September 19, 2024, New York, NY — Ahead of the one-year anniversary of the October 7th terrorist attack in Israel, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) is spotlighting mass vulnerabilities among millions of Israelis who continue to face displacement, trauma, unemployment, as well as the challenges of those still living under fire in the country’s north, and urging more be done to address these needs. Since October 7, 2023, JDC has directly aided more than 450,000 of the hardest-hit Israelis, both Jews and Arabs, with life-saving emergency aid and services, but more robust efforts are needed to solve the deteriorating situation of those plunged into hopelessness after terror attacks and the ongoing war.
“We join with the people of Israel and Jewish communities around the world to mourn the losses of October 7th and the war that continues. The aftermath of that horrific day will be felt in our hearts for generations. These tragic events plunged millions of Israelis into a state of vulnerability that requires large-scale efforts to help them bear the reality they now face. We must care for them now as their situation only worsens,” said JDC CEO Ariel Zwang. “As we enter the Jewish New Year, we must redouble our efforts to help vulnerable Israelis rebuild their lives, and will pray for the return of the hostages, and for peaceful times ahead—may this all come soon.”
JDC is partnering with local and national governments, NGOs, and the business sector to address the post-October 7th reality facing Israelis. Building on its century-plus of work empowering the most vulnerable populations in the land of Israel, JDC is leading multiple initiatives to address numerous challenges, including the widespread trauma, stress, and fear among some 55% of Israelis and a severe uptick in post-Oct 7 depression, anxiety, loneliness, and substance abuse among Israeli youth.
Additionally, 100,000 Israelis are seeking employment, including evacuees and reservists who’ve returned from military service without jobs, and 40% of employed evacuees are now at risk of losing their jobs. There is also a large-scale decline in the physical, mental, and social capacity of Israeli elderly, Israel’s founding generation, according to soon-to-be released data from the Meyers-JDC-Brookdale Institute.
JDC has addressed these critical social challenges since October 7th by:
- Providing 450,000+ of the hardest-hit Israelis with direct aid, including food and cash assistance; education, welfare, and employment services; mental health solutions; and online and mobile social services, including:
- 46,500 elderly, both evacuees and those in locations under fire, with emergency social support,
- 51,000+ children, teens, and parents with therapeutic and educational services and support,
- 17,500 people with disabilities with emotional and social support, and
- 10,000 Israelis with emergency employment programs;
- Delivering nearly 366,000 pieces of emergency medical and hospital equipment and first aid supplies to local and volunteer medical units, hospitals, municipalities, and first responder groups across Israel;
- Distributing 30,000 emergency kits – containing first aid supplies, flashlights, chargers, transistor radios, and emergency instruction guides – to the most vulnerable in northern communities, benefitting over 120,000 people;
- Issuing emergency support to 3,000+ struggling small businesses, farms, and factories;
- Deploying training and tools to more than 64,000 professionals engaged in crisis response and trauma programs;
- Guiding and supporting 1,600+ NGOs to implement emergency services and relief;
- Providing emergency aid to residents of 231 (of 258) Israeli municipalities;
- Outside of Israel, JDC aided Jews and Jewish communities with mental health, security, and social support in the face of growing vulnerability because of spiking antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment.
JDC’s post-October 7th emergency response efforts in Israel are supported by the Jewish Federations and tens of thousands of foundations, families, corporations, and individual donors.
Before October 7, 2023, one million Israelis every week were helped by social services created by JDC. Since its founding in 1914 to aid starving Jews in Jerusalem impacted by the outbreak of WWI, JDC has invested more than 10 billion shekels to improve the lives of Israel’s most vulnerable, to close social gaps, and to ensure opportunity for all Israelis.