ICEJ war relief effort includes toys for evacuated Israeli children
Published on: 13.10.2023
By: Laurina Driesse

The ICEJ staff in Jerusalem are working around the clock to bring urgent relief to the embattled nation of Israel. In one example, an ICEJ team just travelled on Thursday to Haifa, where they spent the day packing gift bags with toys for children in families evacuated to the North from the Gaza border area.

Following the horrific massacre of over 1,000 civilians in the Israeli communities bordering Gaza last weekend, and the ensuing barrages of Hamas rockets, hundreds of Israeli families living in the western Negev have been evacuated to temporary housing in hostels and hotels across the country. These families had to hastily leave their homes with little in their hands.
ICEJ Staff packing toys

The ICEJ staff packed 250 bags of toys to help the traumatized children relax better in their new surroundings. There were big toy trucks, Lego building blocks, coloring books and crayons, canvas painting set and pastels, fun stickers, and many other items.

When the ICEJ team then entered one of the hotels to deliver the gifts, they were greeted by clowns that keep the children entertained with dancing and lively musical activities.

Female soldiers from the IDF’s Home Front Command were helping supervise the children, giving their parents a much-needed break. One hundred people from the battered southern towns of Ashkelon, Netivot and Sderot were taking refuge at this hotel.

Many large families are being packed into a single room together for the duration of their stay. Some are staying until next week to have a break from the constant barrage of rockets back home, while others may stay longer. In addition to handing out the bags of toys to children, our team found out that a large family had very little to eat since their arrival, so we brought them meals.

Next, the staff moved on to two distribution centers in other parts of Haifa where more toys were dropped off. Displaced families will now come to the distribution centers to receive the gifts as well as other donated relief items they need.

One distribution center was at a college where classes are suspended, but the students were also collecting donated items and helping evacuated families. The ICEJ delivered 60 toy baskets to this center and spoke to those working tirelessly to organize the donated goods. They were so deeply moved to hear that Christians around the world are standing with them.
Yudit Setz embraces Israeli helper

ICEJ Aid assistant Jannie Tolhoek said one worker asked her if she was planning to leave Israel. Jannie shared the story of Ruth and Naomi, stressing the vow of Ruth that, “Your people shall be my people and your God, my God.” (Ruth 1:16) Tears of gratitude began flowing on all sides, and the ICEJ team received many warm embraces.

During this time of Israel’s most daunting crisis in a generation, the ICEJ is standing in solidarity with the Jewish nation and people. We are on the frontlines to bring comfort and hope to Israelis on behalf of Christians worldwide.

The ICEJ is currently assisting evacuated Israeli families with housing, food, clothing and emergency aid. We are involved in other urgent food distributions across the country, including to the elderly and needy families. We are providing helmets and protective vests to some 110 civilian volunteers in regional security services. We are rushing to order more bomb shelters for the north and south of the country, and funding the refurbishment of another 20 underground shelters in the vulnerable northern town of Shlomi, which brings our total to 73. We are raising funds to purchase several ambulances. And we will provide called-up Israeli reservists with needed warm clothing, tents and camping equipment as they stand day and night defending the northern border.

ICEJ 戰爭救援工作包括為撤離的以色列兒童提供玩具
發佈於：2023年10月13日
作者：勞麗娜·德里斯
耶路撒冷的 ICEJ 工作人員正在全天候工作，為陷入困境的以色列提供緊急救濟。 舉個例子，ICEJ 的一個團隊剛在週四前往海法，在那裡他們花了一天的時間為從加薩邊境地區撤離到北部的家庭的兒童包裝玩具禮品袋。
上週末，與加薩接壤的以色列社區發生了1000 多名平民的可怕屠殺，以及隨後哈馬斯火箭彈的襲擊，居住在內蓋夫西部的數百名以色列家庭被疏散到全國各地旅館和酒店的臨時住所。 這些家庭不得不匆匆離開家園，手中所剩無幾。
ICEJ 工作人員包裝玩具
ICEJ 工作人員打包了 250 袋玩具，幫助受創傷的孩子在新環境中更好地放鬆。 有大型玩具卡車、樂高積木、著色書和蠟筆、畫布繪畫套裝和蠟筆、有趣的貼紙和許多其他物品。
當 ICEJ 團隊進入其中一家酒店遞送禮物時，迎接他們的是小丑，這些小丑為孩子們帶來舞蹈和活潑的音樂活動。
以色列國防軍後方司令部的女兵正在幫忙照顧孩子們，讓他們的父母得到急需的休息。 來自遭受重創的南部城鎮阿什凱隆、內蒂沃特和斯德洛特的一百人在這家旅館避難。
許多大家庭在住宿期間都被擠在一個單人房裡。 有些人會待到下週，以擺脫家鄉不斷的火箭攻擊，而有些人可能會待更久。 除了分發一袋袋給孩子的玩具外，我們的團隊發現一個大家庭自從他們到達後就沒有什麼吃的了，所以我們給他們帶來了飯菜。
接下來，工作人員前往海法其他地區的兩個配送中心，在那裡投放了更多玩具。 流離失所的家庭現在將來到分發中心領取禮物以及他們需要的其他捐贈的救援物品。
一個分發中心位於一所停課的大學，但學生們也在收集捐贈的物品並幫助疏散的家庭。 ICEJ 向中心運送了 60 個玩具籃，並與那些不知疲倦地整理捐贈物品的人員進行了交談。 聽到世界各地的基督徒與他們站在一起，他們深受感動。
尤迪特·塞茨擁抱以色列助手
ICEJ 援助助理 Jannie Tolhoek 表示，一名工作人員問她是否打算離開以色列。 珍妮分享了露絲和內奧米的故事，強調了露絲的誓言：“你的人民將是我的人民，你的上帝，我的上帝。” （路得記1:16）眾人的感激之情溢於言表，ICEJ團隊也受到許多人的熱烈擁抱。
在以色列這一代人面臨的最嚴峻危機時期，ICEJ 與猶太民族和人民站在一起。 我們站在前線，代表全世界的基督徒為以色列人帶來安慰和希望。
ICEJ 目前正在為撤離的以色列家庭提供住房、食物、衣服和緊急援助。 我們參與了全國各地的其他緊急食品分發工作，包括向老年人和貧困家庭分發食品。 我們正在為地區安全部門的約 110 名平民義工提供頭盔和防護背心。 我們正在加緊為該國北部和南部訂購更多防空洞，並資助在脆弱的北部城鎮什洛米翻修另外 20 個地下避難所，使我們的總數達到 73 個。我們正在籌集資金購買幾輛救護車。 我們將為應徵入伍的以色列預備役軍人提供所需的保暖衣物、帳篷和露營設備，讓他們日夜堅守保衛北部邊境。
您也可以透過支持我們的以色列危機基金來幫助我們做到這一切以及更多。 請奉獻到：give.icej.org/crisis