Israel to Aid Cholera Victims in Haiti

The Israeli Forum for International Humanitarian Aid (IsraAID) is sending a team to Haiti on Thursday to help aid victims of the country’s cholera outbreak.

At last count, more than 420 Haitians were infected and 284 had died. Aid workers are hurrying to contain the spread of the disease, which has not manifested in Haiti for several generations.

IsraAid representatives will then continue to New Orleans for the upcoming Jewish Federation General Assembly (GA), where they will present an exhibit describing their work in Haiti. The exhibit will be on display in one of the IDF tents used to house the first field hospital in Haiti.

The tent later became the first official school in the camp in Haiti’s capital Port au Prince.

IsraAID, a coalition of 17 Israeli and Jewish NGOs, has had Israeli staff on the ground in Haiti since four days after the earthquake occurred.

Over this ten-month period, according to Israel 21c, IsraAID teams have provided various services for those affected by the earthquake, including emergency medical treatment, primary family medical care, medical rehabilitation, education, assistance with food production, programs for women's empowerment, programs for children and services for those suffering psycho-traumatic effects of the event.

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto is IsraAID's main funder.

“Our long standing relationship with IsraAID has allowed Toronto’s Jewish community to have an immediate impact when tragedy strikes around the world. In the case of Haiti, UJA worked closely with IsraAID in a way that allowed them to land in Haiti immediately following the disaster. Toronto’s Jewish community raised over $1 million to support this cause, and we are exceptionally proud of IsraAID’s work on the ground,” said Ted Sokolsky, President and CEO, UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.