Diaspora Minister Tzipi Hotoveli and Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel Isaac Herzog convened the Israeli government's emergency forum and the Jewish Agency for Jewish Communities in the World in the wake of the Corona crisis.
The forum was held via a Zoom conference and included representatives of the Diaspora Ministry, Jewish Agency for Israel, Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Immigration and Absorption, social security agency, and Nativ Israel.
The forum was convened by the Jewish Agency's Secretary-General, Josh Schwartz. The agency's representatives presented an overview of the current state of Jewish communities around the world.
The Diaspora Minister said that "Jewish communities are facing a challenge we [did not have]. Many are encountering a large wave of the plague that is afflicting large numbers of their elderly. It is our duty as the government [to fully cooperate with the agency] assisting our brothers at this difficult moment."
The Diaspora Ministry inaugurated the "Community Resilience" project, intended to assist community leaders dealing with the crisis. The project is being run in conjunction with Mahut (Emergency Preparedness and Coping Center). A training course is currently taking place with the participation of community leaders from the US, Spain, Germany, the UK, and France.
Hotoveli also said that "The Corona crisis requires preparations for [new waves of Aliyah] and a program for meeting the needs of every group of immigrants. Even now, Aliyah to Israel continues and the State of Israel will always remain open to all Jews of the world."
Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog said: "Jewish communities around the world are currently facing a huge crisis that, apart from the Holocaust, we have not seen the likes of over the last century. The Jewish Agency, together with the Israeli government and other [organizations], are working to help distressed communities; some in [danger of] collapse."
''We are constantly in touch with communities around the world, trying to understand the needs of each and every one of them. At the same time, we are preparing for increased Aliyah once the crisis is over, and continuation of the Jewish Agency's work around the world in a new and challenging time," he added.