Community urged to back emergency Haiti earthquake appeal

The community has been urged to support an emergency appeal for Haiti after a deadly earthquake killed almost 2,000 people on the weekend.

Jewish groups have rallied behind World Jewish Relief’s campaign following the 7.2 magnitude quake on Saturday which caused untold devastation.

The charity is working with a local partner on the ground, Haiti Survie, as chief executive Paul Anticoni warned it was a “race against time” to act, due to possible tropical storms on the horizon.

He said the appeal “will enable us and our local partner to rapidly provide food, hygiene materials and shelter to those whose lives have been shattered by this catastrophe.

“I am proud of our community showing its compassion for those affected by yet another disaster to hit Haiti.”

With at least 1,900 dead, Haiti’s Civil Protection Agency also raised the number of those injured to 9,900, while the British charity Search And Rescue Assistance In Disasters, said: “The UN are currently reporting over 13,700 homes destroyed or damaged, around 30,000 people displaced from their homes and 7 hospitals severely damaged.”

Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis praised WJR for its “outstanding track record of working with partners in Haiti, paving the way for their response to the current tragic humanitarian crisis.”

Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, Senior Rabbi of Masortii Judaism, said: “Rescue workers describe conditions as dire. How can we not help? The Torah forbids us to stand idly by.”

The appeal is backed by Chief Rabbi Mirvis, the Board of Deputies, Jewish Leadership Council, JW3, all key synagogue movements, the Union of Jewish Students, London Jewish Forum and Zionist Youth Council. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee is among international Jewish groups directing aid to Haiti.

• You can donate to WJR’s emergency appeal: www.worldjewishrelief.org/haiti