10.26
Dear Friends,
There are so many things to share with you.
To begin, I want to thank the MANY people who have responded so far to our Israel Emergency Campaign. We are having a first meeting next week to get funds to those in need in real time. AND, IF YOU HAVE NOT YET DONE SO, PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MATCH OFFERED. YOUR CONTRIBUTION WILL BE DOUBLED! www.jewishoceancounty.org/israelresponse
Life in Israel feels a little bit like being in the eye of the storm. Where I am, at present in Jerusalem, is relatively quiet. We have had some sirens warning of rockets from Gaza, but while life is definitely subdued, people are out and about doing whatever daily business they need to.
Other places are affected much worse. Tel Aviv, for instance, has been targeted more often (such as right now when I am writing this). And so the most vibrant city in Israel is eerily quiet, like during Covid Times.
It feels like everyone in the country, in addition to being anxious and stressed, is waiting for the other shoe to drop. The army says a ground operation will begin soon. The objective is to decimate Hamas – and, at the same time, there are hopes to somehow save more than 200 hostages believed to be held in Gaza – including 30 children and 10-20 elderly. Plus, while there are increasing shots fired from Hezbollah in Lebanon, we don’t know if that will open up into a second front.
And while this is both a just and necessary fight, the human toll will be significant. ☹
Israeli society, after months of internal tensions, has come together like never before. Every request for support or opportunity to volunteer is filled within a few minutes of being shared. People have taken in families displaced from the south, teens are volunteering to provide programs for kids, and it seems everyone is chipping in to provide essential items to soldiers at the front. Apparently 150% of those expected to respond to the reserves call-up actually showed up. If those seeking to destroy Israel thought society would fall apart – they were very mistaken.
At the same time, the anti-Israel sentiment on campuses and elsewhere in America, and around the world, is truly scary. We hear people speaking about ending the “occupation” – yet Gaza wasn’t occupied, other than by Hamas. They mean that Israel itself should disappear. While I used to give the benefit of the doubt that some people don’t know better, after seeing the horrific images from the October 7 attack I don’t think we can give the benefit of the doubt. When someone says they want to do you harm…you should believe them.
That makes the work we need to do through the Jewish Federation even more important today. Combatting hate, strengthening our community – and now providing relief and support to those in need in Israel.
And if you have already done so, thank you. It means a lot.
Wishing you a Shabbat of peace and friendship.
Keith
PS – On a personal level, I appreciate the many inquiries I’ve received asking if I am still in Israel, if I am doing ok, and when am I coming home. I very much appreciate the concern and support. Thank you. I am ok and expect to be back in early November when some cancelled flights are planned to start again.
Keith Krivitzky, Managing Director
About the Israeli Army
It could have been us
Dear Friends,
There are so many things to share with you.
To begin, I want to thank the MANY people who have responded so far to our Israel Emergency Campaign. We are having a first meeting next week to get funds to those in need in real time. AND, IF YOU HAVE NOT YET DONE SO, PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MATCH OFFERED. YOUR CONTRIBUTION WILL BE DOUBLED! www.jewishoceancounty.org/israelresponse
Life in Israel feels a little bit like being in the eye of the storm. Where I am, at present in Jerusalem, is relatively quiet. We have had some sirens warning of rockets from Gaza, but while life is definitely subdued, people are out and about doing whatever daily business they need to.
Other places are affected much worse. Tel Aviv, for instance, has been targeted more often (such as right now when I am writing this). And so the most vibrant city in Israel is eerily quiet, like during Covid Times.
It feels like everyone in the country, in addition to being anxious and stressed, is waiting for the other shoe to drop. The army says a ground operation will begin soon. The objective is to decimate Hamas – and, at the same time, there are hopes to somehow save more than 200 hostages believed to be held in Gaza – including 30 children and 10-20 elderly. Plus, while there are increasing shots fired from Hezbollah in Lebanon, we don’t know if that will open up into a second front.
And while this is both a just and necessary fight, the human toll will be significant. ☹
Israeli society, after months of internal tensions, has come together like never before. Every request for support or opportunity to volunteer is filled within a few minutes of being shared. People have taken in families displaced from the south, teens are volunteering to provide programs for kids, and it seems everyone is chipping in to provide essential items to soldiers at the front. Apparently 150% of those expected to respond to the reserves call-up actually showed up. If those seeking to destroy Israel thought society would fall apart – they were very mistaken.
At the same time, the anti-Israel sentiment on campuses and elsewhere in America, and around the world, is truly scary. We hear people speaking about ending the “occupation” – yet Gaza wasn’t occupied, other than by Hamas. They mean that Israel itself should disappear. While I used to give the benefit of the doubt that some people don’t know better, after seeing the horrific images from the October 7 attack I don’t think we can give the benefit of the doubt. When someone says they want to do you harm…you should believe them.
That makes the work we need to do through the Jewish Federation even more important today. Combatting hate, strengthening our community – and now providing relief and support to those in need in Israel.
And if you have already done so, thank you. It means a lot.
Wishing you a Shabbat of peace and friendship.
Keith
PS – On a personal level, I appreciate the many inquiries I’ve received asking if I am still in Israel, if I am doing ok, and when am I coming home. I very much appreciate the concern and support. Thank you. I am ok and expect to be back in early November when some cancelled flights are planned to start again.
