Communicating Arts - Main Web SiteAmong the smallest of countries--population: approximately 7.7 million Jewish and 1.6 million Christian, Druze, and Muslim citizens--Israel nonetheless mounts extensive emergency response and committed humanitarian missions worldwide.
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In a gesture of care and support, one of the world's smallest nations is sending aid to the world's most populous nation in the form millions of dollars worth of equipment for earthquake relief. An Israeli plane carrying over 30 tons of medical equipment, water purification kits, electricity generators, tents and blankets took off on Monday for the Chinese city of Chengdu, which was devastated by a May 12 earthquake. The earthquake has left at least 62,664 people dead and an estimated five million homeless. 06/05/08 [3]
Commenting on the above, a YouTube watcher, "jimmyjameswang" wrote in response to the familiar bilge talk, "lol, Israel has been (secretly) a great friend of ours long before we start to develop our post war economy, and we sure were no 'world power' back than, we were poor and back ward and isolated. Quit trying to help the US to alienated us."
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ADAPAZARI, Turkey, Aug. 26 — Amid the scenes of horror and death that have afflicted this city since the earthquake last week, the brightest sign of life is a field hospital operated by doctors and nurses from the Israeli Army.
Eight babies have been born here since the quake. One boy was named Israel, and one girl is called Ziona. Their names are symbols of how firmly the earthquake has sealed the alliance between Israel and Turkey. [4]
Turkey's political stance has changed since Stephen Kinzer published the above lead in The New York Times in 1999; however, Turkey's cooperation in the defeat of this year's Haifa fire may signal that some battles, perhaps especially those with nature, call for continuing humanitarian initiative and reciprocity.
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Three years ago, fueled by a desire to arm myself with management skills for this career, I enrolled in an Israel-based Masters program in Community Leadership & Philanthropy Studies. Today, I am the Director of Volunteer Services at the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village in Rwanda . . . From the moment I landed in Israel, not a day passed when I did not want to be there. Once again, I found Jewish peers who believed in the importance of social responsibility that extends beyond one’s own community [5].
Rachel Orstein, writer of the above quote, coordinated American and Israeli youth efforts to produce good through the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village of rural Rwanda. The Israel-based institutional element supporting her effort, Masa Israel, sponsors more than 160 programs for young adults engaged in the development of Jewish identity and the investment in human capital in the process of community. [6]
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In 2009, a total of 2,375 professionals from 110 countries participated in 99 courses in Israel, while 4,357 took part in 82 on-the-spot courses (in host countries) in a total of 35 countries. MASHAV experts were dispatched throughout the world on 89 short-term consultancies and humanitarian medical missions to 31 countries and eight long-term experts were serving on MASHAV demonstration projects around the world, in a total of seven countries. [7]
By continent, here are the complements in countries engaged with Israel's MASHAV development and humanitarian missions:
Africa: Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Benin, Burundi, Chad, Democratic Republic of Congo, Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Asia and Oceania: Bhutan, China, India, Indonesia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, Phillippines, Republic of Korea, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Tonga, Vanuatu, Vietnam.
Central Europe and Eurasia: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Tajikstan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan.
Latin America and the Caribbean: Argentina, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, St. Kitts and Nevis, Uraguay, Venezuela.
Mediterranean Basic and the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom.
Middle East and North Africa: Egypt, Jordan, Palestinian Authority (neutral aegis: Danish International Development Agency)
Some MASHAV programs may feature just one participant exchange; others as well involve dozens. Whatever the numbers involved, israeli and Jewish engagement with others everywhere in the world in the shadows of difficult circumstances and daunting problems seems rule, not exception.
Here is a little more about the Middle East program:
In 1999 an intergovernmental agreement for a Regional Agricultural Program was signed by Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and the Palestinian Authority with Denmark as initiator and main supporter. It started with great optimism. Following the success of a trilateral program involving Denmark, Egypt, and Israel, it was suggested to expand the program to include Jordan and the Palestinian Authority. All agreed, and representatives of the prospective partners met in Alexandria to select subjects and objectives of common interest to all partners. MASHAV and CINADCO represented Israel. [8]
CINADCO is Israel's Centre for International Agricultural Development Cooperation.
I may not wish always to indulge in puff and paraphrasis, but here in response to the broad demonization of Israel and the impact of that rhetoric on Jews of the Diaspora, it seemed to me worthwhile to look over Israel's encouragement, sponsorship, and support of much needed development, emergency, and humanitarian mission programs worldwide.
Cited Reference
1. MFAIsrael. "Tikun Olam - Israel's worldwide humanitarian aid missions." January 11, 2010.
2. Wikipedia. "Demographics of Israel": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Israel
3. Infolivetvenglish. "Israel Sends Humanitarian Aid to China Earthquake Victims." June 5, 2008: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIOJHcG_MIo
4. Kinzer, Stephen. "Quake Relief Shows Israel Feels Deeply for Turkey." The New York Times, August 26, 1999: http://www.nytimes.com/1999/08/28/world/quake-relief-shows-israel-feels-deeply-for-turkey.html
5. Olstein, Rachel. "From Israel to Rwanda, pursuing social justice." Masa Israel Journey: The Blog, August 23, 2010: http://www.themasaisraelblog.org/2010/08/23/from-israel-to-rwanda-pursuing-social-justice/
6. Masa Israel. "Our Historic Mission": http://www.masaisrael.org/Masa/English/About+MASA/Our+Mission/
7. MASHAV - Courses and Publications: Annual Reports: http://mashav.mfa.gov.il/mfm/web/main/document.asp?SubjectID=44836&MissionID=16210&LanguageID=0&StatusID=0&DocumentID=-1
8. Abileah, Benjamin. "The Middle East Regional Agricultural Program: Working for Peace Through Cooperation." MASHAV, n.d., circa 2004: http://mashav.mfa.gov.il/mfm/Data/84644.pdf
9. The New York Times. "Pakistan Welcomes Aid from U.S. Jews." October 12, 2005: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/12/international/asia/12musharraf.html?pagewanted=print Search string "2005 Pakistan Earthquake Jewish charity" will yield more results. Pakistan's more recent travails also have been addressed with funds from Jewish charitable giving, e.g., http://www.wjr.org.uk/appeals/723-pakistan-floods
Other Reference
Israel Forum for International Humanitarian Aid: http://www.israaid.org.il/
Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "Israel aids Hurricane Katrina victims." September 5, 2005: http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Ministry/MFA+Spokesman/2005/Israeli+aid+to+Hurricane+Katrina+victims+5-Sep-2005.htm
Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MASHAV - Center for International Cooperation: http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Mashav+–+International+Development/Activities/MASHAV-+Center+for+International+Cooperation.htm
Masa Israel: http://www.masaisrael.org/masa/english/
MASHAV - Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation
Stern, Rebecca. "Tikkun Olam in Tel Aviv." Masa Israel Journey: The Blog, November 1, 2010: http://www.themasaisraelblog.org/2010/11/01/tikkun-olam-in-tel-aviv/
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