Natan

Nathan - I Relief – The Israeli Coalition for Disaster Relief

For to the man that is good in His sight He giveth (nathan) wisdom, and knowledge, and joy (Ecclesiastes 2 26)

Nathan constitutes a cooperative platform of Israeli humanitarian relief organizations, international training programs and civil society organizations acting in cooperation to assist the communities of countries that are facing humanitarian crisis resulting from natural or man-made territorial disasters.
The coalition amalgamates the best of Israeli knowledge, expertise, and experience of humanitarian aid organizations with education and training institutes in the relevant fields, by efficiently utilizing resources, coordinating inter-organizational activities and publicizing their various activities and operations to the public and governmental institutions.
The Nathan coalition is open to all organizations and individuals who want to participate and be partners in its vision and goals. Many of the coalition partners have operated together in humanitarian operations worldwide for years, through a deep commitment to the realization of the values of giving, peace and friendship that are at the heart of the Israeli-Jewish culture and tradition.

The Initiators of Nathan are Henry Elkasslasy –Head of The Kibbutz Humanitarian Movement and Dr. Mike Naftali – Chairman of Brit Olam - The Israeli International Jewish Volunteer Organization.

Natan – the Israeli Coalition for International Humanitarian Aid,  was established in memory of Abie Nathan, the father and founder of the Israeli humanitarian volunteer movement, and operates in the spirit of his legacy

Nathan's Aims:

1. To advance and implement coordinated and integrated operations of the Israeli voluntary movements in the field of international humanitarian relief, through:
   
   
   • Integrating Jewish and Israeli aid, support, development and training organizations, aimed at providing international aid through one operational network in order to further international Israel-Jewish humanitarian aid.
     
     
   • To act as an agreed upon and coordinated operational framework of volunteer and non-profit organizations working in the field of international relief during times of normalcy and  times of crisis.
     
     
   • To organize special operations, joint events and multidisciplinary interventions during times of acute crisis.
     
     
   • To operate public and operational staff  during crises for cooperative actions of the coalition members, through raising public, professional and financial support in order to provide relief for those affected by tragedy and hardship.
     
     
   • To deal with the planning and development of strategies and plans for aid and relief, through exchanging information and coordinating activities with Nathan coalition partners during times of normalcy and  times of crisis.
     
     
2. To develop and integrate knowledge, information and skill infrastructures within organizations, institutions, communities and individuals regarding ways of coping and granting assistance during times of crisis.
3. To advance joint training, guidance and resource development projects in various fields related to humanitarian aid.
4. To recruit, train and develop teams of volunteers for emergency operations and relief missions.
5. To jointly represent the issue of Israeli humanitarian aid to international Jewish communities and volunteer organizations and before various international volunteer humanitarian aid organizations.

Structure of Nathan and areas of activity:
Nathan focuses on three main areas of humanitarian relief:

1. Logistics Unit - Providing immediate life-supporting relief, including food, water, shelter, clothing and warmth, and facilities for sanitation and hygiene. The unit operates in Collaboration with  חברת המתנסים who is in charge of collecting Equipment and Donations.
2. Medical Unit - Granting medical aid, including emergency, community and preventative medicine. The unit is prepared to go out to the field in short notice. The unit is collaborating with hospitals is Israel and abroad and companies from the medical field.
3. Psycho-Trauma Unit - Granting emotional treatment to the individual and the community in the field of psycho-trauma. Providing Aid for children, youth, the elderly and needy populations according to the needs in the field.

Nathan is based on an organizational platform in which all the partner organizations and elements take an active part. The platform is made up of six main bodies: The governorship of Nathan, community headquarters, routine operations headquarters, operational headquarters, logistical units, and field operation units. Nathan's activities rely on volunteers who are responsible for the operations during times of normalcy and times of crisis, through enlisting volunteers for dispatch during emergencies in the various fields of the coalition.

Nathan's Operations
Amongst the members and founders of Nathan are organizations and individuals who have been active for many years in the field of humanitarian aid throughout the world. Joint operations have taken the form of the "Facing East" project after the tsunami in South-East Asia, in aid projects for African refugees in Africa and Israel, and the "Facing Gori" operation in 2008. During this operation three professional delegations were dispatched and spent nearly three months in a Georgian refugee camp. They were put in charge of the psycho-social aspect of the operation by the camp administration and UNHCR, in addition to which they distributed medical aid, emergency rations, and more.
In these days, Nathan operates the "Giving hope for Haity" operation. During 2010, Natan will send twelve delegations to Haiti.

Nathan partners
     
       
        

Join Nathan's Volunteers
Nathan welcomes into its fold volunteers for a varied range of opportunities at its headquarters or in the field. Nathan's volunteers undertake comprehensive training to prepare them for their activities in the international arena at times of crisis.
Volunteers from all walks of life and different fields of humanitarian assistance and aid, including health, welfare, spiritual wellbeing, formal and informal education, community development, resource development and more are invited to come and take part an active part in Nathan's operations, and to be prepared to be dispatched to the field in case of an emergency.

Volunteers, groups and organizations who want to learn more and join Nathan and its operations are invited to contact us:
nathan.irelief@gmail.com
Itzik Aharoni 050-5316981itzik.nathan.irelief@gmail.com
Adi Ramot 054-9798458 aramot@yotvata.com
Natan Coordinator: Avital Banai 050-2099968 avital@britolam.org
Co Chairmen: Henry Elkaslasy henryel@keh.co.il , Dr. Mike Naftali michael.naftali@gmail.com