In the week that has passed since the earthquake and subsequent tsunami, the situation remains dire.The death toll has risen to more than 150,000 and five million people remain homeless; close to two million have no sanitary drinking water. There have been widespread reports of diarrhea, which is especially dangerous for children. A report from the World Health Organization has concluded that 50,000 additional deaths would be a reasonable projection.

Many relief agencies, including several Israeli organizations, have set up field operations in the region. Workers are delivering food, water, clothing, fuel, communications equipment, building materials and medical supplies. Despite their hard work, many obstacles exist.

Some locales, such as parts of Indonesia and Sri Lanka, are nearly unreachable due to fuel shortages, washed-away highways and decimated civil infrastructure.

With the support of local Jewish Federations, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee has raised more than $2 million through phone and Internet contributions. Monetary allocations to partner organizations on the ground have already begun in order to provide near-term relief. We are also looking at longer-term infrastructure rebuilding projects, such as schools, hospitals, orphanages or medical clinics. We will be utilizing a portion of the monies we raise to support such projects, and we plan to announce which long-term projects we will be supporting at a later date.

Contributions can be made by credit card or check.

Checks should be made out and sent to:
Jewish Federation of Central New Jersey
1391 Martine Avenue
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076
Please indicate "Tsunami" in the memo.