You are members of the Jewish Emergency Council, an organization created in September 2001 to deal with emergency situations the world over. As news of the tsunami and its devastating impact begin to unfold, you quickly mobilize into action. Your mission: To raise as much funding as possible to help those most greatly affected by the tsunami. Food, clothing, shelter, and healthcare supplies are but some of the many items desperately needed by the thousands of survivors.

To best achieve your goals, you have decided to bring together a panel of experts to help the Council properly identify the needs of those at risk, while more effectively communicating the complete scope of these events to your donor base. This information, if presented well, will allow you to solicit larger donations, which will, in turn, help the Council play a more sizable role in saving lives and restoring normalcy to the distressed Asian regions.

You also realize that your donors will have some strong philosophical questions related to the tsunami. They may ask you to explain the underlying idea behind tzedaka and why the Torah places such an emphasis on charitable activity. They will surely be bothered by the nature of this tragedy and will be interested in hearing a Jewish perspective on tragedy and suffering. Be prepared to address these points as well.  

Your four member group includes the following:

1)     Geologist / Historian – Provides a scientific explanation of tsunamis and draws historical parallels to earlier tsunamis and their respective effects on communities worldwide. Emphasis must be placed on the unique size and magnitude of the current situation, in contrast to the relatively small earlier tsunamis.

2)     Reporter – Provides live, updated information about the tsunami, including hard-hit locations, loss of life, injuries, emergency provision deliveries, etc. Specific focus should be placed on calculating the number of American and Israeli citizens who are either survivors, casualties, or currently unaccounted for.

3)     Fundraiser – Charged with providing interested donors with specific uses for their contribution dollars, together with current ways that local, on-site volunteers and nations worldwide are helping. Should highlight the current role taken by other Jewish organizations, national or international, together with the efforts of the governments of the U.S. and Israel.

4)     Rabbi – Accountable for defining and applying the important concept of tzedaka. Also responsible to project and clarify the Jewish understanding of suffering and death as they pertain to this calamity. (Also presents the information to donors if there is no ‘Writer / Consolidator’ available.)

5)     (If Needed: Writer / Consolidator – Keeps the group on task, assists others with research / ideas, organizes the group’s ideas, and presents the platform to the class)

Due to the urgency of the situation, you have allocated only two days to gather and refine your information in time for an upcoming communal meeting and appeal (Day 3). You greatly understand the importance of your presentation – hundreds, if not thousands of people stand to gain or lose based on its success. Make sure to take every step possible that your presentation is well organized, informative, stirring, and ultimately, convincing to your audience.

Rabbi Naphtali Hoff  Last updated 1/3/05