Keith Krivitzky, Managing Director
10.9
Dear Friends,
We are in this period of waiting.
The streets are empty. Sirens are blaring sporadically, followed by the booms of Iron Dome intercepting rockets. (Less sporadically elsewhere around the country.) Families are glued to the news on television or to whatsapp on their phones eager for news about what is happening or about loved ones. Everyone here seems to know someone missing or called to duty from the reserves. And all the while the numbers of injured, dead, or kidnapped seem to keep going up. The first wave of funerals has begun.
This is what is happening in the calm before the storm. And after a horrific tragedy.
People are feeling helpless, which is an unusual sentiment for most Israelis.
As a result, there are numerous groups helping those who have been forced out of their homes, helping families whose mother or father has been called to serve, and providing necessary items to soldiers who were called up – 300,000 so far and meeting their needs is a huge challenge.
There are ways the Jewish community in Ocean County can help too.
The needs are ongoing and the costs of this conflict will increase exponentially.
You can make a difference by supporting our community’s Israel Emergency Campaign with a donation HERE!
And we invite you to come together to show your solidarity and support for Israel at our community’s We Stand With Israel Vigil this Wednesday night at 7 pm @ Beth Am Shalom.
See the flyer below for more information.
The best thing we can do as a community at this time is to come together, show our support, and let the people of Israel know we stand with them.
Thank you.
Keith Krivitzky, Managing Director
10.7
| Dear Friends, I apologize for writing while it is still a Jewish holiday in the United States. I am currently in Jerusalem, where this morning we were awakened at 8:15 am by the sound of sirens preceding the booms of Iron Dome intercepting rockets launched from Gaza. Many prayer services were cancelled this morning and people were asked to stay home, as sirens rang out (followed by booms) several times in the following hours. Given the holiday, we only had rumors and incomplete information about what was happening this morning, and it was only later in the day that the extent of today’s tragedy became clear. An unprecedented attack took place from Gaza, almost 50 years to the day after the start of the Yom Kippur war (according to the Western calendar). Hundreds of terrorists infiltrated towns in the area, shooting indiscriminately, attacking families, and taking hostages. As of me writing this, 250+ Israelis were killed in the attack, and more than 1500 injured. Dozens were captured and taken back to Gaza – children, women, elderly, as well as soldiers. Those numbers are expected to rise. It is unclear how many terrorists entered across the border; fighting is still happening in several towns. Reservists from all over the country have been called up – there is something heartwrenching when you see a religious soldier wearing a kipa (yarmulke) on Shabbat/chag, kissing their kid goodbye, getting into a car and driving off to meet their unit. I saw that sight several times today. The reality is that there will be – NO…there IS a war and it will likely be very painful. So…why am I writing now? First – it is important that people who care and with a connection to Israel and the Jewish people appreciate the magnitude of what is happening. This will not be a brief engagement with minimal collateral damage, as has happened before. Already the numbers affected dwarf anything that has happened to this country in the past decades. Some have described this as Israel’s September 11th. EVERYONE knows someone affected – someone killed or injured, someone missing, or someone called up. This is still a small country and the ripple effects of what happens here are felt widely. Second – there should be no doubt or confusion that those who committed this attack are seeking to kill Jews. There is no interest on their part in coexistence or peace with Israel. This is not about how Israel treats Gaza. Those in charge in Gaza, such as Hamas, are not doing this primarily as part of a political strategy to gain concessions; they are not interested in coming to terms with Israel or finding a path that doesn’t involve violence. They are attacking Israel because a Jewish state exists and they can’t abide that. The people of Gaza, as well as Israelis, pay the price for this extremism. Third – those who would say that this is somehow Israel’s fault or: “if only Israel had behaved differently and done/not done X, Y, or Z…” are delusional, actively buying into double standards, or embracing the idea that Israel shouldn’t be here and should be destroyed. I don’t see any way around that conclusion. And, just to be clear, that has nothing to do with support for Palestinian rights or self-determination or a two-state solution. There’s an expression – just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you. We see that here. I appreciate that many in the West like to avoid conflicts; sometimes they are unavoidable and being prepared to defend yourself doesn’t make you the “bad guy” in the story. And lastly – this is a time to put differences aside and show solidarity and support. After a very tough period of internal divisions and struggles in Israel, we see all sides coming together to respond and protect the country. Yes…there are many questions which will need to be addressed about how we came to this point – but this is not the time. This should also be true for us in America, regardless of how we feel about Israel’s policies. As we said in response to Ukraine, natural disasters, and other tragedies – when the Jewish people are at risk or need help, we step up and are there for them. We want to show our solidarity for the people of Israel and Jews around the world at this time. That’s why we have a Jewish Federation…to enable our community to come together and address challenges, make a difference, and strengthen the Jewish people. We have opened up a special fund to show support for our friends and family in Israel. We encourage you to show your support. Make a donation We will share more updates in the days and weeks ahead. We encourage you to follow the news and connect with loved ones in Israel. They would appreciate your support. Best wishes for the remainder of the holiday. Chag Sameach. And thank you. Keith Krivitzky Managing Director |