August 20, 2007

NEW YORK – The American Jewish Committee is contributing $35,000 in emergency humanitarian assistance to help Peruvians recovering from the devastating earthquake in the southern part of their country.

"We extend our heartfelt condolences to those who lost loved ones in the earthquake and our empathy to the people of Peru as they strive to rebuild," said AJC Executive Director David A. Harris.

AJC is sending $25,000 to the Asociacion Judia del Peru, the umbrella organization for Peru's Jewish community, which will facilitate the disbursement to relief and recovery efforts in the stricken areas. The Asociacion is an international partner of AJC

In addition, AJC is providing IsrAID with $10,000 to help cover travel for Israeli search-and-rescue medical teams to go to Peru. AJC worked with IsrAID most recently during the catastrophic South Asian tsunami in 2004.

The AJC donation comes from its Harriet and Robert Heilbrunn Humanitarian Fund, which has provided assistance to humanitarian crises in the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Kosovo, Turkey and the tsunami in South Asia.

"Humanitarian relief has been a core of AJC's work for more than a century," said Harris. "Our tradition commands us to respond generously and compassionately to those who suffer a natural disaster."

American Jewish Committee