Israel, and how to show support now
Israel is at the core of who we are as a people. We are connected to the land and people, spiritually, emotionally, and physically, with most of us having friends or family living there. When we pray, we direct our hearts to the east, towards the ancient Temple that was in Jerusalem. We pray multiple times a day to return to our Holy Land. Jerusalem is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible 669 ties, and Zion, 154 times.
At Temple B'nai Abraham, we have always had a strong affinity for the land and people of Israel. We have sent numerous trips and missions, we have regular programming, speakers, and education on Israel, and we proudly have many Israeli teachers in our school. We regularly send funding over to support various needs, and we proudly display our Israeli flag.
We now find ourselves in a terrible war of self-defense following the Hamas terror attack that resulted in the most Jewish deaths in a single day since the Holocaust. We are anxiously waiting for the release of more than 200 hostages, along with knowledge of the fate of so many missing Israelis. We may be feeling sad, angry, grieved, shocked, and helpless—all appropriate feelings for these circumstances.
And, we must act to support our Israeli brethren. Please find resources that you may find helpful on this site, and please be in touch if you have anything that may be good to add to this page. There are many ways we can make a difference, to our own community here and to our extended family in Israel.
If you are in need of support from TBA clergy, please do not hesitate to reach out. We’re always here for you.
Rabbi David Z. Vaisberg, M.A.R.E., M.A.H.L.
Senior Rabbi, Temple B’nai Abraham
Resources for Children:
Kveller has an article, How to Talk to Kids About What's Happening in Israel Right Now
Downloadable PDF book from Westchester Torah Academy, There is a War in Israel
For Understanding the Situation and History:
Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ, Israel at War
American Jewish Committee, Everything You Need to Know About the October 7 Hamas Attack on Israel
Organizations in Need of Donations:
Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest NJ Emergency Fund for Israel
Jewish National Fund-USA's Israel Resilience Campaign - This is a direct link to TBA's team page
Zaka, a volunteer search and rescue organization in Israel
To report an antisemitic incident, click here.
To add your voice to urging the US Dept. of Education
Direct action to make colleges safer from antisemitism: