FOR ISRAEL

Pray, Learn, and Introspect

1. Please consider adding recitation of Tehilim to your daily prayers as we add our voices to the collective Tefilah of Klal Yisrael (the Jewish people). Selected prayers that we’ve recited as a community can be found by clicking here.
2. We pray for all of those in need, and especially at this harrowing time. That said, it is often helpful to put a face to a name and find personal connections in order to connect more deeply. Therefore, we are collecting names of those related to our Cherry Hill community for (a) soldiers who have been called up to serve in the IDF (b) others who are injured in need of prayer (c) those who have tragically lost their lives during this terrible conflict. We will incorporate these names into our Tefillot and make them available for those who want to pray or study on their behalf/in their memory. Please input names here: https://forms.gle/TGQtbMSZJ6CgXTf17.
3. An Important Message from Rav Yuval Cherlow: In order to turn to HaShem so that He will shine His face upon us, we must do good; cause others’ faces to shine; repair correct the distortions that we (not others) do; call upon ourselves to change our ways in societal domains, with justice and kindness; to undertake communal corrections about matters done improperly; regarding the lonely, people who are not seen but who are instead neglected by the community; regarding matters of honesty and truth. Before adding prayers, fasting, and others such paths, we must heed the eternal prophetic message, not as words of strengthening and encouragement, nor as an addition to prayer, but as the fundamental, consistent, and systematic precondition for the Master of the Universe to heed our prayers.
4. Acheinu Initiative - For more info, https://acheinu.world. Here is a link to join a (general) whatsapp group for continue updates- https://chat.whatsapp.com/BgXhmInPx0J0oUCJHa8T4i.
5.  Achim B'Tefillah - Our Chayalim are doing what they need to do, we can do what we need to do; daven to HaShem - for more info click here to see the flyer or go to https://achimbtefillah.org/.

Give Generously

There are many needs in Israel right now, and numerous organizations collecting funds. Please make sure to vet them before donating. Here are two options among many other worthy causes:

1. Jewish Federations of North America - Operation Swords of Iron Emergency Fund: (to support victims of terror and rebuild damaged infrastructure.) https://www.jewishfederations.org/2023israel-emergency#donate
2. Atufim and Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon (supporting evacuated & displaced Israeli communities): https://www.jgive.com/new/en/usd/donation-targets/113374

Other Opportunities to Give:

3. Tzohar's New Initiative: MEALuim - Every day, the spouses and families of our soldiers keep our home front strong so that our soldiers can focus on the battles before them. We want to help to ease some of their pressures with a weekly hot meal delivered to their homes— while sending the message that we value and support them. Go to https://tzohar-eng.org/mealuim/# to find out more or to participate.

4. Israel Food Rescue Mission - Volunteer to pick fruits and vegetables in Israel - Details Here

5. SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY LEADING UP TO PESACH - Shmura Matza for soldiers https://www.charidy.com/matzaforidf.  A year and a half ago, we opened a matzah bakery in the Gaza Envelope community of Netivot, employing over 50 people from nearby communities. The bakery produces handmade shmurah matzah. Owner Yedidya Harush is a reserve soldier in the 646th paratroopers who recently returned from defending Israel in Gaza. The critical pre-Passover order period coincided with the war, forcing the bakery to close and Yedidya to focus on his military service. While the bakery is operational again, we have leftover matzah with unfulfilled orders. The war threatened our business. Your purchase helps us stay afloat and continue employing local workers. Celebrating Passover with Purpose: This Passover, your matzah purchase takes on a deeper meaning, supporting both our Gaza Envelope community and the brave soldiers defending Israel. Make a Difference This Passover - Order Today! Thank you to Jerry Abramson for bringing this initiative to our attention.

Stand in Solidarity

1. Please take the time to show your support to your Israeli family and friends by reaching out to them personally with messages of support. You may not get an immediate response, but our prayers and love mean so much to them.
2. We have seen strong support from the U.S. government, both in statements and in action. The president, many of your senators, congressmen, and other political officials have made strong statements of support for the Israeli people and the IDF’s actions against Hamas. You can help this effort by ensuring this support remains in place and by sending a message of thanks - hakaros hatov - to elected leaders if they have made a supportive statement. You can look up your senators and representatives by clicking here. Search their website and X (Twitter) account for any statements they may have recently made about the situation in Israel. If their statement has been positive, you can send them a message of sincere appreciation by going to their website and sending them an email.
3.  We know that many people feel like the Jews are alone now. 
   It is nice to see we have important friends, see this link for more details - https://www.foi.org/shine/

Come Together

Over Shabbat Shuvah this year we had the opportunity to study some of the ideas about how to deal with trauma (and transgression). Little did we know at the time that we would be dealing with this so personally and communally, and so soon after. We learned that the way to deal with trauma is to find our agency, of which we made a number of suggestions above, and coming together to seek comfort from one another.

With this in mind, we will be doing a special monthly RUACH FILLED KABBALAT SHABBAT coinciding with Shabbat Mevarchim. We invite everyone of all ages to bring in Shabbat together at SOI. See below for additional opportunities to come together to support, pray, and comfort one another in these trying times: