Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative: Passionate Support of the State of Israel

The Bob and Esther Heller Israel Advocacy Initiative was created to deal with a number of efforts both locally and abroad.

These efforts include:
● Advocate for peace and security in Israel through education, information and community awareness.
● Raise awareness of and actively confront anti-Semitism and radical Islam on a global level.
● Directly address anti-Israel activities in Sarasota-Manatee.

Example of BDS propaganda

IAI will make these efforts through: Educational programs, community outreach and partnerships with Jewish and non-Jewish organizations and public officials. And through this process, IAI hopes to engage Jews and non-Jews in Israel 3-D: Demonization, Double Standards & Delegitimization. Learn more about Israel, advocating  and combating anti-Semitism by visiting www.SarasotaLovesIsrael.com.

But let’s, for a moment, think about the world over the last 70 years without Israel.

The obvious first point is that Israel is a beacon of hope for democracy and justice in the 21st century in the region of the Middle East. But if you wanted to imagine your life without Israel it may go something like this:
Your connection to family members who live around the world would be much harder because you can’t Instant Message them or text them. Israelis invented both of those technologies. That flash drive you keep in your purse or pocket wouldn’t exist. If you’re so inclined to social justice and want to help those in developing countries drink safe and clean water whenever they want, you would probably need the process of desalinization, which was invented by Israelis. Or, you’re a medical professional who is the first to volunteer when disaster strikes around the world. Without IsraAID or the IDF by your side, you may not be able to get your triage X-Ray machine built and working within 24 hours of landing, or see more live rescues from a collapsed building than not.

Israel was first to respond to the 2010 crisis in Haiti

It is for these reasons and so many more that we are passionate about our support of the State of Israel.

 

---

 

100 Days of Impact from The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee

 

100 Days of Impact started on September 22 and will run through the end of 2014. Each week we will demonstrate the the collaborative impact that we and our donors make locally and globally.

MAKE A DONATION

You are the Jewish community. This is your Federation. Together, we do extraordinary things!

 

 

 

Israel launches Operation Protective Edge

Israel has launched Operation Protective Edge in retaliation of ongoing rocket fire. The Jewish Federation of Sarasota-Manatee will continue to monitor the situation in coordination with partner agencies.

OPERATION PROTECTIVE EDGE

Israel’s response to the intense rocket fire from Gaza over the past month, which has been dubbed “Operation Protective Edge” (“Tzuk Eitan” in Hebrew), launched last night. Since Monday morning, over 100 rockets have been fired at Israel. Hamas terrorists in Gaza have claimed responsibility for many of the attacks which are activating “Code Red” sirens deep into central Israel.

WHAT’S BEEN HIT

More than 240 rockets have been fired into Israel from Gaza since June 12, the day on which the three Israeli teenagers were abducted and murdered. A nursery school was hit (July 3), two factories in Sderot were razed (June 28) and a number of homes and cars have been damaged by other rockets striking open areas. In addition, a terrorist armed with a grenade tried to enter an Israeli village (June 22) and there have been several cross-border attacks.

The projectiles being fired at Israel include a combination of military-grade Grad missiles, locally-made “Kassam” rockets and mortars. Rockets fired can reach over 50 km affecting more than a million Israelis. Here is a map illustrating areas within rocket range and detailing the maximum time available for finding shelter in each location.

Yesterday, Monday, July 7, a farm was destroyed, and staff at the Soroka Hospital Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in Beer Sheva rushed newborns to a protected area (click links to watch eyewitness video footage of these events). A retirement home in Yavne was also hit, and a large fire broke out in Ashdod when a rocket hit an empty house.

Last night, two Ashdod residents were out sailing when rockets were fired in their direction. This video shows the rockets, the Iron Dome response and their reactions. This short clip shows children running out of a swimming pool to shelter, leaving no room to question the impact of life under fire.

