On the morning of November 18, 2014, Yaacov Ehrlich, a 52-year-old paramedic, received an alert to go to a Jerusalem synagogue that he was familiar with. A shooting attack had left many people wounded. While Ehrlich was tending to one of the victims, fierce shooting broke out at the other end of the synagogue, during which he himself was injured. The two terrorists were killed. Ehrlich was taken to the hospital along with the other victims, most of whom he knew from synagogue services.
Ehrlich had volunteered with rescue organizations since 10th grade. As the son of a doctor, he grew up in a home in which helping others, self-sacrifice and a sense of mission were routine. He had been present at many serious terror attacks, but this time, in light of his own injury, the trauma was worse than ever. While he was still in the hospital, a team from the Jewish Agency for Israel’s Fund for Victims of Terror contacted his wife, Avishag, and provided immediate financial assistance. Ehrlich was surprised, and quickly wrote a letter of thanks that was full of gratitude to the Fund. The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Fund for Victims of Terror, which is supported by Keren Hayesod donors, provides assistance to many terror victims in Israel and is an important part of Israel’s civilian resilience.
It is unique in providing immediate assistance, within 24 hours, to terror victims, and in the fact that in times of national emergency, it also provides broad services to help populations under attack, for example, respite activities for thousands of children in communities bordering the Gaza Strip. The work of the Jewish Agency for Israel and Keren Hayesod in helping victims and preventing terror isn’t limited to Israel. As a result of the growing wave of global antisemitism and the number of terror attacks against Jewish communities, in 2012 the Jewish Agency for Israel established the Security Assistance Fund, which provides security and protection for over 300 communities and institutions in 60 countries around the world. It was established with the help of an investment of millions of dollars, generously contributed by Keren Hayesod donors.
Photo: Activities funded by Keren Hayesod for children from Gaza border communities