Shabbat Shalom A message from Rabbi Klein UPDATE ON OPERATION PROTECTIVE EDGE Dear Friends, Yesterday, the announcement I had hoped would not be made showed up in my email. The ground offensive of the Israel Defense Forces had begun and once again Israeli soldiers were going into battle. Once again, mothers and fathers, wives and husbands, sons and daughters and brothers and sisters would live with the fears most of us cannot begin to imagine. The news that the ground offensive had commenced meant that many of the soldiers we had met during our visits are now walking into harms way. We have sat with them, schmoozed with them and laughed with them. We have listened to them speak of their absolute commitment to defend the people of Israel against the threat of terror. Each time we met with the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, we expressed to them how much they mean to us and to the entire Jewish people. Now, many of them are going into battle and I worry for their safety. I see their faces with each news report and I pray that they and all those who bravely defend the State of Israel will return to their families when this conflict comes to an end. In Hebrew we have a phrase which reminds us that, Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh Bzeh, all the Jewish people are responsible one for the other. We live with a responsibility to care deeply about one another. Those going into battle in Gaza have taken those words to heart. Let us do the same as we each find our own way to respond to the challenge of those timeless words. We can stand with Israel by advocating for her in the face of mounting international criticism, infuriating punditry, and biased reporting and editorializing. We can encourage our elected officials to continue to give their unbounded support for Israel. We can connect ourselves with AIPAC, the organization which works diligently to strengthen the relationship between America and Israel and advocates powerfully and effectively on behalf of Israel. And we can provide financial support for those organizations working on behalf of the people of Israel. Last week, Rabbi Tilles and I indicated that there are several organizations which are worthy of our support. To Provide Financial Assistance: 1) UJA-Federation of NY Israel Emergency Fund 2) Michael Levin Lone Soldier Fund 3) Reut-Sderot Association: Click here 4) Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) 5) American Friends of Magen David Adom We pray for the brave soldiers of the IDF, for the people of Israel and for those who are caught in this conflict. And we pray for day when peace will come to Israelis and Palestinians alike. Shabbat Shalom to you and yours. Faithfully yours, Rabbi Charles Klein PS. I urge you to take the time to read this very important article written by Charles Krauthammer, Moral Clarity in Gaza. You can access that article by clicking the below link.here.washingtonpost/opinions/charles-krauthammer-moral-clarity-in-gaza/2014/07/17/0adabe0c-0de4-11e4-8c9a-923ecc0c7d23_story.html
Posted on: Fri, 18 Jul 2014 20:26:06 +0000
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