Westchester Stands in Solidarity with Israel

RESOURCES:

We are pleased to share with you a signature line that can be inserted after your name when sending emails. This signature line is intended to convey a positive message that fosters a sense of community and support, especially during these challenging times.

ADL:

Resources and analysis on the crisis:

• ADL debunks myths and false narratives about the Israel-Hamas war
• Global antisemitic Incidents in the Wake of Hamas’ war on Israel
• Support for Hamas terror at anti-Israel rallies across the U.S.
• Updates to ADL Cyber-Safety Action Guide so you can report online hate and harassment
• And more…

Tools to talk about the crisis with young people in your family and your community:

• 6 Tips for Supporting Jewish Students in the Classroom
• How to Have Conversations about the Hamas Attacks on Israel
• 10 ways to have conscientious conversations on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Ways to take action:

• Call on your senators to immediately confirm a U.S. Ambassador to Israel
• Call for responsible media coverage of the war
• Urge the media to use ADL’s Media Guidelines for Covering the War to cover the situation fairly

AIPAC

AJC

Information Resources and Ways to Take Action hyperlink:

Find more resources and ways to take action at AJC.org/AttackOnIsrael.

AJC Israel Emergency Fund

 https://global.ajc.org/secure/supportisrael 

Dror Israel

Experienced Emergency Educational Responders Addressing Critical Needs

In the face of Israel’s current national crisis, in partnership with local municipalities and the Home Front Command, our experienced educators are running emergency day care and educational activities in evacuation centers and hotels throughout Israel. We are organizing childcare centers in hospitals allowing medical workers to go to work while schools remain closed. Today we are helping over 22,000 children in 33 evacuation centers, 7 hospitals, and in numerous public bomb shelters throughout Israel.

For more info, visit drorisrael.org.

Hillel

Hillel International joined other leading national Jewish organizations and world-renowned law firms to create a dedicated, free legal helpline for Jewish students and faculty impacted by antisemitism on campus, named the Campus Antisemitism Legal Line (CALL). With antisemitism in the U.S. and on campus reaching all-time highs in the wake of the October 7 terrorist attack on Israel, this new resource comes at a critical moment for the Jewish community, and for Jewish college students and families.

A legal team from Hillel International, the ADL, the Brandeis Center, and Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP will direct volunteer lawyers from several law firms who will assess reports of antisemitic discrimination and hate, conduct information-gathering interviews, and provide pro bono representation for victims who choose to move forward with specific cases.

All legal services will be provided at no cost to students, faculty, families, and community members impacted by antisemitism. Requests for legal assistance can be submitted through our website at legal-protection.org, or by texting “CALLhelp” to 51555 to receive free, 24/7 support. By working together with our partners, Hillel aims to make this process as easy as possible for students and families seeking legal services and support.

Holocaust & Human Rights Education Center

Support for Classroom Discussion on the Hamas-Israel War

https://icsresources.org/curriculum/

The Jewish Braille Institute

In collaboration with the Jewish Book Council, JBI is recording Israeli writers’ firsthand accounts, as shared with and published by JBC, to increase the accessibility of these accounts for individuals who are blind, have low vision, or are print-disabled. You can listen to these pieces at https://jbilibrary.org/jbi-jbc. We will continue to add recordings to this page, as they become available.  Learn more here – https://www.jbilibrary.org/

The Jewish Education Project: 

1. We have resources on our portal about teaching Israel in crisis. 
2. NEW! We just launched our Educator Community Hub, which includes events from our partners and other organizations AND features as a discussion forum for educators to communicate with us and one another.
3. You can watch our recorded webinar: How to Talk to Children about Israel Today. 
4. Our latest webinar: Talking to Teens about Operation Desert Sword, will be posted on that page soon. If you cannot find it, please let me know and I’m happy to help.
5. NEW! We are providing office hours. Sign up for a 20-minute 1:1 virtual conversation with a member of The Jewish Education Project’s Program Team.  The focus of these office hours is to support educators in doing their jobs during a very challenging time. We are here to provide moral support as well as technical/content resources. (Please note that this is pedagogic support, not pastoral care.) 

