Jewish Agency mobilises to aid missile victims

On the afternoon (Australian time) that Beersheba’s Soroka Hospital was hit by an Iranian ballistic missile, Yaron Shavit’s phone was spitting out missile alerts.

The jarring sounds punctuated an interview with The AJN that the Jewish Agency deputy chair was giving in Melbourne on June 19 during a meeting with Jewish communal organisations at Beth Weizmann Jewish Community Centre.

Each sharp alert saw his eyes divert nervously to his phone.

Shavit departed on a visit to Australia and New Zealand just before the outbreak of hostilities with Iran.

The Jewish Agency deputy said he believes that if the US enters the war, the goal of victory will be elevated to regime change in Iran. “This is a much different and more significant change” than curbing Iran’s offensive nuclear arsenal.

Asked what challenges the Iran phase of the war brings to the Jewish Agency, Shavit said the organisation’s first priority now is “to assist every Israeli during this war [with Iran]” with an immediate grant of $US1000 per person, as has been done under its Victims of Terror fund, but separate to that.

“We need to mobilise the Jewish people [worldwide] to donate for victims of war, and we want to be able, just like we did after October 7, to aid each and every one of them.”

Secondly, the Jewish Agency is liaising with local authorities around Israel in providing direct assistance.

“We see the mayors as the ones who are familiar with the challenges in their area and we want to be able to give money to these towns and cities to deal with the challenges of houses that were destroyed, infrastructure that needs to be rebuilt.”

The Jewish Agency provided similar grants to local authorities after October 7, distributing NIS20 million ($A8.8 million) directly, in order to avoid government red tape, Shavit noted.

Thirdly, despite the needs in Israel, the Jewish Agency is not letting up in its budgeting for the global fight against antisemitism, he said.