Ram Tripathi gave a searing presentation about Nepal to JDC donors, giving circle members, JDC Entwine members, and friends who gathered at the beautiful carriage house studio of JDC Circle member Linda White in Greenwich Village on Wednesday, June 17. He spoke about growing up in poverty and how his parents insisted that he and his three brothers attend school. But there was only one pair of shoes, so the brother who was dressed and ready first in the morning would get to wear the shoes on that day.
Today Ram’s parents and siblings, whom he just visited after the earthquake in Nepal, are living outside under a tarp, along with hundreds of thousands of others. One of the schools that Ram built after his fortunes rose in the United States has been destroyed. Many children are orphaned and some people are preying upon the most vulnerable: Trafficking of women and girls is rising dangerously.
JDC’s Will Recant spoke about JDC’s response in Nepal and the Jewish response to disasters more broadly, most recently in the Philippines and Nepal. We are creating safe spaces for children, helping them deal with trauma, and providing immediate emergency aid and medium-term rebuilding support.
Most importantly, JDC looks for effective partners — whether the IDF, which landed its field hospital in Nepal within 72 hours, equipped with $100,000 of JDC-purchased supplies, or partners with local know-how and presence who can be empowered to act. Local partners are best able to assess their own needs and to design programs to address them effectively — with support and guidance as needed. Harnessing local energy also helps build local leadership and sustainability.
Jayne Lipman — a JDC Board member, vice-chair of JDC’s International Development Program, and co-chair of JDC Ambassadors (our major gifts program) — introduced the evening and spoke about the importance of getting involved. Members of JDC’s Impact Network, a giving circle focused on helping children, promised to raise funds for children in emergency situations.
Check out from the day.
To get more involved and learn more about JDC, there are an array of opportunities offered through our JDC Ambassadors and Entwine platforms:
JDC Ambassadors is the doorway to involvement through philanthropy, learning and travel – more information is ; travel destinations can be found . is JDC’s young leadership platform, which offers service experiences in Jewish communities around the world, and leadership development opportunities, including the Ralph I. Goldman Fellowship – more information is .
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