(JTA) — One of the largest Jewish foundations in the United States awarded$700,000 in emergency grants to Israeli nonprofits to assist in their response to the recent conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
The Baltimore-based Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Foundation, which controls some $2 billion in assets, announced on Tuesday the grants to a number of nonprofit organizations based in both the U.S. and Israel.
Most of the grants are aimed at assisting disadvantaged individuals — such as the elderly, disabled and mentally ill — and their families by mitigating the disruptive effects of persistent rocket fire from Gaza, as well as direct assistance to those who are vulnerable from the attacks.
The grants include $40,000 for portable “convenience kits” to allow disabled and elderly individuals to relieve themselves during long stints in shelters; two separate grants of $50,000 for mobile or portable bomb shelters for buildings and areas that do not currently offer shelter; and $25,000 for home visits to families of autistic children who are regressing due to the interruption of their routines by rocket fire.
The Weinberg Foundation, established in 1990, has a goal of committing 60 percent of all grants annually, or about $60 million dollars, to supporting the Jewish community, according to its website.
