The Jewish Agency announced the launch of an assistance program for the individuals and families evacuated from Gush Katif and northern Samaria during the Gaza Pullout in the summer of 2005.

The program includes special initiatives to help evacuees deal with the new reality: Enrichment activities for evacuees over 50 whose job placement chances are limited; economic counseling on managing compensation funds and reestablishing the household; joint activity for parents and children for strengthening family unit; and dealing with anxieties.

Special emphasis will be placed on educational programs for children of evacuees such as scholarships for higher education and summer camps, setting up a community youth club, and purchasing educational enrichment equipment for schools in the new communities.

Furthermore, a special donation from the Chicago community will make possible a child therapy program to help children deal with the trauma of terror attacks and relocation.

There will also be a number of programs that will help evacuees integrate into the job market, such as work- placement programs, creating new workplaces, entrepreneurship, and professional training not being funded by the authorities.

The overall budget of the assistance program will be NIS 6.5 million, the majority of which was donated by the United Jewish Communities.

Chairman of the Jewish Agency Ze'ev Bielski said that the evacuees were people who underwent serious trauma and all of the various bodies – the government, donors and voluntary organizations -- must work together to help them return to normal.