As I’m sure most of you know, this past weekend, the terrorist organization Hamas attacked Israel during Re’im, a music festival in southern Israel, infiltrating the Gaza border on land and sea, and firing several rockets into Israel. For most of us, this hits very close to home. At this point, at least 900 have been murdered, 2,600 injured, and 150 kidnapped. Needless to say, Israel needs support from others to take control back from Hamas and honor those who have passed.

Organizations to support:

• Friends of the Israel Defense Forces: FIDF is the only organization designated by the IDF in the United States to collect donations for its soldiers. They have a portfolio of commitments, including education, financial support, wounded soldiers, and bereaved families. FIDF has also opened an emergency fund, which directs funds towards the soldiers currently on the front lines protecting Israel.
• Save the Children: Save the Children has worked to protect children in about 75% of the world and helped 2.3 billion children worldwide. Save the Children issued an emergency alert in response to the attack, noting the "escalating violence" has put 1.2 million children in need of humanitarian aid. The international organization is demanding de-escalation and has called for peace.
• The International Committee of the Red Cross: The ICRC is a humanitarian organization that aims to protect victims of conflicts and provide them with assistance. The ICRC has been present in Israel and the occupied territories since 1967. The organization is asking for donations to improve access to essential services like water and to support livelihood projects.
• IsraAID: IsraAID is an Israel-based humanitarian aid organization, and their emergency fund aims to meet both the immediate and long-term humanitarian needs of affected communities by partnering with local organizations and civil society initiatives. Their emergency fund gives them the flexibility to hit the ground running as quickly as possible, and it allows them to stay even once others move on.
• Linktree: This Linktree has an additional 12 resources which provide relief to the Israeli people and the IDF, this is great if you want to donate to a specific cause.
  

What We Can Do From Afar:

What we can do from afar is much harder to answer, because it feels like we are just watching this go down. Personally, I have not only dealt with grief, but also a serious feeling of powerlessness. It is so frustrating to have to sit and watch when so many are continuing to be murdered for what seems like no reason at all. Overall, from what I have been seeing, these causes primarily need money to support Israelis and the IDF. Those of us outside Israel do not have much effect on what is going on, but what we can do is support and advocate. Continue to use Instagram and all other social media platforms to advocate for the state of Israel, do not let people forget what is going on, but it is not worth our time to fight with those who don’t agree online. While just sending money and posting on social media does not feel like enough, it is all we are able to do right now, and these actions are what will help. 

Unfortunately, Israel is at war, and that is not something we can change, but as Jewish teens, we must rise to the occasion and work to provide support and aid to those who are in desperate need of it. This phrase has been stuck in my head since I heard the news: עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי - The People of Israel Live.