Update from Jewish Federations of North America

November 17, 2023

As Shabbat approaches in Israel, Jewish Federations’ Israel Office presents a shortened summary of the latest developments in the War. Full updates will resume next week. Meanwhile, from Jerusalem, we wish all of Israel, and Jews around the world, a comforting, safe and peaceful Shabbat.

Join with Jewish Federations, ADL, AJC, and Jews around the country to come together this weekend for a Shabbat of Unity. We ask that all Jews light a memorial candle in honor of those who were murdered in Israel and those who have sacrificed their lives fighting for the Jewish State. We also suggest that you light an extra pair of Shabbat candles, that you recite prayers for Israel and for the hostages, and that you end Shabbat by reciting Psalm 121. Please refer to AJC’s Everything You Need To Know About The Attack on Israel. Find suggested discussion materials and copies of prayers at www.adl.org/unity-shabbat.

We have raised more than $650 millon to date systemwide and allocated close to $200 million. For details, click here.

THE LATEST

• As the ground war continues in Gaza, Israel says that its forces have made significant progress and are close to achieving their goal of destroying Hamas's operations in the northern Gaza Strip. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that the military have eliminated all terrorist threats from the western side of Gaza City. Watch the IDF Chief of Staff briefing troops here and read here about possible next steps for the Israeli offensive.

• Yesterday, Israeli troops attacked an Islamic Jihad outpost in northern Gaza; they found Iran-made Badr-3 rockets, drones, and other weapons. The Badr-3 has a range of 100 miles and includes a 550-pound explosive warhead. The Islamic Jihad outpost was later destroyed. Meanwhile, troops from the Givati Infantry Brigade battled Hamas terrorists holed up in a school. Several gunmen were killed in the fighting, and the troops later recovered weaponry. (See photos of captured weaponry here, and footage of the fighting here and here).

• 51 soldiers have been killed since the ground offensive began. See details of all fallen soldiers here.

• Three days after announcing she had been killed in Hamas captivity, the IDF recovered the body of Cpl. Noa Marciano from a building adjacent to Shifa Hospital in Gaza, . Her funeral is slated for later today. Marciano, 19, was serving at the Nahal Oz IDF base when it was overrun by terrorists on October 7. She lived in Modiin and was the oldest of three siblings. On Monday evening, Hamas published a propaganda video of Marciano, showing her speaking to the camera four days after being taken hostage; she identified herself and recited the names of her parents and her hometown. The video then cut to showing her body.

• Yesterday, the IDF also recovered the body of Yehudit Weiss near Shifa. She was abducted by Hamas on October 7.

• Watch this video about how Hamas exploits hospitals for its military goals and see here weapons captured in the hospital grounds.

• In this video, soldiers discover weapons stored in a child’s bedroom.

• Read here about how Israel uses robots and other tactics to conquer Gaza’s tunnels.

• In an interview with CBS News, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Israel would consider a “temporary cease-fire” only if Hamas frees hostages. Netanyahu also said Israel has “concrete evidence” Hamas was using Shifa hospital as a military command center. Watch here.

• Yesterday, U.S. President Joe Biden said that “Israel’s Gaza operation will end when Hamas is no longer able to murder Israelis.”

• An opinion poll of Israelis’ voting intentions was conducted for the first time since October 7.

The results show support for Prime Minister Netanyahu plummeting, while backing for Minister Benny Gantz has surged.

The Channel 12 survey gave the parties seats as follows (current number of seats in parentheses):

-Gantz’s National Unity Party 36 (12)
-Netanyahu’s Likud 17 (32)
-Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid 15 (24)
-Shas 10 (11)
-Yisrael Beytenu 9 (6)
-United Torah Judaism 7 (7)
-Otzmah Yehudit 7 and Religious Zionism 4 (currently 14 combined)
-Hadash-Taal 5 (5)
-Me-retz 5 (0)
-Ra’am 5 (5)
-Labor 0 (4)

In this scenario, the current opposition parties, led by Benny Gantz (who has recently joined the war-time coalition) could easily form a government of 70, without Netanyahu’s Likud, or other religious and/or right-leaning parties.

An alternate question showed that if Naftali Bennett stood at the head of a party, he would receive 17 seats, mainly at the expense of Benny Gantz.

Following Jewish Federations’ massive March for Israel in Washington DC, read here how the show of solidarity from the Diaspora gives Israelis hope.

KEY RESOURCES FROM JEWISH FEDERATIONS

• Webinar: Join Jewish Federations for an informative training session to share best practices and learn from other communities that are tackling anti-Zionism and antisemitism in the K-12 education space. Register here.

• The Community Mobilization Center is monitoring major developments in Israel and North America related to Israel’s war to defend herself against Hamas, and will rapidly disseminate resources to help mobilize and support our local communities as they work to build and sustain civic and political support for Israel in this conflict. Read the latest communication from the Community Mobilization Center here.

• Supporting Pastoral Guidance and Rabbinic Services: Read here about the work to date that Federations are supporting in this field through collective Israel emergency dollars.

• Map: This site shows a map of the October 7 massacre with a red dot for every person killed and a black dot for every person abducted by Hamas. Clicking on any dot will show the name and picture (if available) of the victim with age and last known location.

• Details: For full details about the home front and military operations, see this update. And for information on the latest overall numbers from the conflict, see here.

• Volunteering: Read this Jewish Federations update on the latest volunteering opportunities in Israel right now.

• Webinars: The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI): Daily webinars sponsored by Jewish Federations and the Jewish Agency are offered. A rotating team of analysts of Israeli military affairs, the US-Israel relationship, Israel’s political system, and of the country’s diverse society are speaking every Sunday to Thursday from 11-11:30 am ET. No registration is required. Join here.

• Local Authorities: Jewish Federations have produced a document answering questions about funding impacted localities and municipalities in Israel. See here.

• Critical Information: For those in Israel looking for help, critical information about the situation on the ground, or other assistance, see this resource page put together by Jewish Federations.

• Supplying Protective Equipment: See also this Jewish Federations information page on requests for personal protective equipment which are circulating and this update regarding volunteering.

• Funders: As many funders struggle to distinguish between the multitudes of organizations looking for important resources, the Jewish Funders Network has produced this thorough page of guidance.

• Hostages: Jewish Federations have launched The Blue Ribbon Campaign, which symbolizes support and solidarity for the safe return of the hostages taken by Hamas. Wearing a ribbon publicly unites people of all religions, races, nationalities, ethnicities, ages, and generations and demonstrates for the people of Israel that they are not alone and that good people across the globe are with them and their families during this dark time.

