My friend David Morris, head of the amazing organization described below, asked me to post the following:

"I've Invited 327 War Refugees for Supper, Honey..."

"And Breakfast, Lunch and Supper Tomorrow".

"Actually, There'll be 403 by the Time Tomorrow's Dinner Comes Around."

"And They're All Staying Over, for an Unlimited Period."

"The Good News, honey, is that the Whole of Beit Shemesh is Helping with this Amazing Project."

------------------------------------
Literally thousands of people are fleeing the rockets, missiles, war and terror in the North and South of Israel, for the relatively safe havens of the central areas. The scenes are staggeringly reminiscent of the Katrina refugees crisis, less than a year ago in the USA.
Traumatized, bedraggled, and many newly impoverished.
These families from Naharia, Haifa, Zefat, Tiberias....are desperately seeking an alternative to risking death in their homes, or cowering in crowded, sweltering and dangerous bomb-shelters.

In response to this urgent need, Lema'an Achai, together with a community-wide alliance, including the Beit Shemesh Municipality, The Shaalei Torah, Uziel and Fierst Schools, Community Centers, Local Charitable Groups, Ariel & Bnei Akiva Youth Groups and many, many individuals... have organized group accommodation (mattresses on the class-room floors), food (three meals a day), and all basic necessities.
Furthermore, there are summer camps for the kids, day-trips for the adults, and a system of 'buddy' families, who help each refugee family with their laundry, showers and social needs.

So far three hundred and twenty seven people are being sheltered - they do not have the means to stay in hotels; tomorrow the number is expected to be over four hundred.
The plan, if necessary, is to accommodate over one thousand people, for one month.

Lema'an Achai www.lemaanachai.org and Deputy Mayor Shalom Lerner, have been mandated to raise the funds for this massive humanitarian effort; there are currently no Government Funds available (there's a war going
on..) and so the money either has to be raised privately, or the refugees will have to be sent back to the rockets and terror. Meantime, the phone is constantly ringing with pleas from families, indeed whole communities, now seeking refuge in Beit Shemesh.

In this War, Israel's friends and supporters are not being asked to put their lives on the line.
But they are being asked to help, to the utmost of their ability, with meeting the costs of this humanitarian crisis in Israel.

Please pass this email to your family and close friends, and donate generously to the dedicated Lema'an Achai "Refugee Relief Fund", specifically to meet these emergency needs:-

24 Hour Credit Card Service in Israel - +972 (0)2. 99.999.33

US Tax Deductible Donations:
Checks payable to: "US Friends of Lema'an Achai"
Memo line - "Refugee Relief"
PO Box 532, Oceanside, NY 11572-0532

UK Tax Deductible Donations:
Cheques payable to "Jewish Aid Committee"
c/o Refugee Relief Fund - Lema'an Achai,
40/7 Nachal Lachish,
Ramat Beit Shemesh,
99093, Israel.

Canadian Tax Deductible Donations:
Checks payable to: "Shaarei Tefilah Charity Fund" - Memo Line: Refugee Relief Fund - Lema'an Achai C/O Murray Shore, 31 Marvill StreetToronto, Ontario, M3H 3L2

Israel Tax Deductible Donations:
Checks Payable to "Lema'an Achai - Refugee Relief Fund"
40/7 Nachal Lachish,
Ramat Beit Shemesh,
99093, Israel.

In the (happy!) event that any funds raised are not required for Refugee Relief (the War finishes, the families go home...) they will be used for other critical charitable services.

Any questions - feel free to contact me david@lemaanachai.org , or call me on +972-2-9997107.

Thank you for your most generous support.

"Rak Besorot Tovot" - We should hear only good news.
David

----------------------------------------------------------

David Morris, Chairman
Lema'an Achai - It's All About Caring

www.lemaanachai.org
david@lemaanachai.org

Direct Tel: 02 9997107
Office: 02 9991553
Fax: 02 9992398

40/7 Nahal Lachish
Ramat Beit Shemesh,
99093 Israel.