Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) joined Israel's Health Ministry in opening the first of 16 planned health centers in Israel, the organization announced on Thursday.
The community health centers are a collaborative project between JFNA CEO and President Eric D. Fingerhut as well as Health Minister Uriel Busso to provide access to treatments and services for hundreds of thousands of Israelis without the stigma associated with mental illness.
The first center was opened within the Hadassah Youth Neurim Village in Beit Yanai in memory of Niv Raviv & Nirel Zini, a young couple murdered in the terror attacks at their home on Kibbutz Kfar Aza.
In July, JFNA announced they were contributing nearly $7 million to the Mental Health in the Community program, a necessity after the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
“The need for us to invest in professional, high quality, consistent, permanent network of mental health support is an absolute necessity,” Fingerhut said. “And so being able to be here in person today to help cut the ribbon and dedicate this one part of what is a broad network of mental health support is the culmination of a commitment -- or the representation of a commitment that our Jewish communities have today to the rebuilding of the soul and the mental health of the people of Israel.”
Federations in Chicago, Toronto, Houston, and Dallas contributed financially to the program.
“The project we are launching today would not have been possible without the wonderful partnership of the Jewish Federations of North America,” said Busso.
“The organization, which brings together 146 Federations in the United States and Canada, has once again proven the strength of the bond and the deep commitment to the state of the Jewish People.”
Emergency funds
In September, the JFNA allocated $43 million in emergency funds to assist the residents of the north with their “critical needs.”
"In light of the escalation of the war in the north of Israel, Jewish Federations have allocated $43M in emergency funds to meet critical needs of those communities under attack," Fingerhut said.
The funds were used to help terror attack victims by providing medical and mental health support, food, and housing for displaced people. They were also used to rebuild damaged communities and assist local businesses affected by the war.