COMMUNITY
STANDING WITH ISRAEL... IN ISRAEL
By Iris Kraemer, Immediate Past President of Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida
JFNA Leadership Mission to Israel
At the end of June, just weeks after 40 percent of Israelis lived under rocket fire, I was invited to join a three and a half day leadership mission to Israel. Throughout the days of violence in May, many Israelis endured almost constant trauma. Our Jewish Federation sent emergency funds and messages of support, but by participating in this unique mission, I was able to Stand With Israel…in Israel.
Together with twenty other Jewish Federation professional and lay leaders from across the US, we met with Knesset members, victims of terror, new Olim (citizens) on the Sderot border, and the CEOs and representatives from two of our Overseas Partners, The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and The Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). We saw the impact of our overseas allocations in the faces of victims of terror, new Ethiopian immigrants, Haredim who are receiving higher education and entering the workforce, and Israelis and Arabs who strive for peaceful coexistence and equality. Our day in Sderot, on the Gaza border, included a visit with the director of the Israeli Trauma
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House in Sderot destroyed by Hamas rockets
Coalition (ITC) and the counselor who lived next to Ido Avigal, the five-year-old boy who was killed by rocket shrapnel while sitting in the safe room of his apartment. They explained that ITC counselors are continually working on recovery and preparedness, as they know that future rounds of Hamas rocket fire are inevitable.
The city of Lod, with a mixed Arab and Israeli population, experienced some of the worst riots in May. Our group visited a center run by the JDC where we spent time with a diverse group of Israelis and Arabs who are dedicated to coexistence through shared lives, education, social mobility and mutual respect. Despite the recent turmoil, they continue working to meet the many challenges of their societies by closing social and economic gaps, resulting in better lives for ALL of Israel’s citizens. Knesset members expressed profound appreciation for our presence as well as their concern that the global Jewish population is facing extraordinary levels of anti-semitism. Nir Barkat, a former mayor of Jerusalem, often referred to the “collective” and the Israelis’ need for our continued
support. Amira Aharanovich, the CEO of the Jewish Agency for Israel, stressed the deepening relationships and engagement with Israel created through our Israel Partnerships. The first Druze shlicha (emissary)will soon be in Washington, D.C. sharing her life as part of a minority in Israel. Each government minister who sat with us, listened to our concerns and shared that the majority of Israelis and Israeli Arab citizens want to work for peaceful coexistence. There are no easy or quick solutions to the many challenges Israel faces, but there is much optimism about the new Israeli government. Throughout our brief but impactful experience, we heard from people who expressed resilience, ingenuity, and compassion. I’d like to express my thanks to the Jewish Federations of North America, our Federation umbrella organization, for providing me with the opportunity to go home to Israel, once again. The face-to face and heart-to heart experiences were indelible and I will continue to share the stories I heard and the optimism I feel. Am Yisrael Chai!