Our Israel Office, having activated emergency protocols, is working closely with our partners on the ground, and is in close contact with the Government of Israel and the IDF. We will continue to update as the situation develops.

November 13, 2023

Join the March for Israel, tomorrow, Tuesday, November 14th in Washington DC to show your support for Israel, stand in solidarity with the hostages, and condemn antisemitism. Read this editorial from today’s Jerusalem Post: DC Israel march is American Jews' moment to rise to the occasion.

The Latest

• As the ground war continues, Israeli forces have made considerable gains toward destroying Hamas’ fighting capability.
• It is confirmed that 44 Israeli soldiers have been killed since the ground offensive began; a total of 363 soldiers have been slain since October 7. In addition, 239 hostages are being held by Hamas in Gaza. More than 1,200 Israelis were killed on October 7, and at least 7,000 have been injured. Some 9,500 rockets have been fired at Israel in that time, and more than a quarter of a million Israelis have been internally displaced. Read more here.about some of the soldiers who fell recently.
• More details on these developments are below.

Key Resources from Jewish Federations

• Resources: Refer to the Community Mobilization Center Resource Hub for the latest resources.
• Map: This site shows a map of the October 7 massacre with a red dot for every person killed and a black dot for every person abducted by Hamas. Clicking on any dot will show the name and picture (if available) of the victim with age and last known location.
• Details: For full details about the home front and military operations, see this update. And for information on the latest overall numbers from the conflict, see here.
• Volunteering: Read this Jewish Federations update on volunteering opportunities in Israel right now.
• Call: The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI): Daily webinars sponsored by Jewish Federations and the Jewish Agency are offered. A rotating team of analysts of Israeli military affairs, the US-Israel relationship, Israel’s political system, and the country’s diverse society will speak every Sunday to Thursday from 11-11:30 am ET. No registration is required. Join here.
• Additional resources can be found at the end of this update.

Israel Defense Forces Operations
As the ground operation progresses (see video footage here), IDF troops continue to find Hamas weaponry and infrastructure during raids in Gaza, including inside schools, mosques, and the homes of terror operatives (see footage here). Yesterday, IDF forces located Hamas infrastructure in Al-Quds University and seized a cache of explosives inside the Abu Bakr mosque. Troops seized dozens of weapons, military equipment, and Hamas battle plans, while others raided the home of a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad operative in the Beit Hanoun area, where they found a weapons cache, including in a child’s bedroom. In other raids, troops found tunnel shafts, intelligence materials (see photos here), weapons – including some inside a kindergarten (see video here), and a copy of Hitler’s book Mein Kampf, in Arabic.

Five soldiers were killed on Shabbat when they entered a booby-trapped terror tunnel. It is estimated that there are 300 miles of Hamas tunnels under Gaza. Read the background on Hamas tunnels here.

In one battle over the weekend, the IDF overran Hamas’ Badr Outpost. In fierce fighting, some 150 Hamas fighters were killed; remarkably, there were no casualties on the Israeli side.

Since the beginning of the war, the IDF has struck over 15,000 terror targets in the Gaza Strip and located 6,000 weapons. The military has been utilizing the combined efforts of infantry, tanks, artillery, naval and air support. In this video, see how a ground unit called in for a helicopter-led precise strike against terrorists who were holed up in an apartment building.

Fierce fighting also continues around Gaza’s largest hospital, Shifa where Israel maintains it is working to ensure that patients remain unharmed in the battles. A safe corridor has been opened for civilians wanting to leave the area of the hospital (listen to this call between the IDF and hospital management and see this map).

The IDF said it supplied 80 gallons of fuel to Shifa Hospital, in coordination with its staff, but that Hamas prevented the medical center from accepting it. The army has accused Hamas of having its main base of operations under the hospital and has called on Palestinian civilians in the area to evacuate south. The IDF placed jerry cans of fuel near the hospital for “urgent medical purposes,” on Sunday, and had coordinated the delivery in advance with hospital officials (listen to this phone conversation coordinating the delivery; and see this video footage of the delivery). Later, it said, “the IDF received evidence that Hamas officials prevented the hospital from receiving the fuel.” The military published a call (listen here) between an IDF officer and a senior Gazan health official, who said that Yousef Abu-Al Rish, the deputy health minister in Gaza, forbade the hospital from receiving the fuel.

The Hamas-run Gazan Health Ministry says that over 10,560 Palestinians have been killed since October 7, as a result of the war.

The Home Front
The country continues to mourn the massacre of October 7, and await the return of the hostages:

• Following the destruction, does Kibbutz Be’eri have a future?
• See this story of a Beduin family from Rahat’s bravery, saving a Jewish woman at the same kibbutz on October 7.
• See October7.org, an online repository of firsthand accounts of the massacres taken from Israeli social media and translated into English.
• Read here about the long road to recovery ahead for a severely injured survivor of the Rave.
• Among those killed in the fighting in Gaza is Matan Meir, 38, a member of the production crew on the hit Israeli television series, Fauda.
• Read this story of 81-year-old Varda Harmati, a child of Holocaust survivors, who was murdered by Hamas terrorists in her home on Kibbutz Re’im on October 7.
• Watch this interview with retired general, and former MK Yair Golan, who, upon hearing of the attacks in the south on October 7, grabbed a weapon and headed south.

According to NBC News, a US administration official has confirmed that a potential deal is being discussed that would see some 80 women and children being held hostage by Hamas and other terror groups in Gaza released in exchange for Israel freeing imprisoned female and underage terror convicts. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a deal “could happen.”

Watch the Netanyahu interview on Meet the Press here.

The level of rocket fire from Gaza remains low. The IDF has released some figures about rocket fire in the last month. Around 9,500 rockets have been fired on Israel by Hamas in the south and Hezbollah in the north since the start of the war on October 7. Of those 9,500, around 3,000 were fired in only the first four hours by Hamas. Some 900 rockets (12% of those fired) have fallen short and landed inside the Gaza Strip itself. See the infographic about rocket fire here and see footage of the IDF’s rocket and missile defense crews at work, here.

In the north, rocket and other fires by Hezbollah are increasing. Yesterday, one civilian was killed and at least 20 people were injured in attacks from over the Lebanese border. Israel has now retaliated as far as 25 miles into Lebanese territory.

International Response
The U.S. appears to be incrementally increasing its military involvement in the war. In addition to the very significant presence of carrier groups and other forces, which are on stand-by in the region, the U.S. military has reportedly hit missiles headed to Israel from Yemen, has drones above Gaza assisting in the search for the hostages, and has struck pro-Iranian forces in Syria. Last night, at least six pro-Iran fighters were killed in U.S. strikes on eastern Syria in response to attacks on American forces.

