Fire relief

According to preliminary estimates, rehabilitating the forest and roads consumed by the Mount Carmel wildfire will cost approximately $50 million; and the cost of renovating the communities devastated by the blaze will equal an additional $35 – $40 million. Likewise, much of Israel’s firefighting equipment will have to be replaced or repaired.

The fire was still blazing out of control when Jewish communities and organizations all across the globe recognized their responsibility and swung into action, setting up vehicles through which those who wish to donate money can do so. Here are just a few of the outlets accepting emergency donations:

The Jewish National Fund has set up the Forest Fire Emergency Campaign. In addition planting trees, JNF fire trucks and safety equipment. For more information visit www.jnf.org.

IsraelGives.org has established a Facebook page to collect donations as well as goods such as food and clothes for evacuated families.

The Jewish Federations of North America set up a special JFNA emergency fund. For more information visit www.jewishfederations.org.

Connecticut’s Jewish Federations are also accepting donations, 100 percent of which will go directly to help in the emergency relief effort. To find out more, contact your local Federation:

Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford – www.jewishhartford.org

UJA Federation of Greenwich – www.ujafedgreenwich.org

UJA/Federation Westport Weston Wilton Norwalk – www.ujafederation.org

UJA/Federation of Eastern Fairfield County – www.jccs.org

Jewish Federation of Greater New Haven – www.jewishnewhaven.org

Jewish Federation of Eastern Connecticut – www.jfec.com

The Jewish Federation (Danbury) – www.thejf.org

United Jewish Federation of Greater Stamford – www.ujf.org

The Federations, Jewish Communities of Western CT – www.jfed.net

American Friends of the Magen David Adom – www.afmda.org

America Jewish Joint Distribution Committee – www.jdc.org

B’nai Brith Israel Emergency Fund – www.bnaibrith.org

Jewish Agency for Israel – www.jafi.org.il

Conservative/Masorti movement – www.masorti.org

ORT America – www.ort.org

Orthodox Union emergency fund – www.ou.org

ARZA (affiliated with the Reform movement) – www.arza.org

ZAKA (organization that recovers body parts – www.zaka.org.il