American Friends of Judea and Samaria (AFJS) this week launched an emergency fundraising campaign across the United States to help rebuild homes and businesses destroyed by last week’s devastating fire in Havat Gilad, following a tour of the damaged Samaria community by senior officials.
The campaign was announced following a visit to Havat Gilad by AFJS CEO Yigal Dilmoni, Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan and Havat Gilad CEO Shira Ben Pinhas, who surveyed the destruction and met with residents whose homes were destroyed. They were joined by a Channel 14 television crew, American social media influencer Gabriel Boxer, known as “Kosher Guru,” and other supporters.
The fundraising effort aims to mobilize Jewish and Christian supporters of Israel in the United States to provide immediate assistance for families displaced by the blaze. AFJS said the campaign will help finance temporary housing for affected residents before supporting the reconstruction of homes and businesses destroyed in the fire.
The fire, which authorities suspect was deliberately set, destroyed 15 homes and 10 businesses, damaged more than 30 structures and forced about 100 families to evacuate. Firefighters battled the blaze with dozens of crews before bringing it under control.
Residents described fleeing with little more than the clothes they were wearing. During the tour, the delegation met Yael Shevach, whose home was destroyed, and Ilana Shimon, who said she escaped wearing only her Shabbat dress as the flames consumed her house.
Dilmoni said the community’s residents deserved support as they recover from the disaster.
“Havat Gilad is named in memory of Gilad Zar, of blessed memory, a dear friend and remarkable individual who was murdered by terrorists near this place,” he said. “The pioneers of Havat Gilad are representatives of the entire Jewish people, standing on the front lines against constant threats and challenges, and now they are facing this devastating disaster as well,” he said.
“It is our responsibility to stand with them, strengthen them, and help them return to their homes and continue building their community,” he added.
Dagan has said there is “very strong suspicion” that the fire was an act of arson, citing evidence that a burning object was thrown from a moving vehicle into dry vegetation before the blaze spread rapidly through the community.
Two Palestinians were arrested in connection with the incident, the Israel Police said on Monday.
Havat Gilad, located in Samaria, was established in 2002 in memory of Gilad Zar, the security coordinator of the Samaria Regional Council, who was murdered in a Palestinian terrorist shooting attack the previous year. The community has frequently been targeted by terrorist attacks and acts of vandalism.
