Israel Committee Mission Statement

"Am Israel Chai!" Etz Chaim's Israel Committee is pledged to create avenues, activities, and strategies designed to "Keep Israel on our Radar." We are dedicated to continuing Etz Chaim's long standing advocacy of our commitment to Eretz Yisrael by participating in the areas of fund-raising, political action, emotional support, and ritual.

We channeled our support for the former residents of Gush Katif to our G'Mach for proper and effective distribution to those in need. "A Dollar A Day" will allow members and friends to sacrifice the sum that they might spend on a daily basis for such things as a soft drink. These funds will be disbursed among especially needy Israeli "tzedakot." We will address the security and welfare concerns of our brothers and sisters in Israel when allocating these funds. In addition Etz Chaim "Hospitality Cards" will be finally made available, with the funds initially going to Sans Laniado Hospital and other worthy agencies no longer receiving funding from the government. We will continue to stress the importance of supporting activities that feature the purchase of Israeli products and assist Israel merchants at product fairs.

We will use the forum of Etz Chaim's "Israel Solidarity Board" to inform and educate our members. Member letters and e-mails written to insure a standard of media fairness and in response to media bias, disinformation, and the like, will be displayed together with published accounts of support for fair policy and understanding of the issues. We will use this forum as well as other approaches to educate our congregation and community of the centrality of Israel and to show our loyalty and support of our brothers and sisters in Israel in their struggle for religious, moral, spiritual, political, and economic survival. We will join, assist, and make suggestions to the Etz Chaim Education Committee on programs that place Israel in the forefront. We will endeavor to enlist relevant Israeli speakers and thinkers to keep us up-to-date on the latest issues concerning Israel.

We will act as a support and clearinghouse for information on individual and mission trips to Israel and as a guide to those who wish to consider Aliyah.

We will have begun the "Emotional Support" element of our mission by networking with specific communities in Israel.

We join in and participate in all of Etz Chaim's rituals and special prayers for the soldiers of Israel, the government of Israel, the victims of terror. We will actively take part in the planning and carrying out of Etz Chaim's Yom HaAtzmaut and Yom Yerushalayim celebrations.

We will join with our Youth Committee in promoting the significance of Eretz Yisrael in their programming.

We invite all those who would like to take part in any of our programs and/or have suggestions for ideas you would like to see the Committee actively align itself with, to come to our publicized meetings or offer your input by e-mail, telephone, or personally.

Miriam Peskowitz, Bernie Schendler

Co-Chairpersons, Etz Chaim Israel Committee

 

Videos from our recent Israel at 69 Yom HaAtzmaut program: