Supporting Israel at War

Temporary Housing for Displaced Israelis
As part of the local Jewish communal response to Israel, area agencies are providing resources to help displaced Israelis in Boston find temporary housing and other necessary resources and connecting them to members of our community who wish to host during this crisis.

If you have housing and/or are open to hosting a displaced individual or group, you can express your interest.

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Urge Swift Action by the UN and the U.S. Congress: Demand Hamas Release the Hostages. CLICK HERE

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Stand with Israel Lawn Sign

Temple Israel has proudly partnered with #blueribbonsforisrael which symbolizes support and solidarity for the safe return of the hostages, their families, and all who care about their safety.

Wearing a ribbon publicly unites you with people of all religions, races, nationalities, ethnicities, ages, and generations and demonstrates to the people of Israel that they are not alone and that good people across the globe are with them and their families during this dark time.

Please stop by the temple to pick up your ribbon. Share a photo and tag #blueribbonsforisrael

For more info please visit: https://www.blueribbonsforisrael.org/

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* At this point we do not need any donations dropped off at the temple*

Amazon Wish List
There is a very high priority for the first several items on the Wish List of IDF units that show rain jackets, knee protectors and rain pants in several sizes. 

Please donate by purchasing these and select IAC Boston office for delivery.

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OTHER WAYS TO HELP:

Give
While information is rapidly developing, there is also a lot of fasle information out there about the best ways to help. If you are looking to contribute financially, please make donations only to trusted agencies and non-profits to ensure your dollars get to where they're needed most.

Organizations like those below are working tirelessly to ensure contributions help people on the ground. In addition, the Jewish Funders Network as a growing list of all the trusted agencies and non-profits.

• CJP (Combined Jewish Philanthropies)
• MDA (American Friends of Magen David Adom)​​​​​
• FIDF (Friends of the IDF) 
• JNF (Jewish National Fund) 

Read
Trusted news sites like the Times of Israel and Yediot Achronot provide up-to-date and verified information about what's going on. Try to stay current on what's happening.

Breathe
Give yourself permission to take a break from the doom-scrolling. The news is hard to read, because what's happening is nightmarish. It is ok to pause and not to read every article, op-ed, or analysis, or to watch every video and see every picture. Sadly, it is likely thing will get worse before they get better, and we need to take care of ourselves to ensure we are best able to support Israel and our Israeli family.

Pray
Add the Prayer for the State of Israel to your daily tefilot, say tehilim/psalms, join us at daily minyan in-person or on zoom.

Advocate
Thoughtfully and respectfully reach out to local officials and representatives, share your feelings and concerns from a place of honesty and with facts. Be prepared to speak up for Israel and the Jewish people in the days, weeks, and months to come.

• MA Legislators
• MA Governor and Lt. Governor
• US House of Representatives and Senators

Act
Reach out to friends and family in Israel, even just a simple "thinking of you" or "praying for your safety" can go a long way to let them know they're not alone. Reach out to friends and family who have friends and family in Israel. So many people are hurting, waiting anxiously by the phone for news of loved ones missing or injured. Reach out, take them a meal, let them know you're there for them.

As always, we maintain constant communication with both the Sharon Police Department and the Community Security Initiative. As many of you know, Temple Israel has been investing in our security infrastructure over the past several years and has a robust set of systems and protocols for safety in all of our facilities. As of now, there is no direct information regarding any credible or specific threats for our area or for our local Jewish community.

Out of abundance of caution, we have asked SPD for directed patrols to be conducted at our campus. We are grateful for our local law enforcement partners and their constant support of our community, especially during this trying and worrying time. If you have specific questions please be in touch with Karen Nahary

Click to read Rabbi Fineberg's Dvar Torah "Lo Tov Heyot Adam Levado- It’s not good to be alone, and we’re not totally alone"