Once again, the preventative measures in place are helping mitigate the situation. As disconcerting as the sound of sirens wailing can be, residents in southern Israel are used to the need to move quickly and have been following the instructions of the military and civilian authorities, rushing to protected rooms and safe areas whenever needed.

These measures, together with the deployment of the highly effective Iron Dome defense system, have kept physical injuries to a minimum (primarily shrapnel wounds and shock), even as psychological and social support services are seeing a big spike in calls to help lines and other requests for assistance. In future updates, we will provide more information on the disruption of daily civilian and economic life.

PRECAUTIONS

School vacation started last week. Yet in some locations, children are returning to schools with protected space to which camp programs and other activities have been relocated. The situation for preschoolers is more complicated, as few daycare centers have sheltered space and facilities between 7 and 40 kilometers from Gaza have been closed under orders from the Home Front Command. Farmers tilling fields on the Gaza border have been ordered to stop work due to the threat of sniper fire. Additionally, the Home Front Command has prohibited gatherings of more than 500 people across the affected zone.

Needless to say, all citizens have been instructed to remain close to a shelter at all times. This means intercity traffic is very light and is having a significant impact on local business.

RESPONSE

The Israel Air Force struck over 50 targets Monday night across the Gaza Strip, including rocket launchers, a weapon storage facility, training bases, terror tunnels and other key objectives. Some 1,500 IDF reservists were called up for duty yesterday, with breaking news of a further draft of some 40,000 now approved.

Israel continues to deploy the Iron Dome defense system, which is reported to have an 85% success rate against incoming rockets.

Many Israelis across the country, including those living outside the immediate range of the rockets, and Israel supporters abroad have downloaded the ‘tzeva adom’ phone app, which alerts users when a rocket is being fired at Israel. Supporters of Israel are being encouraged to download the app to raise awareness. Social media reports are trending under #israelunderfire and #protectiveedge.

QUOTES

Lt. Col. Peter Lerner, from the IDF Spokesman’s Bureau, released a statement saying, “In the past weeks, residents of southern Israel were forced into an unbearable reality – a situation they haven’t encountered in these scales since November 2012. In light of these circumstances, the IDF commenced Operation Protective Edge. We are determined to lay a significant blow on Hamas’ terror capabilities and infrastructure, eliminate any threat on Israeli sovereignty emanating from the Gaza Strip and restore stability to the southern region. Terrorists perpetrating the aggression against Israel have a personal price to pay and will bear the consequences of their actions.”

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon said, “This operation will not be over in a matter of days….We will not tolerate rocket fire over Israel and we are prepared to expand the campaign with every means at our disposal to continue to strike against Hamas. I would like to reinforce the southern residents, mayors and councils who demonstrate leadership and responsibility, helping us to continue the offensive effort.”

As Minister of the Interior Gideon Sa’ar said “I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of rockets at Tel Aviv.”

For more information:

http://mfa.gov.il/MFA/ForeignPolicy/Terrorism/Pages/Rise-in-rocket-fire-from-Gaza-3-Jul-2014.aspx

http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-pounds-dozens-of-gaza-targets-in-major-counteroffensive/

