At a President’s Conference held in Jerusalem in June 2013, Gal Lusky, founder of the Israeli Flying Aid played a recording she received from a Syrian opposition leader and rebel fighter who met an Israeli in Syria providing aid to Syrian refugees.
“Ladies and Gentlemen. It is a long road and a bumpy one. People will lose their lives and the forces of evil will try to hinder us at every step, but it is worth a battle for humanity and it is worth fighting for.”
Gal Lusky was born in 1968 on a small kibbutz in northern Israel close to the Sea of Galilee.
At an early age she recognised the importance of being part of a devoted community in which individuals care about the well-being of one another.
In essence this was the early spirit of the kibbutzim, though today most of the kibbutzim in Israel have been privatised and the concept of collective lifestyle has been diminished, though not abandoned.
She grew up in this environment learning that altruism is not the way to help others in need, but the only way one should live their life.
In 1993, her brother was seriously injured in a battle near the northern border of Israel.
While nursing him for a long period during his recovering, a close call to death, it dramatically changed her life’s goal – to reduce unnecessary instances of death and injury as much as possible, especially those caused, not only by violence but also from natural disasters.
Aid and Relief
In 2005, Gal Lusky established the Israeli Flying Aid, a non-profit organisation formed outside of government control.
The function of IFA is delivering life-saving aid and relief to communities affected by natural disasters and human conflict.
It conducts a most dangerous mission, in many instances delivering assistance to countries that lack diplomatic relations with Israel.
Also to countries that deny entry of critically-needed foreign aid for political differences and matters pertaining to race, nationality, religion and creed.
IFA conducts strictly secret missions to many countries around the world, not just to provide assistance to refugees from war-torn countries, but to victims of natural disasters such as earthquakes and cyclones.
At home, IFA carries out civic duties providing aid to soldiers and civilians at risk on the home fronts.
Gal Lusky and her 400 volunteers are truly dedicated and caring workers who provide aid and services without any political or bureaucratic interference.
They are motivated by human needs under sufference.
“Nobody asks permission to kill. We do not ask permission to save lives.”
Politics and Humanity
The dedication of Gal Lusky and her dedicated team of workers leaves us all with a moral question.
Should differences of lifestyle and beliefs hinder us in the sacred duty of saving lives?
Life is precious and political considerations should never take precedence over humanity and its suffering, whether by force or natural causes.
Sadly, interference of governments around the world in facing up to human disasters highlights the remarkable contribution of organisations like Israeli Flying Aid in accepting the challenge of saving, not penalising, the people who put them into power.
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