December 9, 2001
24 Kislev, 5762
JerusalemJewish Agency Helps Families of Terror Bombing Victims
Nine of the fifteen people killed in the Haifa suicide bus-bombing on December 2nd and two of those killed in the November 29th Pardess Hannah suicide bus bombing were new immigrants from the Former Soviet Union (FSU). Likewise two of the eleven killed in the December 1st Jerusalem pedestrian mall suicide bombing attack were immigrants: one from France and one from the FSU. Many of the wounded in these attacks were immigrants. Immediately upon learning of the attacks the Jewish Agency assisted the families of these attack victims in Israel, the FSU and in other countries.
Agency staff persons visited family members of the deceased and the wounded and their families offering moral and practical support. Jewish Agency personnel in offices throughout the FSU and elsewhere, helped locate relatives and fly them to Israel, making the necessary travel arrangements. Jewish Agency officials abroad arranged for local Governments to issue visas and travel documents (which often pose almost insurmountable difficulties in the FSU), and purchased tickets. In the FSU they transported family members to Moscow and other cities of embarkation, and put them up in hotels while waiting for their processing to be completed. In addition to professional assistance, the Jewish Agency enabled families to speak by phone with their relatives in Israel, so that they could support each other in their difficult moments. In Israel, the Agency workers counseled and intervened on behalf of the families in their demarches with the National Insurance Institute to assist them in receiving compensation and reimbursement. In cases where National Insurance Institute could not cover the transportation costs and expenses, the Agency arranged for alternate funding through the intermediary of the Israel Crisis Management Center (a recipient of Jewish Agency funding), known by the Hebrew acronym "Sela."
The following human dramas illustrate the scope of Jewish Agency's humanitarian assistance in this time of crisis:
Assistance to families of deceased
Haifa Bomb Attack
The late Michael Zraisky, (71) who had immigrated with his wife and their son who studied in the Naaleh High School program. A son of his widow by a former marriage, who had been raised by Zraisky, resides in Sochi. He naturally wanted to be with his stepmother at this time. The Jewish Agency emissary in Rostov, Lev Schogolev, facilitated his obtaining documents from the local Interior Ministry Ovir office. He will then be flown to Moscow where Agency officials will deal with his case via the Israeli consulate and fly him to Israel.
Jewish Agency officials assisted the two daughters of the late Simyun Kalik,who in the Urals to travel to Ekaterinburg, where they were assisted by the Embassy to obtain the necessary travel documents, and flew them to Israel to be with their with their widowed mother.
The 76 year old mother and the brother of the late Mara Fishman, reside in Germany. The Jewish Agency located them and assisted them in flying to Israel for to be with Mara's widowed husband and son Alex (a student in the Technion).
The Jewish Agency purchased tickets for the two sons of the late Rassim Safiullin(76), who reside in California to join their widowed mother for the funeral in Israel, and assisted them with the National Insurance Institute.
The Jewish Agency and Sela are attempting to locate relatives of the late Anna Frankel whose body was not claimed.
The Jewish Agency assisted the son and grandson of the late Cecilia Kusmin(78) be in touch with their family in the FSU.
Victims of the Nov 29 Pardess Hannah Bus Bombing
The late 28-year old Yeshayev Orshad who immigrated along with his parents from the Northern Caucasus city of Pyatgursk in 1993 left behind his sister. The Jewish Agency is now assisting her to immigrate.
The Jewish Agency is attempting to enable the children and divorcee of the late Shmuel Milashevsky immigrate to Israel.
Assistance to Wounded
Haifa
Svetlana Bogorotsky, a graduate of the Jewish Agency's Naaleh High School Program (for youngsters who immigrate without their parents), and currently a student in Haifa University, suffered severe burns in her shoulder, shrapnel wounds in her hands and eye damage. Her younger brother recently immigrated and is studying in Jerusalem. The Jewish Agency is arranging with Sela to bring her mother to Israel.
Sergei Svezdin, 17 years old, who immigrated with his mother, a divorcee, in 1991, was operated and is in the Orthopedic surgery ward of Rambam Hospital. The Jewish Agency together with Sela is working to bring his father to Israel.
Jerusalem
18-year old Georgi Iskiv, a student in Jerusalem's Machon Lev (College of Technology) who came to Israel alone three months ago from Lvov, was operated for shrapnel wounds in his hands and legs. Georgi asked Jewish Agency workers to enable his father visit him. The Jewish Agency emissary in Lvov, Michael Goldovsky, arranged for his father to travel to Kiev where the emissary will help him obtain the necessary travel documents and then fly him to Israel.
Another student, who was very slightly wounded, told Jewish Agency workers who visited him that he did not want his parents to visit him.
- The Jewish Agency social workers assisted Bnei Akiva French program participants in Jerusalem cope with the wounding of a fellow participant.
For further information:
Contact the Office of the Spokesman:
Michael Jankelowitz
Liaison to Foreign Press and Media JAFI
Tel: 972-2-6202780
Fax: 972-2-6202708
Mobile: 972-51-601706