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4539418,00.html

YouTube: 15 Seconds: Not Enough Time

Day Six: A Sweet Adventure in the Golan

Today the group awoke early and departed quickly as to avoid the most brutal heat of the day that was to come later. Following a bus ride through the rolling hills and peaking crests of the Golan Heights, we exited at the magnificent Banias waterfall. We then proceeded to experience a hike through the Israeli brushland until reaching the valley of the falls. With the water roaring in our ears, we descended to the bottom of the base of the falls to appreciate the grandeur of the rushing water. After the descending to the bottom of the falls, the group crossed the river and then began the arduous journey up the steps and out of the valley. As the temperature of the day rose, we embarked on a rafting trip down the Dan River, a main tributary of the Jordan River. Donning life jackets and grabbing paddles, the group divided up and clambered into the cool water aboard inflatable rafts. With dozens of other rafts on the water, the time spent on the river was devoted to splashing other rafts, throwing one’s raftmates into the water, and consequentially struggling to get back into the rafts. Fortunately, at the conclusion of the river journey, everyone was refreshed and famished, for what awaited us was a feast of an American favorite, pizza, done the Israeli way and made right in front of us. Topped with corn, tuna, and other local favorites, the group refueled for the next adventure, a wet and wild zipline. Fastening our harnesses, each of us took our turn careening down the cables into the chilly waters once more. Those not springing for the zipline chose to try their hand (and feet) on the complex’s rock climbing wall. Regardless of which adrenaline inducing activity one chose, we were all thoroughly exhausted, which showed itself on the way to De Karina Chocolate factory. Arriving sleepily at this family owned factory, we were given a tour of the chocolate productions, all hand-made of course. Next, we were ushered into an interactive workshop where everyone let their creativity flow as we constructed out own cocoa confections. Leaving De Karina, our expert chauffeur, Uzi, navigated the group up to the summit of Mount Bental. Sitting amongst the fortifying walls of an old Israeli Defense Force bunker, the Israeli-Syrian border clearly visible only a few hundred yards distant, our tour guide, Nataly, shared details about the cruel battles Israel faced on this very peak. Complete with personal anecdotes from her father’s battles on this very mountain, Nataly provided us with the chance to get a feel for the chaos of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The journey back to the kibbutz was a winding one, avoiding fenced off fields marked with signs warning of land mines, a stark reminder that the land on which we traveled was not so long ago an area ridden with violence. After dinner and some time to rest at the kibbutz, the group reunited to gather kindling and ignite a bonfire of both flame and fun. Singing, joking, and snacking on s’mores late into the night left us all wearily wandering back to our rooms to rejuvenate for the next day’s schedule.

-Jake Hurwitz, Bob Malkin Young Ambassadors 2013

Yeshiva Boys Mean Business

“We’d rather spend lives in jail than in IDF”

Education is undoubtedly and universally one of the most important Jewish values. Many ultra-Orthodox men devote themselves to a lifetime of intense Torah study, and in Israel, they are given an exemption from serving in the army to pursue full-time yeshiva careers. In response to frustration from secular Israelis and the government’s recent talk of making national service obligatory for Haredi students, yeshiva boys are demanding equality.

Rabbi Simcha Avraham Halevi, the head rabbi of the Ashlag Hasidic sect, publicly declared that secular Israelis should be obligated to study in yeshiva to achieve equal burden of preserving the Jewish people and the state of Israel. He argued the following:

“The Jewish people survived its entire cruel history not through the might of arms, not through airplanes or tanks, not through the deterrent effect of the IDF and not through the power of the State of Israel, but through the merit of Torah study and the fulfillment of its commandments. Therefore, we are obligated to bring about equality in the burden among our brothers of the Children of Israel, so that all secular youth bear the yoke of preserving and defending the inheritance of the Jewish people, and fulfill their national duty through Torah study and the fulfillment of the commandments.”

Do you agree that the survival of the Jewish people throughout history and in modern Israel can be attributed to knowledge of Torah and steadfast religious observance? Perhaps just to education in general?

Do you think that all Israeli citizens should be required to defend the Jewish people and Israel by way of both national service and religious study? What should be the obligation of non-Israeli Jews?

Your Federation wants to know what YOU think!

Read the rest of the Jerusalem Post article here.

Gilad Shalit’s Release

Since the abduction of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit by Hamas terrorists on June 26, 2006, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his administration along with many Jewish organizations have made it a top priority to see Gilad Shalit returned home safely to his loved ones in Israel.

Benjamin Netanyahu announced yesterday on October 11, 2011, that Gilad should be returning home in the next few days in exchange for over 1,000 Palestinian terrorists to be returned to Hamas.

Many are ecstatic with the breaking news; however there are those that fear that an exchange for so many terrorists to go free is a huge mistake that will only result in more violence and kidnappings.

The Federation would like to know what you think! Please share your thoughts with us!

***