Impoverished Earthquake Survivors on TV
Posted by Donald Cohen-Cutler, Legislative
Assistant
Last night I went home to my apartment and then went to the gym in time to watch “News Hour with Jim Lehrer” on PBS while I worked out. Most evenings this means I will channel my anger about whatever some politico has said into my 45 minute on whatever cardio machine I happen to be using that day. But yesterday was different.
The second story entitled “Grim Forecast” was a follow up on the conditions of people living in the mountains of Pakistan in the aftermath of the October earthquake. Dan Rivers of Independent Television News reported a horrible situation. The town of Moori Patan lost more than half of its population in October and may lose another significant portion of its population during this harsh wet winter.
They will lose the most vulnerable of their population; the old and the young, the ill and the infirmed. Watching this I was reminded that we are commanded, in no uncertain terms, to take care of these exact people. But what are we supposed to do? They live far away and out of the reach of most people. What can we do?
The answer to that is hard. We must continue to urge the Administration to engage in meaningful relief work. We must continue to stay abreast of the latest updates. We must also continue to donate money to organizations working to improve the lives of the most vulnerable in towns and villages like Moori Patan throughout the effected region.
Below you will find three links to Jewish organization working to improve the conditions for those who’s lives have been altered by the October earthquake.