Helping Israel From Afar
Give.
Donate class or youth group tz’dakah money to your local community’s Israel Emergency Campaign. Funding is used to address humanitarian and social needs. Talk to your educational director or clergy for more information and internal campaign details.
Donate class or youth group tz’dakah money to your local community’s Israel Emergency Campaign. Funding is used to address humanitarian and social needs. Talk to your educational director or clergy for more information and internal campaign details.
Connect.
Write to children and families in Israel. Or, write to children and families in your Partnership 2000 community; contact your local Jewish Federation for information how to make the connection. Or, pick up the phone or send an e-mail to family and friends – tell them that you are in solidarity with them, that they are not alone, and that American and world Jewry continue to strengthen our relationships with them as One People. Such contacts lift their spirits, and ours!
Write to children and families in Israel. Or, write to children and families in your Partnership 2000 community; contact your local Jewish Federation for information how to make the connection. Or, pick up the phone or send an e-mail to family and friends – tell them that you are in solidarity with them, that they are not alone, and that American and world Jewry continue to strengthen our relationships with them as One People. Such contacts lift their spirits, and ours!
Buy.
Buy Israeli commercial products. Visit http://www.buyisraelgoods.org to see which local stores carry Israeli products. Consider ordering from Israel and perhaps sending gifts to friends and relatives in Israel.
Buy Israeli commercial products. Visit http://www.buyisraelgoods.org to see which local stores carry Israeli products. Consider ordering from Israel and perhaps sending gifts to friends and relatives in Israel.
Travel.
When it is safe, travel, travel, travel to Israel. By plane, by hang glider, by kayak, anyway, anyhow you can get there, and bring others with you. Encourage teens to participate in youth programs to Israel and especially encourage young adults ages 18-26 who have never traveled to Israel on a group trip to apply for Birthright Israel . Those who have already been will find the MASA programs to be affordable and engaging.
When it is safe, travel, travel, travel to Israel. By plane, by hang glider, by kayak, anyway, anyhow you can get there, and bring others with you. Encourage teens to participate in youth programs to Israel and especially encourage young adults ages 18-26 who have never traveled to Israel on a group trip to apply for Birthright Israel . Those who have already been will find the MASA programs to be affordable and engaging.
Write.
Write letters in Support of Israel’s Right to Defend Itself. And express appreciation to the US Administration for its steadfast support for Israel. Remember that it is important to maintain a balance between letters urging action, letters expressing disappointment, and “thank you.”
Some important addresses are:
President of the United States: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Secretary of State: https://www.sos.state.oh.us/secretary-office/contact-our-office/
Members of Congress (you can locate your members of congress on the websites, below)
Senators: http://www.senate.gov/
Representatives: http://www.house.gov/
UN Secretary General António Guterres at: (2017 - present)
The Honorable António Guterres
Secretary General of the United Nations
United Nations
New York, NY 10017
Write letters in Support of Israel’s Right to Defend Itself. And express appreciation to the US Administration for its steadfast support for Israel. Remember that it is important to maintain a balance between letters urging action, letters expressing disappointment, and “thank you.”
Some important addresses are:
President of the United States: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Secretary of State: https://www.sos.state.oh.us/secretary-office/contact-our-office/
Members of Congress (you can locate your members of congress on the websites, below)
Senators: http://www.senate.gov/
Representatives: http://www.house.gov/
UN Secretary General António Guterres at: (2017 - present)
The Honorable António Guterres
Secretary General of the United Nations
United Nations
New York, NY 10017
Pray.
