We continue to send a collective prayer to the brave soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces as they defend the Jewish homeland against the many threats that surround her, including ongoing regional tensions and the persistent threat from Iran. At the same time, we stand in disbelief at the astonishing increase in antisemitism and antisemitic hate crimes around the globe. The resurgence of the world’s oldest hatred and most poisonous disease leaves many of us feeling frustrated and vulnerable. We recognize that the latest strand of this virus is antizionism, the single-minded obsession with the world’s one Jewish state, and the many examples coming from both the right and the left of the political aisle leave us feeling dizzy and ungrounded.
And yet, we are not alone. Together with others in the Jewish world—and with those who stand in solidarity with us—we will expel the darkness and proclaim this truth to the entire world. Israel has and always will be a light unto the nations, and we will continue to advocate for the Jewish homeland no matter where we find ourselves.
Accompanying our own sense of disbelief is the understandable desire to empower ourselves with knowledge and to support our Jewish brothers and sisters. Below, you will find resources to show your support in a variety of ways. We hope that at least one of these avenues—if not more—will speak to you.
יְֽהֹוָ֗ה עֹ֭ז לְעַמּ֣וֹ יִתֵּ֑ן יְהֹוָ֓ה ׀ יְבָרֵ֖ךְ אֶת־עַמּ֣וֹ בַשָּׁלֽוֹם
Adonai Oz l’Amo Yiten, Adonai Yivarech et amo v’shalom
May strength be granted to GOD’s People; may God bless this people with well-being.
Am Yisrael Chai!
Remain Informed
During these days of misinformation and manipulation, it is essential that we be well-informed advocates for Israel.
Seeking Sinai Podcast
Temple Sinai’s podcast, Seeking Sinai, hosted by Rabbi Natan Trief, focuses on issues relating to Israel, Zionism, and Jewish Peoplehood. There is one specifically intended for college students and others as a beginner lesson on Israeli history and terminology. Tune in on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
Brief Videos/Articles Explaining the Conflict
- Israel-Hamas War: ‘Hamas Opened Up The Gates Of Hell’ – Mosab Hassan Yousef (son of a Hamas founder) WATCH
- Mayim Bialik speaks out against antisemitism WATCH
- Rabbi Sacks on the Connection Between Antisemitism, Anti-Zionism, Judaism & Israel WATCH
- The Tragedy of Jewish Anti-Zionism by Samuel Hyde READ
- What Do We Mean When We Call Israel ‘The Jewish State?’ by Dr. Einat Wilf WATCH
- Einat Wilf Answers 18 questions on Gaza, Antizionism, and the Israel-Hamas War WATCH
Organizations
Sign up for emails from the numerous national and international Jewish agencies that offer webinars to help raise awareness and education.
News Outlets
Books
All of these publications are available in PNK Learning Center or online for purchase.
- Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth (Noa Tishby)
- The War of Return (Einat Wilf)
- Israel: A Concise History (Daniel Gordis)
- Letters to My Palestinian Neighbor (Yossi Klein Halevi)
Social Media Accounts
As we all know, another front has opened up in this generational war against Jew hatred and it is playing out on our smartphones, tablets, and computers. We all have a role to play to fight the lies, the disinformation, and the insidious antisemitism. In these moments, we can demonstrate our support as proud ambassadors for our Jewish homeland and use our networks to influence and educate.
Please consider following and sharing some of the valuable information and updates from the following accounts:
@IDF: Official Account of the Israel Defense Forces
@standwithus: Non-Profit Israel Education Organization
@adl_national: Official Account of the Anti-Defamation League
@ajc.global: Official Account of the American Jewish Committee
@jewishunpacked: Non-Profit Educational Organization
@israelcc: Official Account of the Israel on Campus Coalition
@jfederations: Official Account of the Jewish Federations of North America
@birthrightisrael_foundation: Official Account of Taglit Birthright Israel Foundation
TikTok
@adielofisrael: (Adiel Cohen) IDF Reservist & Social Media Influencer
@israel: Official Account of the State of Israel
@hen.mazzig: (Hen Mazzig) Senior Fellow, TLV Institute
@camera_on_campus: Non-Partisan Organization Monitoring Bias in Media & Reporting
@stand_with_us: Non-Profit Israel Education Organization
@hillelintl: Official Account of Hillel International – The Foundation for Jewish Life on Campus
@idf: Official Account of the Israel Defense Forces
Financial Support
There are numerous agencies worthy of financial support, including:
- Kibbutz Be’eri – Help to rebuild our partner kibbutz, Be’eri, the site of one of the worst massacres of October 7th and yet, also the site of one of the most inspirational recoveries.
- FIDF – The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces’ mission is to transform the lives of soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces through empowering educational, financial, well-being, and cultural initiatives. GIVE
- Magen Dovid Adom – Israel’s national emergency medical service is on the frontlines of saving lives in Israel with emergency ambulances, boats, helicopters, and motorcycles. GIVE
In addition to organizations dedicated to providing direct and much-needed assistance to those struggling, there are organizations dedicated to building bridges of understanding between populations in Israel.
- The Givat Haviva Center for Shared Society is an organization that builds relationships between Israel’s Jewish citizens and those who are Israeli Arabs.
- Roots-Judour-Shorashim was started by an Israeli settler and a Palestinian farmer in order to bring the two populations together in the West Bank.
Political Outreach
We also encourage you to contact your elected officials and ask them to publicly support Israel and, when appropriate, to vote for aid for Israel. In situations where they have already done so, it is important to contact them to express your appreciation.
Rep. Lucy McBath is the member of Congress for GA-06, where Temple Sinai is located. Please call her to thank and encourage her to continue standing with Israel, especially as she receives many calls from Israel’s detractors.
Phone Number for Rep. Lucy McBath: 202-225-4501 or 470-773-6330
If you do not live in GA-06, please visit this website to find your representative and their contact information. Here is also another helpful website that helps to find congressional representation, maps, and contact information.
Please consider contacting our US Senators to encourage them to support Israel and the American-Israeli alliance. Sen. Jon Ossoff can be contacted at 470-786-7800 and his website can be found here. Sen. Rafael Warnock can be contacted at 770-694-7828 and his website can be found here.
Students on Campus
Students who have witnessed or experienced incidents of hate, antisemitism or anti-Israel bias on campus should do the following:
- Call 911 if immediate help is required.
- Report the incident to your university. Visit your university’s website and type “bias report” or “bias incident” into the search bar. This will direct you to an online form where you can report the incident.
- Reach out to your Hillel to ensure you have any support you may need on campus, as well as help you navigate conversations with the administration or alerting authorities if necessary.
- Report the incident to reportcampushate.org – this resource was established by Hillel International, the Anti-Defamation League and the Secure Community Network, and works to hold universities accountable for keeping students safe.
Campus Antisemitism Legal Line (CALL) is a free legal protection hotline for students who have experienced antisemitism. Any student, staff, faculty or family member can go to the CALL website or text “CALLhelp” to 51555 to report incidents of antisemitic discrimination, harassment, intimidation, vandalism or violence that may require legal action.
Social media can be a powerful advocacy tool, and while some students feel comfortable using their platforms, others may not feel confident in their ability to do so effectively. TalkIsrael is a non-profit that works with students to positively change the conversation around Israel using social media by providing resources, guidance and support for young content creators.
Volunteering
Are you interested in going to Israel to volunteer and contribute in a meaningful way? We’ve had several congregants volunteer with Sar El and would be happy to provide more information on that program with the IDF or other programs as well, including volunteer missions with Birthright (ages 18-50). Please contact Rabbi Natan Trief if you have questions or would like to be connected to someone.
