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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>
From: <b><span style='font-weight:bold'>David Morris - Lema'an Achai</span></b>
<<a href="mailto:david@lemaanachai.org">david@lemaanachai.org</a>><br>
<br>
[please add you own personal recommendations and verification (ie. "I know
this is For Real!") at the very top of this email, before forwarding this
email on ONLY to friends, family and your community email lists].<br>
<br>
Day 6 of the War in the South,<br>
Bet </span></font>Shemesh, Israel.<br>
------<br>
<br>
* "Dad, What's a Killer-meter?" *<br>
<br>
Here in Israel, innocent sounding measurements of distance, have turned into
death threats.<br>
<br>
One killermeter (km) is the distance/range from a Hamas Sniper in the Gaza
strip, firing at the Israeli farmer working in the fields of Kibbutz Nahal Oz.<br>
<br>
2 km is from the Hamas mortars ("Patzmarim") to Israeli families in
the town of Sderot (time of flight/warning to take cover: 15 seconds).<br>
<br>
8 km is from the Hamas rocket launchers ("Kassamim") to the 110,000
battered residents of the City of Ashkelon<br>
<br>
20 km is from the Hamas missile launchers ("Ketushas") to the Town of
Kiryat Malachi<br>
<br>
40km is from the Hamas enhanced missiles ("Gradim") to the
bunkered-down towns of Ashdod, Beersheba and Kiryat Gat (one minute warning, to
take cover or be blown up)<br>
<br>
44km is where a "Grad' Missile has to reach, to hit my home, the kids'
school, our shul - to hit me at this desk, here in Bet Shemesh.<br>
<br>
My home is located a half-liter of rocket-fuel away from the bombed out sites
throughout the South of Israel.<br>
<br>
It puts our community in the position of being close enough to be fearful that
"we're next", while giving us the tremendous opportunity to bring
help to our brothers and sisters now under missile-fire, who are living in bomb
shelters, or risking their very lives to go out to get a bottle of milk....just
a five minute drive from us.<br>
<br>
The Bet Shemesh community has therefore now initiated a grass-roots "War
Relief Program" to:<br>
<br>
a. bring practical immediate help to those who need it;<br>
b. to bring those families who need to leave the war zone, to take refuge in
Bet Shemesh; and<br>
c. to prepare for the "we're next" scenario.<br>
<br>
This program is in partnership with the Bet Shemesh Municipality, various
well-established non-profit organizations, such as Lema'an Achai, Amutat
Kehilla, Shaalei Torah, Ezrat Achim, Bat Ami, and many many good hearted
individual volunteers, who are putting their own lives on-hold, to help our
fellows in danger and distress.<br>
<br>
This is the same cross-community team who joined together during the 2nd
Lebanon War in 2007, in an amazing & unique program which hosted over 1000
Refugees from the North of Israel for 30 Days, in Bet Shemesh schools,
community centers, sports halls and in private homes. Dubbed "City of Refuge",
that program was highlighted in the Ben Gurion University Non-Profit Sector
Report, for special accolade, and was awarded the Bet Shemesh Mayor's Prize for
2007/8.<br>
<br>
The programs now being delivered include:<br>
<br>
1. Delivering practical objects to families in bomb shelters: mattresses,
blanket, food, heaters, TV's & Radios, toys, books...<br>
2. Helping families & institutions in Bet Shemesh to host families from the
South (eg. extra food, for extra mouths).<br>
3. Educational & emotional relief programs for the kids (schools throughout
the South of Israel are now closed down by law).<br>
4. Crafts & Trades Fair: a nationally publicised event, for small
businesses which have been closed down due to the war, to exhibit and sell
their wares and services.<br>
<br>
In preparation, is a large scale "City of Refuge" program, with the
initial objective of Bet Shemesh again hosting 1000 refugees, should this be
needed.<br>
And, G-d forbid, preparations for the unthinkable situation that we in Bet
Shemesh will turn from being helpers, to ourselves being victims of missile
attack.<br>
<br>
All Bet Shemesh "War Relief" programs are being funded via an
exclusive fund established for this purpose, "The War Relief Fund",
under the management of Lema'an Achai.<br>
<br>
This follows the model Lema'an Achai successfully developed for both the 2nd
Lebanon War "City of Refuge" program, and for the 2006-8 Gush Katif
Evacuees Relief Fund - probably the two most successful Emergency Relief
programs in Israel's recent history.<br>
<br>
* What Can I Do To Help? *<br>
<br>
Lema'an Achai is a community organization, without big-time fundraising
budgets. The cheapest, fastest and most effective way for us to raise the money
we need right now and for the duration of this war, is for you to send this
email on (only! please do not spam!) to your friends and relatives, your
community/shul list, and other individuals and organizations who may be willing
to donate & support this zero-waste, grass-roots, immediate, practical War
Relief program.<br>
<br>
And (most important!) please add you own personal recommendations and
verification (ie. "this is For Real!") at the very top of the email.<br>
<br>
Online Donations: <a href="http://www.israelwar.org/" target="_blank">www.israelwar.org</a><br>
USA Tax Deductible: "US Friends of Lema'an Achai", PO Box 532, Oceanside,
NY 11572-0532, USA.<br>
UK Tax Deductible: "British Friends of Lema'an Achai", c/o Nava
Kestenbaum, 96 Rigby Street, Salford, Manchester, M7 4BQ, ENGLAND.<br>
Canadian Tax Deductible: "Shaarei Tefilla Charity Fund", C/O Murray Shore,
31 Marvill Street, Toronto, Ontario, M3H 3L2, CANADA.<br>
Israel Tax Deductible: "Lema'an Achai", The Lema'an Achai Center,
40/7 Nahal Lachish, Ramat Bet Shemesh, 99093, Israel.<br>
By Phone 24/6 Donations Hotline (Hebrew): 02 99.999.33<br>
<br>
* What Else Can I Do? *<br>
<br>
For local residents to volunteer their time, their hospitality or to offer
objects for families in the South, please call the Hotline: 02 9999822 (Ezrat
Achim)<br>
<br>
If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact
me directly.<br>
<br>
Besorot tovot - we should hear good news.<br>
David & Avrohom<br>
Bet Shemesh - 45 Killer-Meters from Hamas<br>
<br>
SMALL PRINT: In the happy event that the war finishes, and any funds remain,
they will solely be used for helping families in need.<br>
<br>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
David Morris, Chairman<br>
Rav Avrohom Leventhal, Executive Director<br>
<br>
Lema'an Achai - It's All About Caring<br>
<br>
<a href="http://www.smartchesed.org/" target="_blank">www.SmartChesed.org</a><br>
<a href="mailto:david@lemaanachai.org" target="_blank">david@lemaanachai.org</a><br>
<br>
Direct Tel: +972 2 9997107<br>
Office: +972 2 9991553<br>
Fax: +972 2 9992398<br>
<br>
40/7 Nahal Lachish<br>
Ramat Beit Shemesh,<br>
99093 Israel. </p>
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