During a visit to Israel yesterday, Republican US presidential candidate, and former New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie rejected calls for a ceasefire; he said it would not make sense for Israel to halt fighting now. Read more here.

According to unconfirmed media reports, Israel is seeking to install former British Prime Minister Tony Blair as a humanitarian coordinator for the Gaza Strip.

In France, more than 1,250 anti-Jewish acts have been recorded since October 7. Last night, 180,000 people marched in Paris to protest antisemitism. Read more here. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed his support for Israel and its right to defend itself in a phone call with Israeli President Isaac Herzog yesterday. The call came after Macron's interview last Friday on the BBC, when he said, “These babies, these women, these old people (in Gaza) are being bombed and killed. So there is no reason for it and no legitimacy. So we do plead with Israel to stop.” Speaking to Herzog, Macron said he hadn’t intended to accuse Israel of intentionally harming innocent civilians.

The UK’s Defense Secretary Grant Shapps has come out unequivocally supporting Israel. “If Britain had been subject to an attack of terrorists coming and murdering [1,200] people and cutting off heads, and we knew where those terrorists had gone, no one would say to Britain to stop going after them,” Shapps said. Read more here.

Inspiration
Israelis of all stripes have come together to support soldiers and bolster morale in the country, with many sharing inspiring tales.

• The ultra-Orthodox moshav of Bet Hilkia is located right next to a major air force base (Tel Nof). Haredi residents made a giant sign out of LED lights that says “Toda” (“thanks”) to the pilots flying overhead. See here. And read more here on the changing face of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox population emerging from the war.
• Despite the war, the Ethiopian-Israeli community will mark the Sigd festival tomorrow; the observance is becoming increasingly mainstream in the Jewish state. Read more here. Jewish Federations sends warm holiday greetings to our friends at the Ethiopian National Project and the entire Ethiopian Israeli community.
• Watch here scenes of unity, solidarity, and inspiration from Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris, where Israelis and French Jews were about to board a flight to Tel Aviv; and see here locals in Tokyo supporting the Jewish state.
• Read more here about the Christian cowboys from Montana who are volunteering in Israel right now.

The Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel continues to undertake emergency relief and other work in multiple sectors. To date, it has:

• Distributed 4,760 grants from its Fund for the Victims of Terror.
• Provided $2.6 million for humanitarian relief to eight regional councils in the south.
• Given 593 emergency grants to small businesses in the south.
• Delivered 13,000 food baskets to residents of the Agency’s Amigour elderly care facilities.
• Provided 1,100 hand-held computer tablets for the children of evacuated new immigrants, to enable online learning in their temporary homes/ hotels.
• Given 185,820 meals to evacuees.

Additional Background Reading

• How Jews Became the Last Minority It’s Acceptable to Hate
• Arab-Israelis are feeling more part of the country during wartime. Read more here.
• Opinion polls: What does the Israeli public think right now?
• Hamas won on Oct. 7, then the IDF’s new integrated warfare took over - analysis

Other Resources

• Local Authorities: Jewish Federations have produced a document answering questions about funding-impacted localities and municipalities in Israel. See here.
• Volunteering: Birthright Israel has opened a volunteering program, through which people from outside of Israel can come to Tel Aviv and take part in food rescue operations to prevent shortages in the Israeli market, including work to sort, pack, and distribute goods for civil and military personnel.
• Critical Information: For those in Israel looking for help, critical information about the situation on the ground, or other assistance, see this resource page by Jewish Federations.
• Listen here to Rabbis Angela Buchdahl and Shlomo Nisanov’s testimony during a UJA New York mission to Israel.
• Knesset: The heads of Jewish Federations of North America have received a letter from the Knesset, thanking the community for its unprecedented support during the country’s dark hour. See the letter here.
• Supplying Protective Equipment: See also this Jewish Federations information page on requests for personal protective equipment which are circulating and this update regarding volunteering.
• Read the latest communication from the Community Mobilization Center here.
• Funders: As many funders struggle to distinguish between the multitudes of organizations looking for important resources, the Jewish Funders Network has produced this thorough page of guidance.
• Solidarity Gatherings: Over 120 communities have held solidarity gatherings. Watch here. For a guidebook on hosting a gathering in your community, click here.
• Hostages: Jewish Federations have launched The Blue -Ribbon Campaign, which symbolizes support and solidarity for the safe return of the hostages taken by Hamas. Wearing a ribbon publicly unites people of all religions, races, nationalities, ethnicities, ages, and generations. It demonstrates to the people of Israel that they are not alone and that good people across the globe are with them and their families during this dark time.

Jewish Federations
Jewish Federations of North America's Israel Emergency Fund has surpassed $650 million. We have allocated a total of more than $175 million to date from the Emergency Fund; for our blog post on the subject, click here and for the updated list of recipients and amounts, click here.

The Community Mobilization Center is monitoring major developments in Israel and North America related to Israel’s war to defend itself against Hamas, and will rapidly disseminate resources to help mobilize and support our local communities as they work to build and sustain civic and political support for Israel in this conflict. Read the latest communication from the Community Mobilization Center here.

Our Israel Office, having activated emergency protocols, is working closely with our partners on the ground, and is in close contact with the Government of Israel and the IDF. We will continue to update you as the situation develops.

THE LATEST:

• More than three weeks into Israel’s War with Hamas, the IDF has successfully rescued one of the hostages, leaving 240 still in captivity.
• Israel’s ground campaign continues, with reports suggesting that Gaza City is now surrounded by Israeli forces.
• Full details on these developments, and more, below.

KEY RESOURCES FROM JEWISH FEDERATIONS

• Refer to the Community Mobilization Center Resource Hub for the latest talking points, tools and resources to help you speak up for Israel.
• JDC will hold an Israel Emergency Briefing tomorrow, Wednesday November 1 at noon ET, with Col. (Ret.) Miri Eisin, media commentator and director of the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism at Reichman University in Herzliya. Hear an overview of the situation on the ground and the issues facing Israel’s society. The call will also feature speakers from the JDC team in Israel about their efforts to support those affected by the war. Register here.
• Member of the Security Cabinet, Minister Benny Gantz, has sent this special video message to our Jewish communities.
• This site shows a map of the October 7 massacre with a red dot for every person killed and a black dot for every person abducted by Hamas. Clicking on any dot will show the name and picture (if available) of the victim with age and last known location.
• For full details about the home front and military operations, see this update. And for information on the latest overall numbers from the conflict, see here.
• Birthright Israel has opened a volunteering program for people from outside of Israel to come to Tel Aviv and assist in food rescue operations to prevent shortages in the Israeli market; this includes sorting, packing, and distributing goods for both civil and military personnel.
• Click here for the Jewish Federations toolkit of resources.
• Additional resources can be found at the end of this update.

