Israel- Downturn of the Economy- key issue

Even while sporadic terror incidents continue, everyday needs still persist that we simply can't afford to ignore.  And today, we're working against an already difficult set of circumstances, all of which put enormous demands on the federation system.  As the Israeli economy continues to sink into deeper recession, the strain on Israel's social services grows, influencing the dramatic rise in social welfare needs. 

It's been nearly three years since the violence began.  And since that time, the impact of this chronic, economic stress has only deepened.  In fact, in 2002, Israel had the worst economic performance of any Western country.  The trends –  increased unemployment, a drop in the average income and an increased socio-economic gap between rich and poor – are only expected to grow in this recession. Our most vulnerable populations – our primary focus – are expected to become even more so.  Here's how the crisis has manifested itself economically in Israel:

Unemployment is at 10.5%.  1 out of every 6 Israelis was out of work at some point last year. 
Unemployment rate is expected to rise to 12% this year.
Tourism, the lynchpin of the economy, is at its lowest point in 20 years – revenues have plummeted from $4 billion to $2 billion.  
 
In this economic climate, funds are being further cut from social services, and the already vulnerable populations are becoming more vulnerable. This is why our Annual Campaign dollars are so critical.

Massive Strain on Social Structure

1. The recession is having a devastating impact on Israel's social welfare system.
2. Deep cuts in social welfare budgets inevitably hit those who are already the most vulnerable and disadvantaged populations in Israel, which the federation system already serves, This is especially so for Ethiopian immigrants, 90% -- or 72,000 – who suffer financial hardships and are affected by lack of education and limited literacy; problems learning Hebrew; issues of color, unemployment and poverty. 72% live below poverty line. The drop-out rate in the community is twice the national average. And juvenile delinquency and drug abuse are also higher than the national average.  Federation funds programs throughout the country that address all of these issues.
3. Similarly, the Caucasus-Israeli community, which also numbers 80,000, struggle with illiteracy (50% of them can't read Hebrew at all, and 25% of Caucasus-Israeli high school students drop out, compared to 5% from the general Israeli society.  Less than 57% of Kavkazi males and 43% of women participate in the Israeli work force. This in comparison to 93% and 74% respectively before immigrating to Israel. 23% of Kavkazi families in Israel have neither spouse working - even though they are of eligible working age. Intensive efforts must continue to reverse these negative trends so that these vulnerable communities can achieve a full transition.
4. Also at risk are new immigrants, the elderly, and at-risk youth from broken homes.
   For example:  330,000 children (15%) are at various states of significant social risk.
5. The emotional impact on Israel's most vulnerable populations is enormous.  Some 40% of Israeli children suffer moderate to sever symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.  
6. Domestic strife, alcohol and drug abuse have grown as anxiety created by the violence rises. 
7. In short, needs grow as funding for these needs is further chopped.
8. On top of all this, immigration continues; Israel's future is built in part on its strength in numbers, as Jews participate in the continued development of the State and start anew themselves.

Aliyah:

1. Every week, 664 people come to a land at war to be at peace.
   
2. Despite the violence, more than 80,000 immigrants have come to Israel since the violence began.  
   
3. Aliyah from Argentina rose 400% between 2001-2002; 7,000 expected this year and 10,000 in 2004.  French immigration to Israel in 2002 was the largest in 30 years at 2,326 olim, double the number in 2001. 
   
4. Nevertheless, this comes at a cost:  facilitating aliyah packages, absorption process, temporary housing.
   
5. This calls for greater demand in social services, a demand the federation system is mandated to meet, especially now.

Argentina
The economic – and emotional – meltdown continues in Argentina.  You just don't hear about it as much since issues of Iraq and the Middle East dominate the news.  Over the past few years, like the rest of the country, Argentina's Jewish middle class (80% of all Argentinean Jews) has experienced financial and economic distress.  Here are some of the grim facts, and how federation dollars have helped address these needs:

1. Today, 54% of the entire population is living below the poverty line.
2. 750,000 jobs have been lost in the last year.
3. 162,000 small businesses closed last year, and more than 70% of Jewish-owned small businesses have closed
4. Poverty increased 40% in the past 12 months
5. 1 in every 3 Jews in Argentina is living under the poverty line, or approximately 60,000 people.
6. Formerly wealthy Jews have become the "sudden poor" over the last six months.  Imagine sitting where you are today and waking up on the other side of the receiving line, and today, JDC has more than 35, 800 clients in Argentina.
7. Families face eviction from homes because they can't pay rent.  Electricity and gas are cut off. 
   Federation dollars provide rent subsidies and free legal counseling. 
8. JCC memberships and Jewish day school attendance are at an all-time low because people can't afford to pay. 
   The caseload keeps growing, with 1,200-1,800 people added each month.
9. More than 35,000 Argentinean Jews have received food vouchers over the past year- up from 16,000 just a year ago –more than doubling in a single year.
10. Through school vouchers, 2,000 children have returned to Jewish schools even though their families can no longer afford tuition, because they get lunch – their one hot meal of the day- there.
11. Medicine/prescriptions: more than 70 centers throughout the country provide free prescriptions and  wheelchairs donated to JCCs and Jewish old age homes 
    -15,000 prescription medications are being dispensed
12. Aliyah:  Funding also assists those immigrating to Israel.  The statistics are telling:
    In 2001, 1,400 Argentineans made aliyah.
    In 2002, the number reached 6,200; increasing by 400% in the past 12 months.

 Elderly in FSU in Israel, and America
Professionals and volunteers work year-round to meet the immediate and long-term needs of elderly Jews wherever they live.  Today, we've got a tremendous challenge on our hands- and it's only getting worse.  We're aging at an incredibly high rate compared to the rest of the world... in America, in the FSU, and in Israel.  And budget cuts aren't helping matters anywhere.    

Right now in the FSU, federation dollars:

1. Helping the Jews who remain in the region rebuild communities that can ease the hunger of their elderly and poor – by providing food, heat, blankets, home care, medical care/prescriptions, and rehabilitation equipment, and by helping them overcome a sense of isolation.  In fact, the human touch might be the most powerful thing we can give them. 
2. Federation dollars also satisfy the younger generations' thirst for Jewish life. 
3. In five years, the caseload has more than tripled to more than 250,000 elderly Jews receiving help from JDC – and 40% of them are entirely dependent on the federation system for support.  More than 7 million hot meals through 162 federation-supported welfare centers.  That Jewish welfare system – developed and supported with funds from the Jewish Federation Annual Campaign – has become of a model for welfare-service delivery worldwide.  But even with these numbers, thousands still go uncared for.  We need to do more. 

Right now in Israel, 

1. There are approximately 650,000 elderly, 100,000 of them severely disabled, with the numbers expected to increase by more than 30% over the next ten years. 
2. More than 7,000 independent elderly live in federation-supported housing.
3. Here at home, things are tighter than ever, with a $100 billion reduction in state and federal budgets – which directly affects our agencies that rely on this funding on top of federation support.  This gets even more complicated as the population ages. 
4. While services are being cut because funding is being cut, the needs grow as the community ages. Proportionately, we've got fewer and fewer people taking care of our elderly, due to low birth rates, which means it becomes a communal issue.  
5. New demands call for a complete continuum of care that includes institutional care as well as other services that enhance the quality of life and prolong independence – from transportation, counseling, adult day care and meals-on wheels, to assisted living and skilled nursing care, acute medical and end-of-life care.

 Jewish identity/Anti-Semitism- campus-wide and world-wide
And that's just the elderly.  Day in and day out, annual campaign dollars fund families in distress, building Jewish identity for our children - through JCCs, Israel programs, and campus Hillels.  Annual Campaign funds address Jewish identity:

