Jumping into action to support Israel and one another

By Deborah Fidel, Temple Shalom Executive Director

Our hearts ache as we watch the unfolding horror in Israel. We all struggle with feelings of sadness, fear and shock, and yet Temple Shalom’s One Family unwavering care and support for one another, evidenced by our swift action to support Israel and each other, is the essence of “Am Yisrael Chai.” From the havdallah service on Oct. 7, when 250 Temple members gathered at the drop of a dime to pray for peace, to a counseling session so generously provided by Dr. Arlene Kaplan, PhD and Leslie Wasserman, MA for our members who are feeling overwhelmed and powerless in the face of evil, we come together at times of joy and sorrow.

We are gratified that we could extend our community to include and embrace all the local Israelis and their families with an informal dinner and gathering, hosted by our clergy, Rabbi Miller, Rabbi Boxman and Cantor Azu. This event had added poignancy because both Rabbi Boxman and Cantor Azu are married to Israeli men.

Finally, we are amazed at the tremendous response to the urgent call for goods that Rabbi Boxman’s husband, Asher Saida, delivered to IDF soldiers and displaced families in Israel. The Temple Shalom One Family jumped into action to respond to the crisis overseas and its effects at home as we have done before, most recently for the people of Ukraine and after Hurricanes Ian and Irma.

While our attention is focused on the hostages and ongoing rocket attacks on our brothers and sisters, I also want to assure you that we are extremely mindful of the safety and well-being of our community members, students, guests and staff while at Temple. I've spoken directly with security experts and both regional and national law enforcement agencies. My peers in other synagogues around the country and I are in close contact, sharing pertinent and helpful information as it becomes available from a variety of experts and organizations. It is wonderful to be part of a national organization, such as the National Association of Temple Administrators (NATA), the URJ (Union for Reform Judaism) and the Florida subgroup Florida Association of Synagogue and Temple Administrators (FASTA) at a time like this.

As those who visit Temple Shalom may have noticed, our armed security presence has grown substantially — to seven days a week in recent years. The cost is tremendous and growing, but it is a burden we must bear. The team includes private security, Collier County Sheriff’s deputies, Florida Highway Patrol officers and Naples City Police (for beach shabbat). Multiple law enforcement vehicles also drive around our campus throughout the day and one FHP even eats lunch in our parking lot regularly. We continue to test our systems, upgrade our security equipment, train our staff and respond to evolving and ongoing threat assessments to keep everyone safe while on our premises. We are grateful to our private security and local law enforcement officers for all they do for us!

We pray for a speedy end to the violence and a lasting peace between Israel and all her neighbors. The experts predict the current crisis could drag on for months, however. The clergy, staff and members of Temple Shalom will continue to meet the moment, together. If you are not yet part of a congregation, we invite you to worship, study and celebrate being Jewish at Temple Shalom – now more than ever.