. "There's a good chance he'll keep his mask on," notes Ami. "If there's a chemical attack, that could save his life." And that's helped Yoav's mother breathe easier, too: "I'm so relieved to know he'll be protected," she says. The peace all Israelis dream of may still seem far off. But for all those who care for Yoav, readiness for war at least offers a little peace of mind.

Emergency Training
But sealed areas and gas masks are only part of the solution. Dependent Israelis must also be able to take shelter and don masks within three minutes of a siren's sounding. To ensure they can, JDC developed emergency teams at dozens of institutions, training staff in the skills and procedures to safeguard residents quickly and without panic. In addition, together with the IDF, it provided emergency training for disabled people living in the community and those who care for them, so that each disabled person can be properly protected when the need arises.

JDC also worked with the authorities to bring all vulnerable Israelis living in the community emergency information they can both understand and use. It helped ensure that published and broadcast emergency notices were available in Amharic and Russian for non-Hebrew-speaking immigrants. And with the conflict nearing, it prepared booklets tailored to the needs of the elderly and the disabled that were distributed by the authorities to hundreds of thousands of households.

With the world waiting for war, JDC took one additional step. Anticipating thousands of Israelis to volunteer at the onset of the conflict, JDC reinforced the ability of local coordinators to deploy the extra help effectively. That help is vital, and not just to the most dependent Israelis. For war can leave many normally self-sufficient people - young mothers whose husbands are drafted, parents of large families, recent immigrants, and others - unable to cope alone.

Responding to the Reality
Beyond helping Israel prepare, JDC itself prepared to play an appropriate wartime role. With the authorities protecting the population and meeting its social needs, JDC considered how to respond to the possibility of major disruptions in the services vulnerable Israelis depend on.

If, for example, people are instructed to remain at home for long periods, the elderly and disabled would be unable to attend daycare centers or be visited by their caregivers. Disruptions would be worse if mass evacuations are ordered - or if the mere expectation of missile attacks leads Tel Aviv-area residents to seek refuge in remote locations that lack the infrastructure to serve them.

Such conditions would stretch government and voluntary social services to the limit. To help in this situation, if and when the authorities request it, JDC created 10 emergency teams, all independently mobile and all comprising specialists in caring for different vulnerable populations.

The teams are designed to work with local agencies to assess whether needs among the elderly, the disabled, children and immigrants are being met. Where gaps are identified, they will help develop temporary solutions, providing additional equipment and staff support if asked to do so.

The JDC emergency teams are essentially a wartime application of JDC-Israel's ongoing role. As an "outsider" not caught up, as Israeli agencies are, in the intensity of providing front-line help, JDC is freer to identify and assess problems. At the same time, JDC's expertise and the trust of social service professionals it enjoys, enable it to help Israelis respond effectively to unmet needs.

Israel's Challenge; Our Hope
Israel - its government, army, and people - have prepared for this war as for none before. But JDC has helped. For in conflict as in peace, Israel is not alone: its dreams are our dreams, its fears our fears. Together, we can prevail. Together we can realize our hope for a better tomorrow.