Otzar Hatorah school in Toulouse
Otzar Hatorah school in ToulouseFlash 90

The Chairman of the Jewish Agency (JA), Natan Sharansky, announced Thursday that the JA has established a new fund to grant emergency assistance to Jewish communities abroad.

Sharansky made the announcement as he accompanied Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on a visit to the Ohr HaTorah school in Toulouse, France, where an Islamist terrorist murdered three Jewish children and a teacher in a point-blank shooting in March.

Sharansky said that the fund was established in the wake of the Toulouse terror attack, and the increase in anti-Semitic violence worldwide. The fund will help in improving security infrastructure in institutes that serve small Jewish congregations worldwide, including schools, community centers and synagogues.

The victims of the Toulouse shooting were Yonatan Sandler (28), his sons Aryeh (6) and Gavriel (3.5), and Miriam Hana Monsonego (8).

Since that terror attack, the JA has been accompanying the families of the victims, as well as the school's pupils and teachers. Israeli trauma experts, counselors and other professionals were sent to the school immediately after the attack. Students and teachers from the school have also been flown to Israel on educational tours.

"Global terror is a common threat to the residents of Israel and the Jews of the world," Sharansky said. "The establishment of the fund for assisting Jewish communities is the ultimate expression of the value that says all Israel are responsible for each other. As one big family, we identify with each other and take care of each other."