6 Jewish hurricane victims identified

A New York branch of Zaka identified the bodies of six Jewish New Orleans residents Wednesday. The team arrived in the devastated city two days ago and is expected to go door-to-door at Jewish residences in a bid to identify the Jewish victims of Hurricane Katrina and accord them a Jewish burial. Meanwhile, an Israeli plane left for New Orleans Thursday morning transporting 80 tons of humanitarian relief and donations collected by the Foreign Ministry, IDF, kibbutz movement, Magen David Adom ambulance service, the Yad Sarah Organization and large Israeli companies. Several days ago the U.S. embassy handed the Israeli Foreign Ministry a list of equipment and food needed in the hurricane-struck region, including blankets, medicine, large tents, folding beds, medical equipment, fresh drinking water, baby food and diapers. "This is just a drop in the ocean, we feel it is our moral duty to assist the Americans in this serious disaster that has struck them, " Operation commander Colonel Yuval Kimchi said. An additional relief team from Be'er Sheva's Ben Gurion University is set to arrive in New Orleans Friday . A medical team experienced in international aid and headed by Prof. Michael Alkan from the university has already left for New Orleans as part of the Israel Aid delegation. Student scholarships In addition, Bar-Ilan University announced it will award special scholarships to college students unable to pursue study in their local universities due to the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina. The scholarships would cover tuition and living expenses. Candidates will be accepted on the basis of their academic record and compatibility with existing programs at Bar-Ilan University. "This is the least we can do in order to reach out and provide assistance to the communities which have been so devastated by this natural disaster," University President Prof. Moshe Kaveh said. In the coming days Bar-Ilan University will publish advertisements in the U.S. press providing further information for students who wish to apply. - Haim Levinson, Meir Turjeman, Itamar Eichner, Tamar Trabelsi-Hadad and Zvi Alush contributed to the report

6 Jewish hurricane victims identified

Team arrives from New York, to go door-to-door at Jewish residences; meanwhile, aid from Israel pours in