As you all undoubtedly know by now, our Homeland, Israel is at war.
Fifty years after the surprise attacks on Yom Kippur, Hamas has launched a brazen, surprise attack on our Israeli Homeland.
At least sixty Israelis are dead and over seven hundred are wounded. More, there are terrorists who are still roaming southern towns looking to inflict additional violent harm. Indeed, I have been in touch with a friend who is literally texting me from her safe room with terrorists on her kibbutz. This is the worst we have seen in decades.
Nothing is for sure right now. Beyond what we see on television, the fear is that violence could spread and thus erupt on the Northern Front as well, coming from Hezbollah forces in Lebanon and Syria.
We have several TBJ members on the ground in Israel. We are in touch with them and are offering any support possible.
You all know me well enough to know that we need to be steadfast in our support of our Homeland. That display of support will have to manifest in various ways in the coming hours and days. Watch this space as we stay in touch frequently to let you know what we as a community will do to continue to show our solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Israel. We are planning to gather as a community in prayer and solidarity in the next 24 hours—more information about that gathering will be forthcoming.
This attack was not only brazen, but unsolicited. We need to stand by Israel in defending her borders in anyway deemed necessary. Israel has stood up to the worst of it for seventy-five years; and I expect we will do the same on this latest round of horror. We need to be in lockstep solidarity in this time of acute and existential crisis.
We will continue to be in touch. In the meanwhile, please join me and us in praying for our beloved Israel.
With shock, sadness, dismay; and with absolute solidarity and love for Israel, Matthew
Rabbi Matthew D. Gewirtz Rabbi Karen Glazer Perolman Rabbi Leah H. Sternberg Cantor Lucy B. Fishbein Cantor Howard M. Stahl Marc Rothstein, Executive Director Karen Feldman, President
Temple B'nai Jeshurun 1025 South Orange Avenue Short Hills, NJ 07078
