On November 21, a joint pastoral letter by the Rt. Rev. Sally French, Bishop of New Jersey, and the Most Rev. Hosam Naoum, Archbishop of Jerusalem, introduced that the Diocese of New Jersey is giving $1 million to the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem to help youngsters, youth, and households in Gaza and the Palestinian territories.
“This fund helps youngsters and youth dealing with vital and lifelong medical challenges, together with bodily disabilities, accidents, and different severe circumstances,” the letter reads.
Because the warfare between Israel and Gaza started, after the October 7 bloodbath that claimed the lives of over 1,200 Jews, greater than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, together with over 20,000 youngsters. Of the 170,000 who’ve suffered accidents, over 40,000 have what the World Well being Group describes as life-altering accidents.
“The area now has extra baby amputees per capita than wherever else on the earth,” the letter mentioned, citing a statistic from UNICEF. “Jesus calls us to care for many who are in want and to be brokers of therapeutic, reconciliation, and hope. As siblings in Christ and fellow members of the Anglican Communion, we consider our mutual ministries can meet this second and produce reduction and therapeutic to the folks of Gaza and the Palestinian Territories.”
The Jerusalem diocese is residence to round 7,000 Anglicans worshiping throughout 28 congregations. It’s a part of an Anglican province that additionally consists of the Dioceses of Cyprus and the Gulf, and Iran. The al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza, the most important remaining purposeful hospital within the enclave’s northern space, is a ministry of the diocese.
The ability has been struck a number of occasions by Israeli missiles because the battle started, most lately on Palm Sunday. In an earlier interview with The Residing Church, al-Ahli director Dr. Suhaila Tarazi mentioned, “The assault triggered the entire destruction of the newly established genetic laboratory, together with vital injury to the emergency and triage departments, the pharmacy, the overall laboratory, and components of the outpatient departments.”
“Regardless of these challenges, our devoted employees proceed to work tirelessly to supply care via the ICU, inpatient wards, and working theater,” Tarazi mentioned.
A portion of the reward from New Jersey can be used to rebuild the hospital’s pediatric services, which have been destroyed by the warfare. The funds may even procure obligatory medical gear, and assist healthcare professionals who work with the kids and youth of Gaza.
The donation may even fund the work of the Jerusalem Princess Basma Middle, situated on the Mount of Olives, which works with disabled Palestinian youngsters, adolescents, and households.
The donation is drawn from New Jersey’s Jane O.P. Turner Fund for households who want monetary help for bills incurred by youngsters with incurable or terminal sicknesses. “The funds can be found to all youngsters, not simply Episcopalians,” the diocese’s web site mentioned.
In keeping with the letter, the choice to make the reward was made after the diocesan council mentioned methods to reply to the humanitarian disaster in Gaza.
On October 9, Israel and Hamas signed a peace plan brokered by the Trump administration that might result in the tip of the warfare. Either side, nonetheless, have accused the opposite of breaching the ceasefire. The Gaza Well being Ministry has mentioned that because the truce, 345 Palestinians had been killed, PBS reported.
The Anglican Reduction and Growth Fund has additionally been offering reduction for residents of Israel and Palestine because the battle started via its Common Reduction Fund.
Caleb Maglaya Galaraga is The Residing Church’s Episcopal Church reporter. His work has additionally appeared in Christianity Right now, Broadview Journal, and Presbyterian Outlook, amongst different publications.