THE HOME FRONT

In a rare piece of good news, the IDF has successfully rescued one of the hostages. A 19-year old woman soldier, Pvt. Ori Megidish, was reunited with her family and is reportedly in good condition (see photo here). Megidish was an observation soldier, taken hostage by Hamas when terrorists stormed the Nahal Oz base over three weeks ago. See more here, and watch here as Ori embraces her grandmother for the first time. And see the IDF announcement here.

Meanwhile, Hamas released a propaganda video Monday showing three Israeli women held hostage by the terror group. In what appears to be a scripted statement, the women accuse Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of failing to prevent the October 7 attacks and called on him to secure their release. Also yesterday, Israeli media reported that Mossad head David Barnea, made a secret trip to Qatar in an effort to secure the release of the hostages held by Hamas.

Also yesterday, German-Israeli Shani Louk, who was seen paraded by terrorists in Gaza, has been confirmed dead. The Israeli ZAKA rescue organization identified pieces of skull belonging to the young woman, and informed her family that she cannot be alive without it. Louk’s parents expressed some relief that she’s not suffering, but understand that a funeral is not possible right now.

• Natalie Raanan has arrived back in Chicago, ten days after being released from Hamas captivity along with her mother Judith. Raanan was visiting family in Israel and was taken hostage into Gaza by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 attacks.
• Read this story of how a Harry Potter fan’s murder on October 7 reverberates from Israel to Boston.
• See this story about a 75-year-old Holocaust educator being held hostage in Gaza.
• And read this account by Robert Tiviyaev who lost 17 friends and neighbors on October 7.

The level of rocket fire from Gaza remains low compared to the early days of the war, but there has been a barrage against Tel Aviv and the center every day. Yesterday rockets were fired at Jerusalem for the first time in over a week.

Following a drone infiltration alert in Eilat, reports suggest that a projectile, possibly launched from Yemen, was intercepted over the Red Sea before it reached the resort city. Residents of Eilat, which has doubled in size over the last three weeks (with Israelis displaced from both the south and the north moving in), reported hearing explosions. The unidentified projectile was shot down near the Saudi-Jordanian border; it had likely been fired by Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

In a second incident, a surface-to-surface missile was fired toward Israeli territory from the area of the Red Sea and was successfully intercepted by the “Arrow” Aerial Defense System. IDF systems tracked the trajectory of the missile, and the IDF added that “Air Force jets were scrambled at the time, and intercepted aerial threats identified in the area of the Red Sea. All aerial threats were intercepted outside of Israeli territory.”

In the North, rocket and other attacks continue to take place from both Lebanon and Syria, as do retaliatory Israeli strikes.

ISRAELI RESPONSE

As the ground operation continues, Israeli troops clashed with terror cells inside Gaza who launched missiles and directed heavy machine gunfire at the forces. The IDF says its soldiers killed members of the terror cells, and directed the Air Force to carry out strikes during the fighting. The IDF is said to have surrounded Gaza City from both the north and the south. Watch video here of IDF troops fighting on the ground, and view photos here.

Overnight, the military carried out attacks against some 300 Hamas targets in Gaza, from the ground, and through air and navy forces. Sites destroyed included anti-tank guided missile and rocket launch positions, tunnel entrances and Hamas military compounds.

IDF fighter jets killed the Commander of the Beit Lahia Battalion of Hamas' Northern Brigade, Nasim Abu Ajina, who directed the massacres on October 7 in Kibbutz Erez and Moshav Netiv HaAsara. Abu Ajina had commanded Hamas' Aerial Array; he took part in the development of the UAVs and paragliders of the terrorist organization. According to the IDF, his elimination significantly decreases the ability of Hamas to disrupt the IDF's ground activities.

An additional 39 trucks of humanitarian aid entered Gaza yesterday, bringing to 171 the total number of trucks that have provided hundreds of tons of aid. The day before, 45 trucks bad entered the Strip. U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said that “Even as we work to provide fuel for essential humanitarian services, Hamas continues to maintain extensive fuel reserves. Rather than provide that fuel to hospitals or aid workers or for other civilian needs, however, it continues to hoard it for the benefit of its fighters and to carry out its terrorist attacks against Israel.”

Meanwhile, Israel has reopened the second of three water pipelines that provide water to the Gaza Strip, allowing for a total of 7.5 million gallons a day to flow from Israel. Israel says there is now enough water being supplied to Gaza for basic humanitarian needs and that there is no shortage of either food or water for the territory’s residents. Read more on humanitarian supplies and needs here.

In a message to foreign journalists, Prime Minister Netanyahu said, “I want to make clear Israel’s position regarding a ceasefire. Just as the United States would not agree to a ceasefire after the bombing of Pearl Harbor or after the terrorist attack of 9/11, Israel will not agree to a cessation of hostilities with Hamas after the horrific attacks of October 7th.” See his full remarks here.

Also, watch this clip in which the interviewer asks senior Hamas official Musa Abu Marzouk, “When you built 500 km of tunnels in Gaza, why didn't you build shelters for civilians from the attacks?” Abu Marzouk answers: “The tunnels are for us (Hamas). The citizens in the Gaza Strip are under the responsibility of the United Nations.”

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

Israel’s UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan wore a yellow Star of David that read “Never Again,” as he addressed members of the UN Security Council at United Nations headquarters yesterday. Erdan told the Security Council he and his staff would wear the stars until members of the body condemned Hamas’s “atrocities.”

In response, Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum director Dani Dayan said the move “dishonors both the victims of the Holocaust and the State of Israel.” He added that “The yellow patch symbolizes the helplessness of the Jewish people and being at the mercy of others. Today we have an independent country and a strong army. We are masters of our destiny. Today we place a blue-white flag on the lapel, not a yellow patch."

Tom Nides, who joined Wells Fargo Bank just over one month ago as vice chairman following the 20 months he served as the US ambassador to Israel, has resigned “to return his attention to events in the Middle East.” Nides said, “Watching the horrific events unfold in Israel and Gaza these past few weeks have had a profound effect on me, in ways that I could not have imagined.While my tenure as ambassador ended a few short months ago, I now feel an obligation to turn my attention back to the region, and continue to provide whatever assistance I can, outside of an official government role, to help find solutions for the people living there.” The former ambassador said he will work with UJA Federation New York and others “to bring whatever expertise I can, immediately.”

