Following the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti on Tuesday, the Jewish community has been at the forefront of relief efforts, with much of the push coming directly from Israel. The earthquake, ranked a 7.0 on the Richter scale, devastated the impoverished nation of Haiti, particularly the capital city Port-au-Prince. Experts estimate a death toll in the thousands, with hundreds more still trapped under the rubble caused by the Haiti earthquake damage.
The Israel Forum for International Humanitarian Aid, IsraAID, sent a group of twelve search and rescue workers to the Caribbean country. Many Jewish nonprofit organizations have also raised and donated money, and the Israel Defense Forces are likewise offering their support.
Groups like IsraAID have doubled their efforts by partnering with organizations in the United States, including the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.
Reports indicate that several Israelis were living in Haiti, including Sharona Elsaieh, who is the daughter of Abie Nathan, an Israeli peace activist and humanitarian who died in 2008. Elsaieh, along with two other Israelis living in Haiti, are currently unaccounted for.
