Early this Shabbat, during the holiday of Shmini Atzeret, Israel suffered an unprecedented terrorist attack by Hamas. Federation’s board, membership, and staff are horrified and heartbroken by the loss of life and injuries that have resulted thus far, and are likely to worsen.
More than 2,500 rockets have been fired from Gaza, aimed at Israeli cities. The country’s borders have been breached by terrorists. At this writing, over 100 Israelis are confirmed dead, and over 800 more have been wounded. Hamas has captured numerous Israeli civilians and soldiers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israel is at war and ordered the IDF to launch "Operation Swords of Iron."
Our community is deeply saddened and outraged by this attack on the State of Israel, in what has quickly become the most serious security breach since the Yom Kippur War 50 years ago. We stand in solidarity with the people of Israel and express our unwavering support for their right to defend themselves against these heinous attacks.
As part of a network of 146 Jewish Federations in North America, we are mobilizing a philanthropic response to support the needs of affected Israelis, which are likely to increase as the situation on the ground evolves. Please consider making a gift to the Israel Emergency Campaign to provide for those affected and strengthen our ability to respond to critical efforts in Israel.
Donate Here: jewishoc.org/israelemergencycampaign
We will continue to monitor the situation, work closely in solidarity with our partner organizations, and be a source of information updates as they become available.
We invite you to join a Jewish Federations of North America webinar open to all Federations and community members tomorrow, Sunday, October 8th at 9:00 a.m. Pacific time.
Register for Webinar Here: https://jfeds.org/IsraelUpdateWebinar
We pray for the peace of Israel and for a swift resolution to this crisis. May the people of Israel find strength during this time of conflict. Am Yisrael Chai.
Erik Ludwig, PhD Heather Kline
President & CEO Board Chair