Meanwhile, in a sign of his strong backing of Israel, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fired his fellow Conservative MP Paul Bristow, the parliamentary private secretary to Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan, for calling for a “permanent” cease-fire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

Six out of the seven living Australian former prime ministers signed a joint letter in support of Israel. The letter described October 7 as “the single largest massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust,” and likened the act's cruelty and violence to that of ISIS. Read more here.

Analysis:

• What Russia hopes to get out of the Israel-Hamas war (Time Magazine)
• Post-war Gaza planning (Jerusalem Strategic Tribune)
• Despite the war, Israelis remain optimistic (Israel Democracy Institute)

EFFORTS ON THE GROUND

Israelis of all stripes have come together to support soldiers and bolster morale in the country, many sharing inspiring tales. See what these volunteers have accomplished.

Read this story about how thousands of Israeli ultra-Orthodox Jews are volunteering for efforts.

Israel Channel 12 Television published a survey of the attitude of haredi Israelis towards the IDF. The survey was conducted by Dr. Nahumi Yaffe of Tel Aviv University comparing Haredi attitudes between March 2022 and October 2023. Results included:

• “I should contribute to Israel’s military effort": 35% in March 2022, 52% in October 2023.
• “The Haredi public should find a way to contribute to Israel’s war effort”: 30% in March 2022, 60% in October 2023.
• "Haredi men need to have basic military training for a time of need": 59% in March 2022, 76% in October 2023.
• “Israel needs a strong army": 80% in March 2022, 85% in October 2023.

Watch these children in a school in Ra’anana welcoming evacuees from Netivot in the south. The school’s principal was given permission to leave his reserve unit for a few hours to be there, and lead the kids in.

Buildings in Israel constructed before the early 1990s do not have designated shelters, and, upon hearing a siren, residents are instructed to run to the internal communal stairwell. Inevitably, some people are caught in the shower or other difficult situations when a siren sounds, often leading to uncomfortable scenes, which many are humorously documenting. See here.

Watch this clip of a passenger's musical tribute to Israel on board at Southwest Airlines flight.

OTHER RESOURCES

• Jewish Federations have produced a document answering questions about funding impacted localities and municipalities in Israel. See here.
• Read this Jerusalem Post piece on efforts by Jewish Federations of North America, who have announced that we have collectively raised $554 million for the Israel Emergency Campaign. The campaign was launched on October 12th with an initial goal of $500 million. To date, $111 million has been allocated to over 60 organizations in Israel to support frontline communities, the Fund for Victims of Terror, trauma relief, medical equipment, support for first responders and volunteer efforts. One hundred percent of all funds raised are making it into the hands of the organizations that do the most good on the ground.
• Read this joint message from Jewish Federations’ Chair Julie Platt and President & CEO Eric Fingerhut.
• Julie Platt appeared on Jewish Rock Radio’s “Unity in Harmony” virtual solidarity concert for Israel, sponsored by Jewish Federations, which featured David Broza, Rick Recht, Rabbi Josh Warshawsky, and many other artists. To watch the concert, click here.
• Watch this special video by the Maccabeats and other groups, singing a tribute with the prayer for Israel’s armed forces. The video includes a call to donate to Jewish Federations’ Israel Emergency Fund.
• For those in Israel looking for help, critical information about the situation on the ground, or other assistance, see this resource page put together by Jewish Federations.
• See also this Jewish Federations information page on requests for personal protective equipment which are circulating and this update regarding volunteering.
• Read the latest communication from the Community Mobilization Center here.
• As many funders struggle to distinguish between the multitudes of organizations looking for important resources, the Jewish Funders Network has produced this page of guidance.
• Over 120 communities have held solidarity gatherings. Watch a compilation here. For a guidebook on hosting a gathering in your community, click here.
• Jewish Federations have launched The Blue Ribbon Campaign, which symbolizes support and solidarity for the safe return of the hostages taken by Hamas. Wearing a ribbon publicly unites people of all religions, races, nationalities, ethnicities, ages, and generations and demonstrates for the people of Israel that they are not alone and that good people across the globe are with them and their families during this dark time.

THE JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL

The Jewish Agency continues to be active on the ground. At present:

• 3,946 grants have been transferred through the Fund for Victims of Terror and an additional 800 are in process (for a total of more than 4,800 cases to date). The Fund is also providing financial support for families of civilians taken hostage, and its Hotline has received 3,643 calls.
• As of today, 1,250 olim from the south and 523 olim from the north have been evacuated to safer locations elsewhere in the country.
• In buildings belonging to the Agency’s elderly care facilities, Amigour, workers have been stocking communal bomb shelters with food and supplies in case there is a need for long-term use.
• Small businesses in the south can now apply to receive emergency grants of up to $5,000. Small businesses in the south can also apply for interest-free loans up to $25,000. The Agency already has some 1,500 initial enquiries, with 58 applications already in process.
• More than 1,400 volunteers have been recruited for Jewish Agency efforts.

JEWISH FEDERATIONS

The Community Mobilization Center is monitoring major developments in Israel and North America related to Israel’s war to defend herself against Hamas, and will rapidly disseminate resources to help mobilize and support our local communities as they work to build and sustain civic and political support for Israel in this conflict. Read the latest communication from the Community Mobilization Center here.

Our Israel Office, having activated emergency protocols, is working closely with our partners on the ground, and is close contact with the Government of Israel and the IDF. We will continue to update as the situation develops.

For more information, please contact: JFNA’s Dani Wassner dani.wassner@jewishfederations.org

• More than three weeks into Israel’s War with Hamas, a ground offensive has begun but has not, as yet, taken the exact form that many had expected.
• The IDF has updated its numbers and now says that 309 soldiers have been killed and that 234 people have been confirmed to have been taken hostage, with 4 released, leaving 230 now in Hamas captivity.
• Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Muslim rioters stormed a Russian airport trying to find “Israelis and Jews” they believed had landed on a flight from Israel. No Israelis were hurt.
• Full details on these developments and more are below.

