From Casablanca to Tunis to Cairo, JDC is a lifeline for the small Jewish communities across Northern Africa that face some of the greatest challenges in supporting their needy.
Since the Second World War, when JDC assisted refugees fleeing Nazi Europe and discovered some of the poorest Jews on the planet living in isolated communities across the continent, JDC’s steadfast support has helped ensure that the region’s often widely dispersed Jewish populations are able to care for their most vulnerable and remain culturally vibrant and self-sustaining.
Today, JDC’s work in the region is primarily focused on:
- Saving Africa’s poorest Jews: In Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt JDC brings critical basic relief for the poor, quality care for the elderly, and medical support for young children.
- Revitalizing Jewish life: In Tunisia and Morocco, JDC supports Jewish schools that offer the only Jewish education available to children in those countries.
- Developing tomorrow’s Jewish leaders: JDC supports local Jewish institutions and implements programs for both professionals and community volunteers to ensure Jewish continuity in the region.
- Rescuing victims of emergencies: JDC’s humanitarian aid programs in Ethiopia provide potable drinking water, life-saving medical care, and crucial education opportunities to some of the neediest people in the country. In Tunisia and Morocco, JDC works to generate economic opportunities for the disabled and destitute.
JDC’s work in Africa establishes bonds of identity and shared purpose among its various Jewish communities and internationally. World events have raised security concerns for isolated Jews in the region, making JDC’s presence all the more critical today and for the foreseeable future.