In your synagogues, schools, camps and youth group programming, say prayers for the safety of all innocent people affected by the conflict, for Israel’s soldiers and for Israel. Prayers for Israel may be found in prayerbooks, as well as some posted online. For instance, check out www.kakatuv.com/pdfs/ccc-conservativeC/02shacharit-shabbatC/04Torah-serviceC/006prayer-for-state-ILC.pdf from the Conservative Movement’s siddur, or this page from the Reform movement: reformjudaism.org/practice/prayers-blessings/prayer-peace-state-israel. Publishers have also posted this prayer for the Israel Defense Forces: jr.co.il/prayers/hebrew-idf-prayer.htm
In your synagogues, schools, camps and youth group programming, say prayers for the safety of all innocent people affected by the conflict, for Israel’s soldiers and for Israel. Prayers for Israel may be found in prayerbooks, as well as some posted online. For instance, check out www.kakatuv.com/pdfs/ccc-conservativeC/02shacharit-shabbatC/04Torah-serviceC/006prayer-for-state-ILC.pdf from the Conservative Movement’s siddur, or this page from the Reform movement: reformjudaism.org/practice/prayers-blessings/prayer-peace-state-israel. Publishers have also posted this prayer for the Israel Defense Forces: jr.co.il/prayers/hebrew-idf-prayer.htm
Advocate.
Take action in a variety of ways.
Take action in a variety of ways.
- For updated messaging and legislative alerts go to http://www.jewishpublicaffairs.org
- Speak to others about the situation.
Act.
Every action – big or small – counts. Tie a blue ribbon around a tree or mailbox in front of your home to raise awareness and demonstrate your solidarity with the People and the State of Israel. Participate in rallies. Attend classes. Help your students take action steps.
If you are connected to a specific organization or movement, check out any action steps regarding Israel it is promoting to its members. For example:
Check out resources that explain the process of advocacy, along with information details important to the Israeli conflict:
Find ways to connect others to Israel and to take steps on her behalf. Most important is reaching out to college students on campus.
Every action – big or small – counts. Tie a blue ribbon around a tree or mailbox in front of your home to raise awareness and demonstrate your solidarity with the People and the State of Israel. Participate in rallies. Attend classes. Help your students take action steps.
If you are connected to a specific organization or movement, check out any action steps regarding Israel it is promoting to its members. For example:
- Jewish Federations of North America (or specifically, your local Federation)
- Union for Reform Judaism
- Hillel
Check out resources that explain the process of advocacy, along with information details important to the Israeli conflict:
- The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) website’s Israel section. It includes a list of Israel government resources, Israeli news sources, Arab news sources, think tanks and research institutes.
- Contact your local Jewish Community Relations Council to conduct a training session to teach how to better improve Israel’s image in the public eye and media. [Remember that your students may need to respond to Israel-issues in discussions at school, on the playing field and in clubs; JCRCs can help.]
Find ways to connect others to Israel and to take steps on her behalf. Most important is reaching out to college students on campus.
- Send your “favorite” college students Internet postings, videos and podcasts that help explain the situation.
- Make sure that any college students whose parents are affiliated with a congregation or organization are signed up to receive any e-mails and mailings sent by the rabbi, educator, and/or a parent volunteer group.
- Help college students make Jewish connections on campus – Hillel, Israel groups, and even Jewishly-focused college courses.
Educate.
As a Jewish educator, this is an everyday action!
As a Jewish educator, this is an everyday action!
- Be conscious about opportunities to integrate Israel into your regular curriculum, and be open to exploring with students questions that arise.
- Feel free to contact your local Jewish Community Relations’ Council for the name of an Israeli who can come to your class or group and relay first-hand the mood in Israel, as well as the facts of what is happening.
- Help your students learn to talk to their friends about Israel and/or respond to issues that might arise in public or private school classrooms. Teach students about an “elevator speech” (a statement that would be short enough to tell someone in the quick ride of an elevator) and help them shape some Israel advocacy statements that are to-the-point. Help them also learn to respond back to the “yeah buts” of those they might engage in conversation. These are important life skills!
- Create an Israel Action Center in your classroom or building. This is basically a one-stop-shop where people can pick up information and take immediate action (sign postcards to elected officials, sign a petition to the United Nations, write a letter of support to an Israeli soldier, etc.).
- Organize an Israeli awareness day.
