ANOTHER PARTNER?

Excellent sources who have studied the matter closely have told me a story that, if true, is worthy of the Forward or JTA, not this little Blog. It is a strange tale, indeed, and, again, if true, reflects on the very sad state of due diligence in our system today. Our story begins in New York City, travels to Israel and ends witrh the federations and JFNA. It travels from the floods of Katrina to the forest fires of Northern Israel. And, at the end of the day, if true, it is the story of marketing and form over substance.


Let's begin at the New York UJA-Federation in 2001. Federation decided that notwithstanding the existence of the hospital driven Trauma Coalition in Israel, or the University-driven Trauma Coalition is Israel, it was necessary to assist our Israeli mishpacha, traumatized by intifadas and Wars, by the formation of the ITC, bringing together the work of 60 organizations steeped in trauma assistance in Israel and, no doubt, brought together by New York-UJA's Israel Office "...helping individuals and communities cope with unrelenting violence." In reality, this was the coupling of New York-UJA with the work of a dedicated doctor at Herzog Hospital outside Jerusalem. And that doctor, under the auspices of the ITC flew to New Orleans and offered the Coalition's service to JFNA in the aftermath of Katrina.