Update From Haiti

February 03: Like the Stories We Are Told of the Holocaust

The head of ZAKA (in charge of Israel's relief effort to Haiti) Mati Goldstein, wrote this in an email report: "Everywhere the acrid smell of bodies hangs in the air. It's just like the stories we are told of the Holocaust—thousands of bodies everywhere. You have to understand the situation is true madness, and the more time passes there are more and more bodies, in numbers that cannot be grasped. It is beyond comprehension."

United Nations officials now estimate the Haitian earthquake as the fourth deadliest natural disaster in the last hundred years. The government of Haiti remains unable to cope with the need for relief to its citizens. And the aid that has been delivered so far remains far short of what is needed to provide for the people.

The scale of this tragedy is hard to comprehend. Just hearing the numbers; nearly two hundred thousand killed, two hundred and fifty thousand injured, hundreds of thousands more left homeless, as many as three million people in need of aid and assistance to survive, a devastated economy and infrastructure…it's almost too much to grasp. The need is incredible. And for many people, especially the youngest victims of this tragedy, hope is hard to find. Tens of thousands of children are believed to have been orphaned by the earthquake.

But Israel is trying to change that. Israel was one of the first nations to respond to the tragedy, sending IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) search and rescue teams, a full field hospital, forty doctors and hundreds of support personnel. These Israeli teams have saved hundreds of lives, pulling many from the rubble, treating some of the most difficult injuries and performing very serious operations.

Israel has a great deal of gratitude for Haiti. In 1947, Haiti was one of the early supporters of the United Nations motion for the creation of the modern state of Israel. And during the 1930s, Haiti issued visas to hundreds of Jews fleeing persecution in Europe at a time when the United States was refusing them entry. This generous step saved hundreds of lives from the Holocaust.

Support and relief personnel from some nations have already left to return home, but the Israeli teams are still in place. They have committed to stay for weeks—helping save lives and rebuild shattered bodies and dreams.

And now Israel is preparing to take another amazing step. The Israeli field hospital, in addition to taking on the most difficult medical cases has also become the center for treating children injured in the earthquake. Many school buildings collapsed, leaving thousands of children who survived critically injured.

Israeli doctors and medical personnel have treated hundreds of them, easing their pain and healing their wounds. But the greatest wounds are not physical—they are emotional. These orphaned children are suffering a pain no medicine can cure.

But something can be done! The government of Israel is working to finalize an agreement to allow hundreds of orphaned Haitian children to be adopted by Jewish families in Israel. Minister of Welfare and Social Services Isaac Herzog said they are working to cut through the red tape that often delays international adoptions to allow these children to be placed in loving families as soon as possible.

The Jerusalem Prayer Team is going to help make this adoption process a reality. Our help will be a blessing to both these precious Haitian children and to Israel as well. We have already raised thousands of dollars for immediate relief and aid to the victims of this massive earthquake…but there is more to be done.