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December 10, 2010
The rebuilding begins
The fire is controlled, but Israel still needs aid.
CYNTHIA RAMSAY
On Sunday night, the wildfire in the Carmel forest near Haifa was finally brought under control. That day, Israel’s Cabinet met and “decided on a series of steps to rehabilitate and compensate residents and communities that were hurt by the wildfire,” while international efforts at fundraising to help those in need have also gotten underway.
Locally, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver has opened the Carmel Fire Relief Fund – which will be administered by the Jewish Agency for Israel – and the Jewish National Fund has also launched an emergency appeal. According to the Israel Prime Minister’s Office, the Israeli government will allocate NIS 60 million ($16.5 million Cdn) as an initial aid package for local councils and communities and NIS 2,500 ($700) to each individual whose home was burned and who cannot return to it within the month.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) noted, “Forty-two lives were lost in the fire that raged on the Carmel mountain range, [and was] brought under control on Sunday evening after 82 hours.... The fire destroyed at least 50,000 dunams [more than 12,350 acres] of Carmel forestland, damaged 250 homes, and caused over NIS 200 million [more than $55 million] in damage, according to initial estimates.” One entire community, Beit Oren, was burned down.
As of Sunday, the MFA reported that, “A total of 24 countries [had] sent fire-fighting aircraft, as well as firefighters, equipment and supplies to help control the flames.” These countries included Australia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
In a statement issued Dec. 3, the Hon. Lawrence Cannon, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said: “On behalf of the government and people of Canada, I offer my condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives and wish a quick recovery to those who were injured. My thoughts are with all those affected by this terrible fire.
“The government of Canada is working rapidly to identify Canadian assistance that could be provided to Israel to ensure the fire is extinguished as soon as possible. We stand with the people of Israel in this time of need.”
According to various news sources, Israel Police announced Monday that a 14-year-old resident of the Carmel region admitted to possibly starting the fire inadvertently. He allegedly admitted that he was smoking a nargilah (hookah) and disposed of the remaining embers of the tobacco when he had finished smoking. The teenager was to be “brought before the Haifa Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for deliberations on extending his remand,” reported Ha’aretz.
Among other official statements, the Israeli government has said that it intends to hold commemorative events for the fire victims, 30 days after their deaths. Among those who died was Rabbi Uriel Malka, 32, who was working as a chaplain in the Israeli Prisons Service. Malka, a former principal of the Ohr Hatorah Day School in Winnipeg, is survived by his wife, Ortal, and five children.
To donate to the relief effort, contact Federation at jewishvancouver.com or 604-257-5100, or JNF at 604-257-5155.
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