Key Resources From Jewish Federations

• Join our partner, the Jewish Agency for Israel, for a webinar, Israel at War: Media, the War, and Helping the Victims, October 31, 2023, 11am ET, featuring Avi Mayer, Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post, and Yehuda Setton, Chief Operating Officer of The Jewish Agency. Register here.
• Jewish Federations have produced a document answering questions about funding-impacted localities and municipalities in Israel. See here.
• Readers can access a Jewish Federations toolkit of resources here. For full details about the home front and military operations, see this update.
• Read this Jerusalem Post piece on efforts by Jewish Federations of North America, who have announced that we have collectively raised $554 million for the Israel Emergency Campaign. The campaign was launched on October 12th with an initial goal of $500 million. To date, $121 million has been allocated to over 60 organizations in Israel to support frontline communities, the Fund for Victims of Terror, trauma relief, medical equipment, support for first responders, and volunteer efforts. One hundred percent of all funds raised are making it into the hands of the organizations that can do the most good on the ground.
• Read this joint message from Jewish Federations’ Chair Julie Platt and President & CEO Eric Fingerhrut.
• Julie Platt appeared on Jewish Rock Radio’s “Unity in Harmony” virtual solidarity concert for Israel, sponsored by Jewish Federations, which featured David Broza, Rick Recht, Rabbi Josh Warshawsky, and many other artists. To watch the concert, click here.
• Watch this special video by the Maccabeats and other groups singing a tribute with the prayer for Israel’s armed forces. The video includes a call to donate to the Jewish Federations’ Israel Emergency Fund.
• Additional resources can be found at the end of this update.

The Home Front
Funerals continue for many of the 1400 Israelis killed by Hamas:

• On Shabbat, a nine-year-old Israeli girl died after she suffered cardiac arrest when an incoming rocket siren was activated in her home city of Ashdod.
• Read this account of how a 19-year-old Israeli soldier died on October 7, shielding his friends from a Hamas grenade. The soldier, Matan Abergil, a resident of Hermesh in Samaria and the youngest of four children, saved six fellow soldiers from certain death.
• Watch this moving video about three of the hostages, called “Bring Keith, Aviva, and Vivian Home!”
• Read this article about a religious American woman who is an Israeli Air Force reservist who flew back to the Jewish State when the war began to help keep Israel's F-35 jets in the air.
• Three men returned to Kfar Aza yesterday. They were among the first defenders of the Kibbutz on October 7 and were part of the team who killed over 100 Hamas terrorists. When they entered the Kibbutz in a tank that day, they ran over a tree and destroyed it. Yesterday, the three soldiers planted a new orange tree in the same spot, a sign of the rebuilding that will yet come. See the picture here, including the felled tree in the background.
• See this piece about the experiences of a first-responder medic on October 7.

The level of rocket fire from Gaza remains low compared to the early days of the war, but there has been a barrage against Tel Aviv and the center every day. Since October 7, approximately 7,800 rockets have been fired toward Israel. Rocket fire from the north is ongoing. Yesterday, a house in Kiryat Shmone suffered a direct hit, but no injuries were reported.

For information on the latest overall numbers from the conflict, see here.

In the North, rockets and other attacks continue to take place from both Lebanon and Syria. Israel’s retaliatory strikes also continue, and the U.S. military has hit numerous pro-Iranian targets in Syria.

Israeli Response
The IDF has launched a ground offensive into Gaza. Over the weekend, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the “second stage of the campaign to destroy Hamas” had begun. Sitting next to Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and fellow war cabinet minister Benny Gantz at a Tel Aviv press conference, Netanyahu announced: “This is the second stage of the war whose goals are clear—to destroy Hamas’ governing and military capabilities and to bring the hostages home.” He stressed that the decision to begin ground operations had been made unanimously, both by the war cabinet and the security cabinet.

Read the Prime Minister’s full remarks here. And watch here a statement on the new phase of the war by the IDF Chief of Staff, Herzl Halevi.

Many had expected a mass incursion, with perhaps tens of thousands of troops entering Gaza at once. Instead, so far, the invasion is taking the shape of smaller forces entering strategic locations, completing specific missions, and, in many instances, withdrawing again. These missions include removing anti-tank weaponry, directing aerial strikes with real-time intelligence, and other tasks that could be preparing for a larger-scale incursion.

Overnight, the military carried out strikes against some 600 Hamas targets in Gaza, including weapons storage sites, hideouts, and staging grounds. IDF troops also killed dozens of Hamas members who had barricaded themselves in buildings in Gaza and tried to attack IDF soldiers. In one incident, ground troops directed the Air Force to carry out a drone strike on a Hamas staging ground, killing more than 20 operatives. In another incident, an Air Force fighter struck an anti-tank guided missile launch position and a number of Hamas operatives who were identified by ground troops near Al-Azhar University in Gaza City. See video footage of IDF activities inside Gaza here and photos here. And see here for photos of the IDF Chief of Staff on the ground near the Gaza front.

Read this analysis of whether Israel may actually topple Hamas during the war. And see this piece on the international legal aspects of the war.

Over the weekend, the IDF released footage showing an interrogation of Hamas terrorists, who confirmed that the terror group has a major center and hideout located under Shifa Hospital, the largest medical facility in Gaza. See footage of the testimonies here and here. The IDF Spokesperson had earlier held a briefing for foreign media in which he presented proof that Hamas' main headquarters are in a vast underground complex below Gaza’s most important hospital.

More than 30 aid trucks entered Gaza on Sunday, the largest convoy since deliveries began over a week ago.

The Hamas-run health ministry claims that at least 8,005 Palestinians have been killed and more than 17,000 others wounded. These numbers have not been substantiated.

International Response
The U.S. has announced that it will be sending military advisers to Israel, including an expert in urban warfare from American fighting in Iraq. The U.S. has already sent two Navy carrier groups to the region, which it says are meant to deter Iran and Hezbollah from trying to enter the war. In addition, it has also sent a 2,000-marine quick-response force to the area.

According to a new poll, 88% of Americans think that Israel has a right to respond to Hamas militarily. See more results here.

In harrowing scenes that spread across social media last night, hundreds of people stormed into the main airport in Russia’s majority-Muslim Dagestan region and onto the tarmac in an apparent attempt to attack Israeli and Jewish passengers arriving on a Russian flight from Israel. According to local reports, many on the flight were Muslim Dagestani children who had undergone medical treatment in Israel. On video, the protesters can be seen chanting “Allahu Akbar” (God is great), storming the airport, rushing past security, breaking through doors and barriers, with some running onto the runway. Earlier, many of the protestors had overtaken a local hotel where they had been told Jews were staying. The rioters went room-to-room, demanding to see guests’ passports in order to find Israelis, or those with “Jewish names.” No Israelis or other Jews were hurt in the incidents, and 60 protestors were arrested. During the riots, Israel’s National Security Council was in close contact with Russian authorities, demanding that they intervene and protect civilians. Watch dramatic footage of the rioters here.

