CHICAGO AND JERUSALEM (ANS) -- The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) has announced increased funding of emergency aid for families in southern Israel and new security projects to assist communities in the line of fire.

According to a news release made available to the ASSIST News Service, rocket attacks on cities in southern Israel are continuing as the IDF launches a wide assault on terrorists and military infrastructure in Gaza Strip.

A $2.7 million emergency and security aid package includes supplies for the people in communities under fire in southern Israel, including Netivot, Sderot, Kiryat Malachi, Kiryat Gat, Sdot Negev, and Eshkol.

The news release said the assistance includes basic supplies for children and families and the elderly in shelters--including food, medicine, diapers, blankets, mattresses, and generators.

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder and CEO of The Fellowship said in the news release, “With 20 percent of the nation's people in bomb shelters today, improving the security of the residents of the south is a vital priority for The Fellowship.”

He added, “The untenable situation of more than 1 million residents living under constant threat of rocket fire must top the list of concerns of every friend of Israel. We are working hand-in-hand with the Israel Ministry for Home Front Defense and the IDF, and we will continue to cooperate to ensure the security of Israel's people.”

According to the news release, Home Front Defense Minister Avi Dichter told the Jerusalem Post that The Fellowship's contribution would “enable communities to be active, whether in the form of emergency teams or the provision of emergency services such as health clinics and fortified public shelters... I applaud Rabbi Eckstein's move, which will directly affect the million residents of the South.”

The $2.7 million in emergency assistance is in addition to a series of projects costing $5.6 million that The Fellowship has funded during the past year to strengthen the emergency security system in Israel.

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews was founded in 1983 by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein to promote understanding between Jews and Christians and build broad support for Israel and other shared concerns.

For more information go to www.ifcj.org

Jeremy Reynalds is Senior Correspondent for the ASSIST News Service, a freelance writer and also the founder and CEO of Joy Junction, New Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New Mexico, and a Ph.D. in intercultural education from Biola University in Los Angeles. His newest book is "Homeless in the City." Additional details on "Homeless in the City" are available at http://www.homelessinthecity.com. Reynalds lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy Reynalds at jeremyreynalds@comcast.net.