On the 5th of December, the President of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress (EAJC) Alexander Mashkevich and the Chairman of the Trustee Council of the volunteer charity organization ZAKA, EAJC First Vice-President Michael Mirilashvili visited the north of Israel, which was recently devastated by a fire of a caliber Israel has never known. "We are very worried by this tragedy, and are trying to do everything within our power to deal with its aftermath," Alexander Mashkevich stated.

The EAJC leaders met with the head of the Russian team of firefighting specialists, Chief Military Expert EMERCOM Pavel Plat at the emergency crisis center on Mt. Carmel. The Consul General of Russia in Haifa, Igor Popov, also took part in the meeting.

"Russia made an enormous contribution to fighting the Carmel fire," the EAJC President underscored. "I am joining my friend Alexander Mashkevich in gratitude to all countries who have helped Israel, especially Russia, Azerbaijan, and Bulgaria," Michael Mirilashvili added.

The EAJC leader, who also leads the Jewish National Fund "Keren Hayesod" in the FSU, stated that this structure will coordinate the Diaspora donations for dealing with the consequences of the fire together with the administration of Israel. "My friends and many Jewsfrom different countries are ready to help and participate in a multidimensional program to restore the regions devastated by the fire.

There is no talk of concrete sums as of yet, but we are ready to give as much as necessary," Alexander Mashkevich underlined.

The EAJC leaders also visited a number of Carmel communities harmed by the fire. As the World Chairman of Keren Hayesod Eliezer Zandberg noted, Mashkevich, and Mirilashvili became the first Hayesod sponsors to visit Israel after the fire and to offer aid to deal with its aftermath.