1. In less than 20 years, Diaspora Jewry may lose a million people through assimilation, intermarriage, and low  birth rates.
2. Only 1 in 20 non-Jewish marriage partners convert to Judaism
3. Only half of some 1.1 million Jewish youth are enrolled in Jewish programs at any given time
4. Federation support has enabled more than 16,300 Jewish young adults from all over the world to make birthright israel trips.  In fact, these are so valued not just by recipients but by our partners in Israel, that the Israeli government, in a time of deep cuts, has chosen to continue funding them.
   From Natan Sharansky: "What I love about the [birthright] concept is that the Government of Israel is actually making an investment in Diaspora Jewry at the same time Diaspora Jewry is making an investment in Israel."
5. Federation supports Hillels to strengthen Jewish identity at a time when it's needed most - at a time when anti-Semitic incidents on campus are higher than they've been in years, because it's now "trendy" on campus to defend the Palestinians under the banners of "liberation" and "human rights," and Jewish students, too ignorant of the facts or too intimidated to speak up, are at a loss how to respond. Anti-Semitic incidents on campus increased by 24% in 2002. And 2001 had already increased 23% over the year prior. (source: ADL) A total of 106 incidents were reported—many of them occurring during anti-Israel or anti-Zionist demonstrations, with participants expressing anti-Jewish sentiments or vandalizing Jewish buildings. At the University of Colorado, Jewish students were confronted by an angry, threatening crowd yelling "Nazis!" and other epithets as they held a peace vigil in September. In the ensuing weeks, "Jews rot in Hell" was spray-painted on a Jewish fraternity house, and a Sukkah was defaced with a swastika. 
6. This is only symptomatic of what's happening throughout the world - with incidents spanning Western, central and eastern Europe, South America and northern Africa -from as far West as Portugal to the eastern stretches of FSU. Anti-Semitic incidents in Britain rose by 75 percent in the first quarter of 2003.  In the U.S. alone, 1,559 anti-Jewish incidents, including harassment and vandalism, were reported in 2002, an 8% increase over 2001. Among the more violent attacks: an arson attack that caused thousands of dollars in damage at a synagogue in Oakland, Calif., and three separate incidents of vandalism at  a Jewish cemetery in Worcester, Mass. (source: ADL). 

Domestic needs at home
On top of all of this, we have our usual everyday needs at home, strengthening families at risk, children in distress, single parents -- all of which our community must address:

1. 22.1% of all Americans 18 and older suffer from some diagnosable mental disorder every year.  Federations and more than 145 affiliated Jewish family service agencies provide mental health services to some 500,000 adults and 370,000 children
2. Domestic violence occurs in Jewish families at about the same rate as in families of other religions - about 15-
   25% - and is found in every kind of Jewish home: Reform, Conservative, Orthodox, Reconstructionist, and unaffiliated.
3. Jewish women stay in abusive relationships 5 to 7 years longer than non-Jewish women.
4. State governments are experiencing the toughest economic situations in 50 years. The impending impacts on social services particularly in the area of medicaid benefits which has a direct affect on funding local agencies
5. Jewish Family and Children's Services agencies across North America report a 15-20% increase in requests for assistance in job seeks, including the more affluent
6. Most agencies have kosher food banks and report doubling/tripling of requests.
7. An increased number of families are seeking assistance of all types from local federation-supported agencies.
   With growing demand and less funding, agencies are stretched to capacity even further.

V. IEC update/synopsis:

Because of our collective efforts and our donors' generosity, in just 18 months,

1. We ensured that more than 300,000 Israeli children had a safe summer camp experience, and we've given financial support to more than 2,500 people directly affected by terror attacks.
2. We've also been able to ensure that: more than 40,000 children have a safe place to go after school throughout this year; 1,600 guards protect them during the school day.
3. Israel today is able to handle its security needs with much greater confidence, thanks to equipment we've supplied to the Homefront Command and the Civil Guard.
4. We also purchased critical medical supplies for Israel's hospitals, set up trauma support programs for the most vulnerable Israelis, distributed beepers to alert deaf Israelis in emergencies, and created sealed rooms for autistic children.

All of this because of the generosity of the Jewish community – because of people like you – who together raised more than $349 million, $259 million since April, 2002 alone.

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You've just heard/read all the facts.  And with the stakes higher than ever, the mandate Kol Yisrael Arevim zeh l'zeh - all Israel is responsible one for the other – speaks louder today than it ever has... We have a financial responsibility on top of our moral and human responsibilities – to reach out to those who need our help.  As uncertain as things may be in our own backyard, we're in far better shape than so many others throughout the world.  In serious times, we need to give wisely, strategically, but most importantly, compassionately.