SDJW Staff Report
DENVER — Elyasaf Meira, the Israeli artist who beautifies Jewish National Fund-USA’s bomb shelters in the area known as the Gaza Envelope, was present at the JNF-USA Global Conference for Israel in Denver to work on live paintings. Philanthropists in San Diego and nationwide partner with JNF-USA for its bomb shelter beautification initiative in the region.
Israelis who live in Israel’s Gaza Envelope communities (the communities that are in proximity to the Gaza Strip) only have 15 seconds or less to get to a bomb shelter when a red alert missile siren goes off. Therefore, bomb shelters are needed every couple of feet — they’re on highways, they’re in parks, they’re next to playgrounds, they’re near community swimming pools, and they’re next to schools.
Year-round, JNF-USA’s painted bomb shelters are donated in honor of, in memory of, or in celebration of people and events. They are typically donated by individuals, families, communities, and synagogues and are painted in whimsical, kid-friendly themes.
The murals help with PTSD and make them less scary for children, especially when they are located next to playgrounds and other areas where kids play. It’s one of our organization’s most popular philanthropic projects, as people can see exactly where their charitable dollars go and appreciate knowing they are directly helping save lives.
San Diegans who have donated a beautified bomb shelter in Israel’s Gaza Envelope include JNF-USA National President Dr. Sol Lizerbram and San Diego Board President Jacqui Schneider.