Please take care of yourself and the emotions we are all carrying at this moment. 

On behalf of The Jewish Education Project, in partnership with Foundation for Jewish Camp, Prizmah, and The Jewish Federations of North America, your students and teachers are invited to participate in a letter writing campaign to support Israelis. 

Details  

There are two sets of letters being requested. 

1. Educator to educator 

1. Student to student 

Suggestions 

• We suggest typing your letters so that they are easily read. If writing the letter in English by hand, please write in block letters, rather than in cursive script so they are more legible. Letters may also include drawings. 
• Suggestions of wording:
  • We admire your strength. 
  • We see your pain and feel for you. 
  • We stand with you. 
  • We know that you may be scared. 
• Although you will not receive the specific details of your letter’s recipient, please share some personal information including the grade you are in or what you teach, where you live, and something about yourself or your family. These details will help the reader connect with you. Tell them about anything you may have done to support Israel, or any specific connection you have. 
• As you can imagine, Israeli educators are under tremendous pressure at this time. The Jewish Agency requests that we please prioritize writing to them first. 
• Your notes can be as short or long as you wish. 

Upload 
Please upload all the letters and drawings into these folders. They will be shared directly with educators and students in Israel.  

Letters for students: 

https://pardot.jewishedproject.org/e/568792/m-letters-for-israeli-students/y84rc/950143717/h/zkmvU-5zlD-RiLXg7X5d9t6N33bs2A2PmfpnUDw1LuU 

Letters for teachers: 

https://pardot.jewishedproject.org/e/568792/-letters-for-israeli-educators/y84rk/950143717/h/zkmvU-5zlD-RiLXg7X5d9t6N33bs2A2PmfpnUDw1LuU 

If you have any questions, please reach out to Alaina Shuman. 

PJ Library’s Israel Hub

PJ Library and the Harold Grinspoon Foundation have a deep, unshakable connection to the State of Israel. We are proud to share stories with families around the globe that celebrate Israel and promote a sense of responsibility to the country and its people. If you are struggling, as many of us do, to navigate conversations about events in Israel with your children or grandchildren, we’ve compiled a shortlist of resources.  Click here.

StandWithUS

StandWithUs has resources available for students, parents, educators, on all levels, about the war in Israel and how to speak about it. 

Below, please see resources regarding middle school and please see attached for high schools. More to come.

This is in addition to the information, FAQs, action items, social media resources and more found in our Situation Room – https://www.standwithus.com/situationroom. 

Language for High School Leadership

https://www.israellink.org/

USCJ

#BlueRibbonsforIsrael is a unity campaign in support of the safe return of the hostages taken by Hamas terrorists in Israel. It symbolizes solidarity with the hostages, their families, and all who care about their safety. Are you wearing your ribbon?

Join the Blue Ribbon Campaign, organized by Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and co-sponsored by USCJ and the Rabbinical Assembly (RA), to show support and solidarity for the safe return of the hostages taken by Hamas terrorists in Israel.

https://www.blueribbonsforisrael.org/

WJCS:

At times of tragedy we need each other more than ever.  If you need assistance at this difficult time, please write Gillian Rittmaster at grittmaster@wjcs.com or call her at 914-761-0600 x2142. Let us find strength as a community and stand together in hope for a better world

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Here are 3 agencies that have indicated Hebrew speaking counseling services, Most of them also offer virtual/Zoom
support.

Ohel trauma_leadership@ohelfamily.org

Jewish Board rnissel@jbfcs.org
or jcsupport@jbfcs.org

Commonpoint dhersch@commonpointqueens.org      

Contact Elected Officials

Take action now to urge the UN and Congress to demand that Hamas release the 199 hostages currently being held by Hamas in Gaza. Writing your members of Congress only takes 15 seconds through this online portal organized by AJC.

Display Lawn Signs and Ribbons 

Show your public support of Israel through lawn signs available for pick-up at the synagogue office beginning this Friday. And grab a blue ribbon on Shabbat morning as TIC joins so many other organizations participating in the Blue Ribbons for Israel campaign. Post on social media using #BlueRibbonsforIsrael.