SPP Emergency Fund Raising Campaign

In these challenging times, when we are shifting behaviors in so many ways, and learning to cope with ongoing uncertainty, there are certain values that stand out anew.

Empathy - concern for those in greater isolation, or at greater risk, is allowing us all to focus on the ways that we do and could have an impact on one other.

Adaptability - finding solutions for work, socializing, self care, family care, etc. is teaching us our strengths, and helping us to prioritize what truly matters.

Appreciation - moments of respite, of accomplishment, of love and pride in ourselves or others, are cherished and remind us to take care of ourselves mentally and spiritually, even as we make adjustments for physical health.

The Shira Pransky Project is working at full tilt these days to keep the public informed in a rapidly changing health crisis, addressing individuals' questions, and continuing to assist those with ongoing health needs. All of us, making these efforts from our homes, feel blessed to be part of an organization serving our values on a daily basis. We are making the difference we can in others' lives, providing a sense of security in one area that everyone values above all else -- health -- including making sure that anxiety, uncertainty and mental health are not ignored. We share this blessing with all of you and invite you, as our community, to share our efforts with anyone in need, and of course share your own needs with us.

Please consider helping us to cope with the diminished funding from the delayed Jerusalem Marathon. We are so appreciative of #TeamShira's efforts and their donors who showed their support despite the delay, but we nevertheless need your help to keep our virtual doors open at this critical time by making a donation. 

More about The Shira Pransky Project ....

 As new arrivals adapt to their new ways of life in Israel, the majority of questions brought to government departments by the English speaking immigrant population are related to healthcare. As an immigrant community this entire population is inherently at risk (even the vatikim - veteran Olim), because of language and/or cultural barriers, challenges to receiving up to date and accurate information about dealing with the crisis in terms of keeping themselves and their families safe, and accessing necessary services throughout the period of emergency procedures implemented for every institution, business and service provider. The current crisis of isolation, with its associated mental health strains, and with its practical consequences from being disconnected from one's support network, is also a much greater risk with immigrants who already have greater percentages of people without much family nearby or robust social support networks.  

Within this immigrant community, sub-populations have even greater risk factors, such as the Elderly, people with disabilities, and patients with complex medical conditions. The higher-risk sub-populations are therefore in even greater need of informational outreach, guidance and representation in order to fulfill their critical needs and achieve stability in uncertain times throughout Israel. 

The needs of the English speaking immigrant population during this crisis reaches into all areas of life, it requires clear presentation of trustworthy information, providing tools and knowledge to the public and individual case management of those with specific needs. The elderly of the community, many of whom do not speak Hebrew, are unaware of the services provided by the state and municipalities at this time or, even if they are, do not have the language capability to fill out forms in Hebrew or communicate with an operator in Hebrew. 

The Shira Pransky Project is the sole English language partner with Kol Zchut, the recognized authoritative information source on all Israeli social rights. We are responsible for the translation, updating and management of the English portion of their website. To date, they have added 38 new pages of content dedicated specifically to the corona crisis, and are constantly updating these pages and hundreds more from their existing content to clarify adjustments to every area of social rights that have been made in response to the crisis.

We do information outreach where we share the content that we have translated, English content from elsewhere, and new content that we produce to promote the information. We also continue to monitor the Hebrew resources and share the necessary updates in English on our own. 

Finally, we answer questions,  and directly assist individuals in accessing services and rights. We are contacted directly by individuals around the country, via with both simple and complex needs. In the current crisis we are asked questions about following the proper procedures, like when to contact Mada or the kupah when experiencing symptoms, or how to access medical services remotely, or how to continue ongoing treatments. And some cases require complex help.