International Refugee Day - Activities in Jaffa

Last night some 25 refugees from Soudan crossed into Israel. Leaving behind them the horror of Darfour, they hope to find a safe place for their children and themselves.

So you'd like to do something for them? You can.
Today.
Today, at 16.30 at the Arab Jewish community Center in Jaffa (at the Kedem - Mendes France crossing) there will be a festivity in honor of the International Refugee Day.
The activities start at 16.30 and include a panel, games for children, ethnic food stands and a football game.
The festivities are organised by "Doctors for Human Rights", Mesila and other NGO's.

Almost every night refugees travel by foot through the hot dry and dangerous desert to cross into Israel, to save their lives. At the border, they are picked up by the army or the border police and dumped in Beer Sheva, where volunteers from NGO's and a few social work students from Ben Gurion University try to find solutions for each and every one.
Some of the refugees have been assisted by Bedouin volunteers from Lakiyah's women's organization.

A few days ago a young Sudanese woman gave birth at the border. She was taken to Be'er Sheva's Soroka Hospital by an army ambulance and called her newborn son "Israel". A day later her husband and their 2 young toddlers joined her.

The work with refugees is carried out by volunteers and so far, the state has taken few responsibilities.
This coming week a special meeting at the Knesset will be dedicated to finding solutions for the Soudanese refugees, whose numbers are increasing day by day.

It is time our voice is heard. We DO have a responsibility for these people.

Some 65 years ago a boat, packed with Jewish refugees, left a German harbour. They hoped to sail to a safe place, but no country was willing to accept the refugees. The boat sailed back to its German harbour and almost all the refugees died in concentration camps. they could have been saved. They almost WERE saved, but no one cared enough. The world stood by.

Some 50 years later, a few small ships carrying Vietnamese "boat-people" were picked up by a ZIM merchant container ship. They were given Israeli citizenship and in fact many of them, their children and grand children, live in Jaffa up to this very day.

Cambodia, Rouanda, Sebrenice, the list is long. The world stood by and did nothing.

Today we CAN do something. albeit something, something small.
So come over to Jaffa today, and see how and where YOU can help.