The United Jewish Communities (UJC) of North America announced Wednesday it would donate NIS 11 million to Sderot and other communities near the Gaza Strip.

At a meeting of the UJC administration, the organization's leadership decided the money would be taken from funds raised to help residents of the north recover from the effects of this summer's war in the north.

That fund, set up shortly after the war's end, has raised $350 million to date.

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Nahman Shai, vice president and chairman of the UJC in Israel, said "the North American Jewish community is concerned for the residents of Sderot and other residents of the area, and is working quickly and extensively to assist them."

The aid - which will be distributed via the Jewish Agency and the Israel operation of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee - is intended, among other things, to fund programs for the disabled, elderly and youth.

The organization will also donate fund totaling NIS 3 million to students at Sapir College in Sderot.

In the past year, the UJC has contributed NIS 10 million to programs helping victims of trauma.