2023-10-16

Today, on day 10 of the war, here are some facts on the ground. As of yesterday, there were 30,000 displaced Israelis who were forced to flee their homes in the south due to the deadly attack on October 7 and the constant rocket barrage from Gaza since. Many of these families will not have a home to return to when this is over. Meanwhile, Israel's northern border with Lebanon (and Syria) is heating up very quickly and a number of northern communities have also been given the order to evacuate towards central Israel, which means the numbers of displaced will continue to rise exponentially - we are talking about tens of thousands of families (many of whom are in a state of shock and trauma from what they've witnessed and survived) in immediate need who now have little more than the clothes on their back and will need everything from diapers and hygiene products to clothing, shoes, and toys/activities for the children.

Wartime reality:
We are unmistakably in a state of war. This is not a mere scrimmage or a single isolated operation against a single adversary. This is a multifront conflict involving multiple terrorist groups in Gaza, Hezbollah in the north (all with support from Iran), and a tangible and immediate threat of terrorism within Israel itself. While we fervently hope for peace, we must confront the reality that this war has the potential to engulf the entire region. In response to this crisis, Israel has mobilized over 300,000 reserve soldiers, marking the largest call-up in history, to prepare for a multi-border conflict. The consequences of this massive mobilization include a reduced civilian workforce, leaving fewer people to sustain Israel's industries and economy and a greater vulnerability to terrorism in some communities where more of the armed residents have been drafted. Additionally, there is a shortage of equipment and tactical gear for reserve soldiers not stationed on the front lines during the winter months. Looking ahead, we must be prepared for a prolonged emergency that could last for weeks or even months. While we continue to pray for peace on our borders, we must acknowledge that the situation may worsen before it improves, and we need to be ready for the long-term aftermath as we begin to rebuild.

Joseph Project's role:
We have been in an emergency mindset for quite some time, and were able to respond right away to needs on the ground following the attack on Saturday that led to the start of the war. Our humanitarian efforts have been focused on providing children with games/toys/activities to ease the tension and trauma they are experiencing (for both evacuating families and families that remained in southern communities under constant rocket fire), providing for the basic needs of evacuees (clothing, bedding, towels, diapers, hygiene supplies, etc.), supplementing needed equipment for reserve soldiers such as fields mattresses, socks, underwear, thermal clothing, watches, power banks for electronics, and more. We have repurposed our existing Healthy Food Program to supply dry/shelf stable food to community bomb shelters and provide raw ingredients to a catering company that makes thousands of hot meals for the reserve soldiers every day. We are working together with other Believing partner organizations in many of these efforts, as well as with municipal/government/related organizations. Joseph Project is the only ministry in Israel with a truly logistics mindset, and as such we are uniquely positioned to respond quickly in crises events, and provide practical support our brothers and sisters in faith as they also help meet needs on the ground. In this challenging time, our mission is to be a source of hope and light to the nation of Israel.

Needs:
Thanks to our existing stock, we were able to commence immediate distributions, however most of our stock has now been greatly depleted and we urgently need funds to purchase additional goods as we wait to receive more containers (which are weeks away from arriving). Here is the breakdown of our current needs:
+4,000 food boxes of healthy supplements $30 each. ($120,000)
+2,800 boxes of household goods / warm home $50 each for immigrants / evacuees / general people in need. ($140,000)
+Childrens gifts and activities for bomb shelters $20 per 2,400 boxes. ($48,000)
+Soldiers' packages $30 each, 1,200 of them. ($36,000)
+Tactical gear for soldiers (field mattresses, power packs, head flashlights, watches, and life-saving gear) $100,000.

Total $444,000

We thank you for your ongoing prayers and support. May we all have the grace and guidance from above to be light and salt in this hour of need.

Your generosity is a lifeline for those in crisis. Thank you for making a positive impact!