JERUSALEM — Security officers in southern Israel must fight the fires set by terrorist rocket, missile, and incendiary balloon attacks. These attacks from Gaza have become a near-daily occurrence in the region, especially in the summer.
To guard against this threat, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) recently distributed 75 personal firefighting kits, one for every security officer in the region of Israel near the Gaza Strip. The kits include personal protection that enables them to fight fire without putting their lives in danger.
In addition, each local authority will be equipped with a mobile firefighting system, lightweight and easy to use, that helps track flames and extinguish fires immediately. They will also be given night lighting equipment, which will help the firefighters deal with the fires and locate the spot where terrorist missiles strike. This will equip Israel’s first responders against an anticipated onslaught of attacks in the immediate future.
“The equipment that we received from The Fellowship is lifesaving,” said Ilan Isaacson, the security officer from the Carmel regional authority. “Every security person in this region is receiving a personal protection kit to prepare for the fires. Now we will be able to assist in the firefighting efforts while being appropriately protected according to security requirements. We are also better equipped with firefighting equipment and drones that circle above us and inform us of the status of the fires in real time.”
“For the past 20 years, The Fellowship has been working to strengthen the rescue forces in Israel and equip them with the best technology and equipment to enable them to successfully overcome the challenges they face,” said President and CEO of The Fellowship, Yael Eckstein. “The local emergency teams are the first to reach the scene, and their ability to respond quickly enables them to take control of emergency events such as fires, missiles, and more. We are attentive to the needs that arise in the field and adapt our assistance to the changing reality and challenges.”
The Fellowship has been helping to protect vulnerable communities in the south of Israel for many years. In the last year alone, The Fellowship donated 40 mobile shelters and distributed about 1,000 protective vests to the local emergency teams and social workers and purchased drones for all the regional authorities in the region for their self-defense needs.
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) was founded in 1983 to promote better understanding and cooperation between Christians and Jews and build broad support for Israel. Today it is one of the leading forces helping Israel and Jews in need worldwide — and is the largest channel of Christian support for Israel. Founded by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, The Fellowship now raises more than $120 million per year, mostly from Christians, to assist Israel and the Jewish people. Since its founding, The Fellowship has raised more than $1.8 billion for this work. The organization has offices in Jerusalem, Chicago, Toronto and Seoul. For more information, visit www.ifcj.org.
Yael Eckstein is the President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. In this role, Eckstein oversees all ministry programs and serves as the organization’s international spokesperson. She can be heard on The Fellowship’s daily radio program airing on 1,500 stations worldwide. Before her present duties, Yael served as global executive vice president, senior vice president, and director of program development and ministry outreach. Based in Jerusalem, Yael is a published writer, leading international advocate for persecuted religious minorities, and a respected social services professional. As President and CEO of The Fellowship, she also holds the rare distinction of being a woman leading one of America’s largest religious not-for-profit organizations.
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