URGENT UPDATE: The Jewish Communal Appeal (JCA) has taken a remarkable step to support the Jewish community in Australia following the devastating Bondi Beach terror attack that occurred on December 14. For the first time in its history, the JCA is opening emergency funding to all Jewish organizations, enabling crucial support for those affected.
The JCA Board of Governors has approved a special resolution that allows funding to extend beyond its member organizations to any Australian registered DGR-1 charities that provide essential frontline services. This unprecedented move acknowledges the overwhelming circumstances and urgent needs facing the community.
$2.5 million will be drawn from the JCA’s Bequest Fund, aimed at ensuring resources are directed to where they are most needed, particularly for crisis support, trauma care, and community safety in the aftermath of the attack. JCA President Ian Sandler emphasized the importance of a compassionate response: “What occurred at Bondi Beach has shaken our community to its core. In moments like these, we must respond not only with words of comfort, but with action, courage, and compassion.”
The newly established Bondi Beach Terror Relief Fund, launched in partnership with the Dor Foundation and Australian Jewish Funders, will focus on providing immediate and ongoing support to victims and their families. Sandler stated, “JCA exists to care for our community, and in this moment of immense pain, we are extending that care as widely as needed.”
As the situation evolves, the fund is expected to adapt to meet the community’s changing needs. The JCA is prepared to act swiftly, ensuring that any government funding is supplemented by this emergency allocation if necessary.
Guidelines for how eligible organizations can apply for the emergency funding will be communicated directly to community leaders.
Donations to support the Bondi Beach Terror Relief Fund can be made at donate.thedorfoundation.org.au/bondi-beach-terror-attack-response/donate.
The Bondi Beach terror attack tragically claimed the lives of 15 individuals during a Chanukah celebration, leaving the community in mourning and in need of immediate assistance.
As the JCA mobilizes resources, this urgent initiative underscores the resilience and unity of the Jewish community in Australia, determined to support one another in these dark times.
