Israel Support Resources

Here are some ways to support Israel and our community and other resources:

Organizations to contribute to: 

• Hostages and Missing Families Forum of New York  In the spirit of this holiday season of generosity and compassion, holding our thoughts to the unimaginable challenges ahead, we would like to invite you to contribute to the crowdfunding of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum of New York (donations are tax-deductible). The forum is engaged 24/7 in raising awareness, policy promotion, media, logistics, and personal assistance to families and delegations — all volunteer-based. Every donation, no matter how small, holds immense power. Our Impact since Oct 7th:
  - Held over 20 events in New York, uniting the community.
  - Hosted influential delegations and interacted with officials from NY, the U.S., the U.N., and the ICRC.
  - Formed a strong community for advocacy and support, involving thousands.
  - Established a network for American families of hostages, providing a platform for support and action.
  - Generated significant media presence through articles, interviews, and podcasts.
  - Initiated a 1,000-member running group, symbolizing solidarity.
  - Produced informative webinars with expert speakers, reaching over 2,000 viewers.
  - Distributed thousands of awareness materials and organized city-wide banner displays.
  - Enhanced relationships with key political figures for sustained support.
  We still have a lot of work to do to bring back home *all* of the hostages and loved ones who are still held in Gaza. Thank you for your partnership and generosity.
  Join our WhatsApp updates: https://bit.ly/FamiliesHQ-USA 

• Brothers and Sisters for Israel

• Israel Democracy HQ (Chofshei Be'Arzenu)

• Barzilai Medical Center

• Israel is United

• American Friends of Magen David Adom

• American Friends of Soroka Medical Center

• Lone Soldier Center

• The Emergency Sderot Campaign 

• The Sderot Foundation

• UJA - Federation of New York - Israel Emergency Fund

• United Hatzalah

• DAYBREAK  Launched by the Fund for New Leadership and the Shaharit Institute, in memory of Shaharit Board Chair Moshe Ohayon z”l, who was murdered alongside his son Eliad z”l by Hamas on October 7th. DAYBREAK is rapidly providing critical financial support to crucial social initiatives during this national emergency.

Other ways to support Israel and our community:

• Attend a rally in support of Israel

• Reach out to those with family or friends in Israel

• Speak out in support of Israel

• Say a Prayer for Israel

Stay informed with these news sources:

• i24 News

• Times of Israel

• Haaretz

• YNET

• Israel's Defense and Security Forum

• Israel National News

• The Jerusalem Post

Resources:

• How to Talk to Kids About What’s Happening in Israel Right Now: This article from Kveller is a good overview of how to address age groups developmentally by expert researcher Sivan Zakai, PhD, and is short read. 

• Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event: A recovery guide for parents, teachers, and community leaders:   From the Child Mind Institute, and also has age-appropriate information. It is the middle length of the previous resource and the next one. 

• Israel at War- Guidelines for Families and Individuals: This longer resource guide from Ohel, a social service agency serving children and families in Brooklyn.  It also gives age-appropriate information. 

• Helping Children with Tragic Events in the News: From PBS Kids, this article is more general about helping kids cope with tragic events, and is better for younger kids.

• How To Talk to Children About Israel Today: From The Jewish Educator Portal, the video is good for parents and educators. 

• Copies of Noa Tishby's book, Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth, are available to borrow from the Synagogue office. Please come by to pick up a copy.

• The Tikvah Fund

• StandwithUs