December 15, 2015 – Operation Ezra is a city-wide, community effort that has brought together various organizations to sponsor and resettle Yazidi refugees from the Middle East. The Yazidis are an ancient Kurdish-speaking ethno-religious minority from Northern Iraq. They practise their own monotheistic religion which predates Christianity and Islam. Persecuted for several centuries, their numbers have been decimated from 23 million to about 700,000. Today, they are facing genocide. Persecuted by ISIS (ISIL), many Yazidis have now found refuge in segregated refugee camps in Turkey and Syria and are in dire straits. Currently, 5 families (21 people) have been sponsored with over $125,000 raised and are in various phases of processing or travel. Operation Ezra is now working on raising funds to bring another 2 families (14 people) to safety in Winnipeg.

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The broader goals of Operation Ezra are to sponsor and successfully integrate 15 families (100 individuals) over the next 12 months: 10 families by the Winnipeg Jewish community and members of the Operation Ezra coalition and 5 families by a coalition of local churches with administrative support from the Operation Ezra Steering Committee.

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HOW CAN YOU HELP?

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The leadership of the coalition of organizations representing Operation Ezra, along with the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, is encouraging members of the Winnipeg Jewish community to join in this urgent rescue operation. A special fund has been set up to bring Government approved Yazidi refugee families to Winnipeg where they will be welcomed by the broad community of participating organizations as well as the Winnipeg Yazidi community. 

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Please make a donation. To donate:

·  Online

·  Cheque: Please make your cheque payable to Jewish Federation of Winnipeg with Operation Ezra in memo line and mail to: Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, C300-123 Doncaster St, Winnipeg, MB R2N 2B2

·  Phone: Linda Levesque at 204-477-7428 with your credit card details

Tax receipts will be issued for donations of $20 or more. Click here for more information.  

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Should you wish to volunteer for Operation Ezra, please click here.

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On behalf of the Operation Ezra Coalition,

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Michel Aziza

Chair Operation Ezra Committee

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Adam Levene

President, Jewish Federation of Winnipeg