'Greatest and most lucrative fundraiser.' Peres
Photo: Uriel Hershko
Peres to raise money for northerners in US
Vice Premier to head UJC campaign in six major North America cities in bid to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for residents of Galilee, northern Israel
Vice Premier Shimon Peres is set to leave for the US Monday evening to head the Campaign of the United Jewish Communities in six major cities in North America with the goal of raising hundreds of millions of dollars for residents of the Galilee and northern Israel.
Peres will be the head speaker of the Israel Emergency Campaign of the UJC.
The UJC said in a statement that “Peres, an esteemed and important public figure in the eyes of North American Jewry, is considered the greatest and most lucrative fundraiser for the State of Israel.”
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert launched the Israel Emergency Campaign last Monday. The goal of the Campaign is to raise hundreds of millions of dollars.
“Aid was already given to Israel during the war, and aid it will continue to be used for rebuilding after the war is over,” the UJC said.
Peres will conduct a quick four-day campaign from coast to coast, and will take part in local meetings of the biggest donors in New York and New Jersey in the Northeast, Chicago and Cleveland in the Midwest, and Atlanta in the Southeast.
“Peres said that he is proud to head the largest fundraising campaign in recent years, for rebuilding the Galilee and assisting residents of the Galilee, and that parallel to the work of the Office for the Development of the Negev and Galilee there is a recruitment of the entire Jewish world to the aid of Galilee residents,” the statement said.
Nachman Shai, Senior Vice-President and Director General of the UJC-Israel said: “The recruitment of the North American Jewish community is astonishing and unprecedented. It encompasses circles and groups that have been active in the past and who are demonstrating full support of Israel.”
