Dear Brenda,
Friends, as passionate supporters of Israel we were deeply worried about the three teens that were abducted on June 12th and devastated when their bodies were discovered on June 30th. Our concern for these teens and their families compelled us to help coordinate a community gathering on July 1st to honor their memories.
Only in the hours after their bodies were discovered did we receive the horrific news that a Palestinian teen had been murdered and in subsequent days, that a Palestinian-American teen had been brutalized by Jerusalem police. While the circumstances of each situation is still being investigated, it is clear that, in the raw emotion that is ever present in the land of our people we must strive to uphold and embody our Jewish values.
We are deeply committed to the morality and values of our Jewish state. We add our voice to the chorus of voices that rejects all forms of violence and calls for new efforts to achieve peace. We echo the strong words of Rachel Frankel, the mother of murdered Israeli teen, Naftali, who said “If a young Arab really was murdered for nationalist reasons, this is a horrifying and shocking act. There is no difference between blood and blood. Murder is murder. There is no justification, no pardon and no atonement for murder.”
In the midst of this latest and ongoing escalation, we must continue to do our work to pave the way to a more hopeful and peaceful future.
Below is an excerpt from the message we received earlier today from Tzachi Levy, Director of the Partnership 2Gether program in Hof Ashkelon and Kiryat Malachi.
During the past few days our partnership region in Israel (Kiryat Malachi and Hof Ashkelon) is under heavy rocket attacks from Gaza. I guess you all know Israel has started “Operation Protective Edge” to stop those attacks and to bring back the quiet to Southern Israel, as we remember from the times between “Operation Pillar of Defense” and today.
Only last week our kids started their summer vacations and instead of being in the pool, beach, movie or summer camps, they are now forced to be nearby the shelters.
Complicated days like this one make me feel proud to be part of my community, our partnership communities. Many are asking “what can we do? How can we help?” My answer, as always, is “By asking those questions, you are already doing!” – and really, thank you for asking. We appreciate your concern.
During the past few hours we received endless phone calls from friends here and overseas to share their support, thoughts and worries with us. This is what makes our partnership strong and gives us the strength we need. It is wonderful and empowering to see the inner strength of our communities and volunteers here in Israel and their support for the affected families.
Thank you so much for your support via your local Jewish Federation.
Wishing and hoping for better days.
