Herzog initiates plan to warm the elderly and needy

By RUTH EGLASH
Following reports over the weekend of deaths caused by the extreme cold weather, Minister of Welfare and Social Services Isaac Herzog announced Sunday plans for an emergency budget to provide extra heating equipment for elderly and needy populations located in low socio-economic communities. According to Herzog's office, the plan was to lay out NIS 750,000 for the project, with local authorities offering a matching NIS 250,000. The ministry also said that an emergency internal committee was being formed to deal with the task of informing those in need about available heating options. In the meantime, the ministry turned to local youth movements to help with the distribution of heating equipment. Currently, local municipalities of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, Eilat, Beersheba, Holon and Bat Yam have already joined in the ministry's efforts.