A forest fire that raged through the north of Israel is being called the worst in the country’s history. The fire, centered in the Carmel Forest outside Haifa, killed over 40 people, burned buildings and forced the evacuation of thousands of people. The fire is now out.

Meanwhile, The Jewish Federations of North American is leading the Jewish Federation mobilization response to support victims of the fire and to plan for longer-term recovery efforts.

“Our movement is acting in a very focused and timely manner to help support the victims of this disaster, in collaboration with the Government of Israel and our overseas partners," said JFNA's President and CEO, Jerry Silverman.

When the fires ignited, JFNA quickly gathered its leadership and that of its partner agencies, including the JDC and Jewish Agency to help lead a coordinated response.

JFNA’s top professionals and volunteers convened in a series of emergency sessions to gather emerging details on the crisis, assess the needs on the ground and determine a strategy to respond quickly and effectively. JFNA held a teleconference with Israel's Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Oren, for an official update on the crisis for more than 150 communities, and then sent a fact-finding mission to review relief needs.

Currently JFNA and Federations are leading a range of fundraising activities including opening emergency mailboxes. JFNA and its partners are planning for how to deploy these resources with our partner agencies most effectively.

Those who wish can donate to a special JFNA emergency fund. No administrative costs will be taken from donations to that fund by JFNA.

JFNA continues to monitor the situation and will keep Federations and their supporters informed as details are available.

• JFNA Briefing: Federations Raise $2.4M so far for Israel Fire Relief Efforts
• JFNA and Federations Visit Carmel Forest Fire Site
• JFNA Fire Response Strategy
• Proposed JDC Fire Response
• Proposed JAFI Fire Response  JAFI video on crisis response
• Proposed ITC Fire Response
• Rashi Foundation Response to Carmel Fire
• Conference of Presidents List of American Jewish Groups with Aid Efforts
• Fire Crisis- Israel Trauma Coalition update (12.6.10)
• ORT Response to Northern Israel Fire (12.6.10)
• Tirat HaCarmel teacher Shelly Yona on her city's response to the fire (YouTube video)
• A Special Message on the Carmel Fires (Hillel blog)
• Forest Fire Report from Haifa-CJP Partnership 
• Fire chief: Carmel blaze will lead to better equipped firefighters (Pittsburgh Jewish Chronicle)
• Israel’s Yemin Orde Youth Village Rises from the Ashes (Media Line)
• Israeli Forest's Road to Recovery - Plant or Wait? (AP)
• Special Section on Carmel Fire (eJewishPhilanthropy)
• Images of the Fire's Devastation (Haaretz)
• Police: Usfiya boy, 14, admits to starting Carmel fire (JPost)
• After Israel’s deadly fire, mourning, vows to rebuild and finger pointing  (JTA)
• PM forms special task force for Carmel fire victims (YNet)
• Israel: Haifa forest fire extinguished (BBC)
• Thousands attend funeral of Haifa police chief perished in Carmel fire (Haaretz)
• Fire aid boosts hopes of Turkish-Israeli thaw (Financial Times)

Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the fire and with the people of Israel as they work to confront this challenge.