Temple Beth Israel and its parent organization, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism (USCJ), are reaching out to assist the people of Haiti in the aftermath of the recent terrible earthquake disaster that took place there!! 

This page of our Website is devoted to providing donation-/activity opportunities in connection with the Haiti relief effort.

[Click on the links below to go to the associated Websites for donation and/or further information.] 

1. USCJ Disaster Relief Fund

According to Rabbi Paul Drazen, Chief Program Development Officer of USCJ, "The funds USCJ is collecting for Haiti either by web or check, will be distributed to groups with experience and expertise on the ground. Our preference will be to groups providing support and help for victims. Those determinations will be made by people at USCJ who are involved in our social action policy area, with input and information from coalitions which help manage disaster relief programs.

Our on-line collections are given to us at 100%, the service does not charge us. We keep the heading on the web site generic to speed ability to collect, but funds which come in when a specific appeal is made are directed to that appeal.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me."

[Rabbi Drazen can be contacted via e-mail address: drazen@uscj.org.]



2. American Red Cross Donations Via Cellular:

To help with relief efforts, text "HAITI" to "90999" and $10 will be given automatically to the Red Cross and charged to your cell phone bill.


3. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee "(www.jdc.org)" has opened a donation link on this Website for Haiti disaster relief purposes.


4. Broward's Jewish Federation will be opening a mailbox for Haiti disaster relief with 100 percent of donations received going via the Joint Distribution Committee to provide non-sectarian help to the victims in Haiti.
   
   
5. Hopital Albert Schweitzer Haiti

This opportunity was made known to us by a TBI-Onliner that forwarded the following e-mail from Scott Riviere, a close friend of their family... 


Dear Friends and Family,  
 
Haiti and the Haitian people have touched my heart and changed my life and perspective more than I could have imagined. 

Many of you are aware that I have been journeying back and forth to Haiti the last couple of years; most recently with a film producer to film the inspiring work of HTRIP (a community program), and the Hopital Albert Schweitzer (HAS) in Deschapelles.

We had planned to return to Haiti in February to create a new film about the HAS hospital. The hospital is located in a valley in central Haiti. It was founded in the 1950s by Gwen & Larry Mellon and is based on Albert Schweitzer's philosophy of "a reverence for life and all living things".

Larry Mellon's niece gave me the special gift of introducing me to Haiti and HAS. The dignity and grace of the Haitian people combined with the loving partnership this hospital has with the community has been a life-changing force for me.  HAS is unique in its relationship with the community and Haiti, and is highly respected. It has withstood the times, and has healed and served Haitians throughout the years, regardless of whatever was taking place in the country politically or economically. It is now rising to face one of the greatest challenges in it's 54 year history.

The hospital is currently receiving an influx of patients from Port au Prince and Petite Riviere as HAS is one of the few hospitals that has a surgery unit. The hallways are crowded and the doctors (all of whom are Haitian) are rigorously working to save lives.

As you can imagine, this great influx puts a demand on food, water and medical supplies.  HAS is one of the few institutions positioned to provide timely care to the injured and, at this time they don't have the capability to accept material goods or personnel. 

As the flow of patients increases, their greatest and most urgent need is for funds to pay overtime wages and to purchase replacement medicines and supplies.  I am requesting that you go to their website and donate what you are able. It only takes a few minutes.  Even $10 helps. I've never seen a dollar stretch as far as it does in Haiti.
 
The website with the direct donation link for the hospital is:

www.hashaiti.org.

There will be updates from the hospital on this site as well.

Thank you for considering this as we look at what we each have to offer during this tremendous challenge to the human spirit.

Scott D. Riviere
 
One more thing:

One of the founders of HTRIP and her 2-year-old were on their way to Port au Prince during the quake since her husband was possibly in the hospital that crumbled.  They are special friends and their names are Starry, Erlantz and Jasmine (the child).  I was going to ask you to hold them in your thoughts, but as I write this we've just been informed that they are all safe!  To see the work of HTRIP (a community program of the hospital); to meet the beautiful people of Haiti; and to meet Starry, Erlantz and Jasmine, watch the film "Step by Step" at:
Rainforest Haiti Now.

[Note that in addition to credit-card type donations, checks can be made out to the hospital and US-mailing these to their Pittsburgh, USA organization address.  Full information can be obtained by clicking on their Website link above.]  

 

6. As Additionally Reported [1/13/10] Via TBI's E-mail Alerting Service...

Although there are no Reform or Conservative synagogues in Haiti, nor any Chabad presence, Haiti needs our help!

There will be a rally for Haiti disaster relief on Sunday, January 17, at 1:30 pm in Arts Park in Hollywood. Funds raised at that rally will be given to the Red Cross for Haiti disaster relief.

Conditions in Haiti...[updated as of 1/13/10]

* Three American fatalities
* One of Three cell phone companies in Haiti working with consistency
* Land lines not working
* American Embassy damaged
* Extensive damage to UN headquarters
* Four urban search and rescue teams en route from Fairfax, VA Miami, FL and Los Angeles, CA
* American Government sending an airport traffic control team to help at the airport
* IDF medical teams preparing to spend two weeks in Haiti and to see an average of 500 patients a day per Chief IDF Medical Corps Officer: Brig.-Gen. Nahman Ash. The delegation, consisting of 121 members including 40 doctors and five search-and-rescue teams, will lift off on two planes at 8 PM from Ben-Gurion International Airport.

Additional Phone Numbers/Websites:
 
* US State Department: 1-888-407-4747.  (For assistance finding relatives.)
* Whitehouse Website: whitehouse.gov. 
* Interaction Website: Interaction: Earthquake-Haiti is the largest coalition of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) focused on the world's poor and most vulnerable people.
* Center for International Disaster Information: www.cidi.org at phone number 703-276-1914 is also available for making your donations.