3 members of Venezuelan Jewish community confirmed dead in earthquakes, Jewish leader says

Three members of Venezuela’s Jewish community have been confirmed dead as a result of earthquakes that have devastated the country, a communal leader told The Times of Israel on Sunday.

Of the approximately 5,000 Jews living in the country, three are now reported dead, and another four are still missing, said Roberto Mishkin, president of the Union Israelita de Caracas, the country’s largest Ashkenazi Jewish congregation. The third death was confirmed earlier Sunday.

At least 15 Jewish families have seen their homes completely destroyed, along with another 30-35 families whose apartments have been rendered unlivable, Mishkin said.

According to Mishkin, 300 people sheltered at the community’s Jewish Community Center (JCC) and another 200 at his synagogue the first night after the earthquakes,. Now, about 100 people are still sleeping at the JCC.

Jewish communal service organizations, centrally organized for decades in the tight-knit community, are providing three meals a day for many residents, and residents are working around the clock to help, Mishkin said.

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Close to 1,500 people have been confirmed dead in the country. Although the government has given a figure of hundreds missing or trapped, just under 50,000 people were listed as unaccounted for on a website promoted by the country’s political opposition on Sunday, a slight decline from 55,000 people a day earlier.

‘To help as human beings’

The race to find survivors trapped beneath the rubble continued on Sunday, with signs of life bringing occasional relief.

Among those taking part in the international response to the devastating double earthquake were SmartAID, an Israeli organization that specializes in integrating technology into humanitarian aid, which said it already had volunteers with American, Venezuelan, and dual Israeli-Venezuelan citizenship on the ground.

The volunteers were distributing basic hygiene and other supplies to families who have lost their homes.

“Our main mandate is to help as human beings,” said Shachar Zahavi, SmartAID’s Founder and CEO.

The SmartAID-Magen 17 volunteer search and rescue team was due enter Venezuela with Venezuelan government permission on Sunday from Panama, and help local teams searching for remaining survivors under the rubble.

During the coming days, the charity additionally plans to fly off-grid clean energy and water equipment in from the US, along with Starlink internet services.

The equipment has been donated by US companies with which SmartAID USA has had partnerships for years, and is currently being packed for transport by volunteers in the organization’s warehouse.

“The real crisis is that there’s no electricity, internet or clean water,” Zahavi said. “Our team will fly into Venezuela with the equipment and install it in hospitals, clinics, and various first responder sites, in coordination with local government and local grassroots charities.”

When disaster strikes, Israel is here to help.

Today, the first Israeli rescue delegation is heading to Venezuela following the devastating earthquake.

Sixteen rescuers, doctors, and search and rescue specialists from Ready for Rescue, Magen, and SmartAID will work alongside… pic.twitter.com/VxYr1df5Th

— Israel in New York (@IsraelinNewYork) June 26, 2026

Among other Israeli organizations, IsraAid has a team in the air and expecting to land in Venezuela, while its Columbian-based team was already in the disaster zone.

Natan’s medical team was leaving for Panama on Sunday evening and had not yet received permission to enter Venezuela, while the Joint Distribution Committee’s team was still in Israel, working remotely through local partners.

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said Thursday it was making “immediate preparations” for the possible deployment of an aid delegation to Venezuela. However, there was no sign of an official delegation being sent — Venezuela broke diplomatic ties with Israel over Operation Cast Lead in Gaza in 2008-2009.

Agencies contributed to this report.