Venezuelan Jewish Community Launches $2 Million Emergency Fund After Deadly Earthquake

The Jewish community in Venezuela has initiated an emergency fundraising campaign to gather $2 million following a devastating earthquake that struck the country, causing significant casualties and urgent humanitarian needs. The campaign, led by the representative body of Venezuela's Jewish communities, has so far raised $176,000. According to a community member from Caracas, approximately 80 Jewish families lost their homes, and another 200 are too afraid to return, with the entire community currently providing assistance.

The community has shrunk drastically over recent years from about 20,000 to an estimated 3,000 members, increasing its reliance on external aid compared to the past when more families were able to support each other. Leaders, professionals, and volunteers are working around the clock to provide relief and manage the growing emergencies resulting from the disaster. The community's public appeal emphasized the critical nature of donations, stating, "Every donation can be the difference between life and death."

The fundraising effort is hosted on the GoFundMe platform, with calls for Jews and supporters worldwide to share and contribute to the humanitarian cause. Meanwhile, Reuters reported that the death toll from the twin earthquakes that occurred on Wednesday has risen to over 1,400 as of Saturday. International rescue teams have been deployed to La Guaira, the coastal state hardest hit by the disaster.