Read here about the existential struggles that Lebanon will face if it becomes fully embroiled in the war.

As increasingly fierce protests against Israel – and local Jewish communities – take place across the world, read this opinion piece in the Times of Israel, “Shock at the October 7 catastrophe gives way to horror and fury at global immorality.” And watch actress Mayim Bialik speak out against growing anti-Semitism.

Efforts on the Ground
Israelis of all stripes have come together to support soldiers and bolster morale in the country, many sharing inspiring tales. In this video, see details about an amazing operation to coordinate thousands of volunteers to help soldiers, evacuate citizens, and others.

In a curious trend, thousands of those called for reserve duty are growing mustaches in an apparent attempt to fashion a “retro-look,” harking back to the days of the Yom Kippur War when mustaches were in vogue. See more here. And watch this fun video produced by some reserve soldiers, sporting their retro look.

One of the more emotional moments in any conflict, are scenes of soldiers returning from the front, and being reunited with family members, even if only briefly. See some footage here.

Watch this video attempt to raise spirits with a “Hatikva Flash Mob” aboard the Jerusalem light-rail.

Across the country, citizens are increasingly concerned about their personal security. In Jerusalem, dozens of women have begun self-defense classes. Read more here.

As far away as New Zealand, people have rallied for the hostages. Watch this video of a traditional Maori Haka Dance on behalf of those being held captive by Hamas.

Read here about how Ashdod Port, close to Gaza, continues to operate critical operations, even under intense rocket fire.

Jewish Federations’ Israel Emergency Fund is supporting a new venture to support dozens of post-traumatic children aged six to seventeen who need informal, comprehensive, care for at least two to three months. Israeli philanthropist Ronni Douek has launched Yeladenu, the Resilience for Our Children, with several million dollars of his own funds and with Federations and other groups also contributing.

Other Resources

• For those in Israel looking for help, critical information about the situation on the ground, or other assistance, see this resource page put together by Jewish Federations.
• See also this Jewish Federations information page on requests for personal protective equipment which are circulating and this update regarding volunteering.
• Read the latest communication from the Community Mobilization Center here.
• As many funders struggle to distinguish between the multitudes of organizations looking for important resources, the Jewish Funders Network has produced this thorough page of guidance.
• Over 120 communities have held solidarity gatherings. Watch here. For a guidebook on hosting a gathering in your community, click here.
• Jewish Federations have launched The Blue Ribbon Campaign, which symbolizes support and solidarity for the safe return of the hostages taken by Hamas. Wearing a ribbon publicly unites people of all religions, races, nationalities, ethnicities, ages, and generations and demonstrates for the people of Israel that they are not alone and that good people across the globe are with them and their families during this dark time.

Jewish Federations

The Community Mobilization Center is monitoring major developments in Israel and North America related to Israel’s war to defend herself against Hamas, and will rapidly disseminate resources to help mobilize and support our local communities as they work to build and sustain civic and political support for Israel in this conflict. Read the latest communication from the Community Mobilization Center here.

Our Israel Office, having activated emergency protocols, is working closely with our partners on the ground, and is close contact with the Government of Israel and the IDF. We will continue to update as the situation develops.

October 11, 2023

Key Points

• More than 1,200 Israelis killed, including some 170 soldiers
• Over 3,000 Israelis wounded – 480 still hospitalized; 6,000 rockets fired at Israel
• An estimated 150 Israelis being held hostage in Gaza
• National Emergency Government established with Netanyahu and Gantz
• Concern over second front heats up with exchanges across Lebanon border
• Biden pledges unwavering support against "pure unadulterated evil" Hamas wrought; Blinken to visit Israel
• Federations hold 115 solidarity events across North America

On Day 5 of Israel’s war with Hamas the casualty rate has yet again risen significantly. Additional hostile acts by Hezbollah are stoking fears of a two-front war.

Late in the afternoon today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and National Union Chair Benny Gantz announced the formation of a national emergency unity government. Five National Unity MKs will join the government as ministers without portfolio, and a new Security Cabinet will be comprised of Netanyahu, Gantz, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, with Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer as well as National Unity MK Gadi Eizenkot (a former IDF Chief of Staff) serving as observers.

Yesterday morning, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog met with President and CEO of Jewish Federations of North America Eric Fingerhut, along with the CEO of UJA Federation New York Eric Goldstein, and Jewish Federations Senior Vice President Rebecca Caspi, to discuss the emergency situation.

President Herzog said, “Israel is under attack and its people are grieving. But the Jewish state has always shown incredible resilience under fire and today is strong, determined, and united.” The president specifically thanked global Jewry, and singled out the North American Jewish community for “standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel in its hour of need” and thanked us “for all you are doing to speak up, support and defend Israel on the global stage: In the corridors of power, the press, social media and throughout the public arena. We in Israel feel greatly comforted by the fact that the entire Jewish People is with us at this fateful hour.”

In a massive display of unity with Israel, Jewish Federations have organized (or are planning) more than 115 solidarity gatherings in communities across North America. See more here.

The Home Front
The IDF reaffirmed that it has regained control of all cities in the country’s south and successfully prevented multiple terrorist infiltrations of the border fence with Gaza in the last two days. In addition, a Hamas diver trying to enter Israel via the sea was killed. In the last 24 hours, there have been seven live engagements between troops and Hamas terrorists inside Israel, and IDF forces have neutralized 18 gunmen. The military continues to warn that some terrorists may remain inside Israel from earlier incursions.

IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari clarified that, in the IDF’s opinion, Hamas, in its initial attack on Saturday, “intended to occupy the area, not raid and return to Gaza.”

As more bodies are discovered from Saturday’s attack, the official death toll has risen above 1,200, and funerals are being held around the clock (see here). The IDF Rabbinate and other officials are struggling with the sheer quantity of bodies, significantly slowing both the identification process and the go-ahead for funerals (see details here). To accommodate the large number of military casualties, a new section has been opened at the national military cemetery on Mt. Herzl. Last night hundreds of volunteers showed up on site, following an urgent call to begin the somber task of digging fresh graves (see photo here).

See here for a page, in Hebrew, with information about soldiers who have fallen in the fighting. As details emerge, it is becoming clearer that terrible events were perpetrated by Hamas in the first day of the war, including rapes, beheadings, and the murders of many babies. In addition, towns that were temporarily overrun by terrorists saw homes and stores looted, buildings burned, and more. Estimated damage in one day is more than $1 billion USD.

Updated figures indicate that at least 14 US nationals and two Canadian citizens were killed in the Hamas attacks, and that some 20 Americans and two Canadians are still missing.

