Misgav- Erez Kriesler- mayor of the Misgav Regional Council

Rocket Barrages- over 70 Katyusha rockets landed in the Misgav region, the majority falling in non-populated areas and as such, large brush fires were caused throughout the region. Three rockets struck the community of Tel-Al, directly hitting a private home. The family was slightly injured, the neighbors suffered from anxiety and fear. There were numerous other cases of shock and anxiety throughout the region because of rockets falling very close to our communities.

Omer Pasikhov (z"l), a young 7-year-old boy was killed in the first days of the war while enjoying a Shabbat meal at his grandmother's home in Meron (near Tzafat). The family had recently moved to Camun.

Ben Sela (z"l), a reserve soldier from Koranit was killed during fighting in Lebanon.

Children and Youth Activities- since the end of July until the end of August a special unit of the Education Department will continue to operate kindergarten day camps in the communities in order to provide daycare solutions for our children and assist their parents in restoring a sense of normalcy. Furthermore, we conducted day camps for children ages 6-9 in shelters and secure rooms until the end of July.

Activity Centers operated in shelters on a daily basis for 500 Bedouin and Jewish children ages 6-10 thanks to the efforts of dozens of volunteers from throughout the Misgav region. They provided our kids with a variety of special enrichment activities, sports, folk dancing, music and arts and crafts that ended only today (Aug. 17).

Fun Days- we took thousands of our kids (grades 4-8) from throughout Misgav on daylong trips out of the region to many of Israel's fun water and amusement parks.

Youth Camps- 800 of our young people from the Jewish sector and 300 from the Bedouin sector traveled to the central and southern regions of the country to participate in special youth camps.

Cultural activities for the whole family were organized in community shelters during the afternoon and evening hours. Many well-known Israeli performers and groups volunteered their services to perform before a "captured audience".

The council's Social Services Department and Psychological Services united to serve as a joint unit during the war.
" They responded to an ever-growing number of personal referrals from Misgav residents, assisting in coping with the current situation from both the emotional/psychological and the material/economic aspects (difficulties with children and teens, families in the center of the country, requests for hospitality and economic difficulties, etc)
" Professional response and intervention teams toured the communities and conducted home visits including a visit to the home of a wounded reserve soldier.
" Families with special needs- efforts were made to evacuate the families from the Jewish sector to host families in the center and southern regions through the efforts of the Ministry of Welfare.
" Psychologists, social workers and youth counselors from our joint regional unit assisted 400 residents from Kiryat Shmona who were residing at the Nir Haemek Youth Village near Afula.
" Assistance was provided in organizing gift packages for reserve soldiers of the Alexandroni Brigade.
" Food packages and dry goods (contributed by numerous companies and organizations) were organized and distributed to needy families throughout the region.
" Assistance was provided to the City of Karmiel in the distribution of meals to the city's shelters.
" A variety of activities were conducted within the framework of the "Merhavim" Association- the region's senior citizens were given well-needed R&R at hotels in Jerusalem, daytrips and other activities.

In the short time remaining we are investing a major effort in order to focus on opening the coming school year and provide suitable solutions in the area of shelters and secure zones for the region's schools in line with Education Ministry and Home Front Command guidelines.

Lastly I want to take this opportunity to thank you, the people of the Pittsburgh Jewish Community for your long-standing support and especially now during this difficult period in our region.

Sincerely yours,

Erez Kriesler
Mayor of the Misgav Regional Council