TEL AVIV – Experts around the U.S. are giving free trauma counseling to victims of Tropical Storm Harvey courtesy of Jewish Family Service (JFS) of Houston and the Network of Jewish Human Services Agencies (NJHSA).
Experienced counselors are manning an Emergency Support hotline jointly launched by the NJHSA and JFS last Friday, offering victims of the floods counseling for “grief, loss, panic, anxiety and depression,” JFS’ website said.
“We urge survivors to assess their situation and reach out for help processing their emotional response to this significant event,” the site said.
Reuben Rotman, CEO of NJHSA, said he was “proud” that the organizations came together in this time of crisis.
“As Jewish tradition teaches, a community is too heavy to carry alone. The Network is strengthened and sustained by the full participation and support of its members,” Rotman said.
On Wednesday, Breitbart Jerusalem reported that Israeli aid experts had been dispatched to Texas to provide emergency relief and psychosocial support to the victims of the hurricane.
A delegation of volunteers from humanitarian aid NGO IsraAID were sent to Houston to assist in immediate disaster relief – such as cleaning homes of debris – and to offer trauma counselling.
This is not the first time that IsraAID has offered aid to Texas or the U.S. The organization, which has provided aid to 41 countries over the last decade, flew a seven-man relief team to Wimberley, Texas in May 2015 when the area was ravaged by floods.
IsraAID has provided aid to 41 countries in the past ten years, with multiple teams sent to help in natural disasters that have struck the U.S.
The emergency hotline is 1-832-930-0196.
Click here for information on About the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies.
Click here for details on the Jewish Family Service Houston