Significant rocket fire continues across much of the country; earlier today, the city of Ashkelon reported direct hits to property, where two people were lightly injured. Five buildings in Sderot were also hit. Rockets have also been reportedly launched by Hamas drones. Early this evening, sirens sounded across northern Israel as Israeli airspace was breached.

For a fourth straight day, millions of Israelis ran to shelters as sirens blared. Schools and most businesses remained shuttered across the country. A large area around the Gaza Strip has been declared a closed military zone, to which entry by civilians is prohibited. See map here.

In another sign of unity, members of the anti-judicial reforms protests movements have joined their IDF units, while others have organized and are collecting food, clothing, and other materials for soldiers as well as for the victims of the attacks.

Israeli Response
At least 360,000 soldiers have been called up, thus boosting security in all areas of the country in preparation for a potential ground invasion of Gaza. See here for video footage of the IDF Chief of Staff Hertzi Halevi visiting troops who are readying for battle.

The IDF has already carried out strikes against more than 2,650 targets across the Gaza Strip since fighting began. Some 1,300 of those targets are multi-story buildings containing Hamas assets, including war rooms where the terror group manages the fighting against Israel. Overnight, the military hit the home of relatives of Mohammad Deif, the Hamas military commander, in Khan Younis, killing the commander’s brother and other family members. See footage here of overnight air attacks and here for the Israeli Navy’s attacks.

According to Hamas sources, some 900 Palestinians – most of them Hamas militants – have been killed in Israeli strikes, in addition to the 1,500 terrorists killed during the initial invasion into Israel on Saturday. According to the UN, 260,000 Gazans have been internally displaced due to the fighting.

Brig. Gen. Omer Tishler, the Israel Air Force’s chief of staff, earlier today said, “We are attacking the Gaza Strip on an unprecedented scale, because what happened here is something that has never happened before. There is an enemy here firing rockets, raiding a civilian population. We are never going back to that…. We do not act like the other side; we do not attack the civilian population. Behind every attack (of ours) there is a (Hamas) target.”

Meanwhile, reports indicate that Hamas’ supply of fuel has now run out and the entire Strip is without regular electricity.

In the country’s north, additional attacks have stoked fears of a second-front opening, this time between Israel and Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Yesterday, some 15 rockets were fired into Israel from Lebanon. Earlier today, the IDF carried out a drone strike against a Hezbollah post in southern Lebanon in response to an anti-tank guided missile attack on an Israeli military post on the border. The IDF also launched artillery strikes against the source of the rocket fire. Last night, rockets were launched from terror forces in Syria towards the Golan Heights. See here for details on the threat of a multi-front war. Haifa’s Rambam Hospital, in preparation for possible conflict in the north, has opened its three-level, fortified, underground hospital wards. Other hospitals are following suit.

Israel’s Minister of Interior announced today that nationwide municipal elections scheduled for October 31 will be delayed by three months due to the war.

International Response
In a live address, US President Joe Biden pledged his country’s unwavering support for Israel, saying, “There are moments in this life, when pure unadulterated evil is unleashed on this world…This is what they mean by human tragedy, an atrocity at an unprecedented scale. It brings to mind the worse rampages of ISIS… Sadly, for the Jewish people it’s not new. This attack has brought to the surface painful memories, scars left by a millennium of antisemitism and genocide of the Jewish people…. In this moment, we must be crystal clear, we stand with Israel.”

Biden also announced that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken would visit Israel tomorrow in an act of solidarity. Yesterday evening, a plane carrying advanced armaments from the US landed at the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel. This move will facilitate significant military operations and increase preparedness for other scenarios. It has also been confirmed that the US is considering sending a second aircraft carrier to the Eastern Mediterranean, in addition to the USS Gerald Ford and its accompanying fleet of warships and missile ships. See here for a piece on the importance of the US naval support for Israel.

Also yesterday, the leaders of the world’s leading democracies, US, Germany, Britain, France, and Italy issued a joint statement condemning the attacks on Israel by Hamas and expressed their “steadfast and united support” for Israel. “Over the coming days, we will remain united and coordinated, together as allies, and as common friends of Israel, to ensure Israel is able to defend itself, and to ultimately set the conditions for a peaceful and integrated Middle East region,” said the statement by US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.

Federation Partners on the Ground

The Jewish Agency for Israel
The Jewish Agency for Israel’s Fund for the Victims of Terror has received a $5 million donation from the Breakthrough Foundations established by Israeli philanthropists Julia and Yuri Milner, representing the largest-ever single gift to the Fund. The Fund provides $1,200 grants in the immediate aftermath of an event with victims eligible for long-term rehabilitation grants of up to $6,300 later on

To date, 70 emergency financial aid grants have been distributed and staff have started to visit the evacuated communities in order to assess needs. In the coming days, each such community will be assigned a VOT liaison.

Nearly 1,500 olim have been evacuated from Jewish Agency absorption centers in the south to safer locations elsewhere in Israel. Approximately 30% of Aliyah candidates (outside of Israel) have cancelled or paused their Aliyah process.

Yesterday, 11 elderly Amigour residents were evacuated to the Dead Sea. Tomorrow, in accordance with a governmental request, another 50 will be relocated to Arad. Also, 2,500 food baskets will be distributed to Amigour residents with the help of volunteers.

More than 5,700 Masa Israel Journey Fellows are currently in Israel, and a small number have decided to return home. Those in programs in the South have been relocated to safer locations elsewhere in Israel. Masa is actively connecting Fellows in need of professional support with numerous mental health experts proficient in various languages. Some 40 Fellows are in the process of making Aliyah.

Jewish Agency Shlichim are helping to organize events in their communities, while several who have lost family members or friends have asked to share their stories in their communities before returning home.

The Jewish Agency is collecting videos and other materials about its activities on the ground, which can be accessed here.

World ORT
Yesterday, an update briefing by World ORT on Zoom was hacked by anti-Israel activists, forcing the organizers to end it abruptly. The call was rescheduled for earlier today.

The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) is hosting daily webinars sponsored by Jewish Federations and the Jewish Agency. A rotating team of top analysts of Israeli military affairs, the US-Israel relationship, Israel’s political system and the country’s diverse society, will speak every Sunday to Thursday from 11:00 - 11:30 am ET by Zoom. Join here.

Jewish Federations issued a statement on the current fighting.

Our Israel Office, having activated emergency protocols, is working closely with our partners on the ground and is close contact with the Government of Israel and the IDF. We will continue to update as the situation develops.