Hi friends and family, for many months, I have been hoping to have the opportunity to spend the second semester of my junior year in Israel at Alexander Muss High School. I don’t yet know if the situation in Israel will be safe enough for me to attend, but I am focusing my efforts by participating in the Dream Israel campaign, and raising funds for important projects in Israel that have been threatened by the terror attacks this week.

The money that I will raise will go towards JNF-USA and the Sderot Indoor Recreation Center. Sderot is located less than one mile from Gaza and has been suffering numerous rocket attacks this week. Even before this week’s attacks, and for nearly a decade, the people living there have endured continual rocket attacks from Gaza. This situation forces young children to spend most of their time indoors, because they must always be within 15 seconds of a bomb shelter. Ordinarily, this recreation center gives children the chance to be able to play indoors, how they would outside and gives them a sense of normalcy. Unfortunately, the Sderot Indoor Playground has had a direct hit to the grounds this week and there was damage to the structure. No one was injured, however, and the fire is now under control. Supporting this project to repair the recreation center, will ensure that the children and families of Sderot know that they have a place where they can feel safe when they cannot play outside. Please see the video link below.

In addition, for decades, JNF-USA has worked in close partnership with the communities currently suffering most and is uniquely prepared to assist in meeting the emergency needs created by the current crisis. JNF-USA is on the ground with communities in the South, including Sderot, Kissufim, and many others, ensuring immediate needs are met and future requirements are fulfilled:
Evacuating residents from the hardest-hit border communities by arranging transportation and emergency housing.
Ensuring that displaced Israelis have all of the supplies they need including bedding, soap and shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant, socks, etc.
Providing firefighting and protective equipment to manage the ongoing rocket fire, which is destroying homes, farms, infrastructure, and businesses. More equipment will be needed.
Providing high-quality and tailored psychological treatment for civilians, including children, who have experienced this catastrophe firsthand.
Procuring scarce security-related protective equipment for communities and reservists reporting for duty both in the South and in the North where fears persist that Hezbollah will soon enter the fray.

Please consider supporting this important initiative during this time of need and my efforts to meet my fundraising goal. The donation is tax-deductible. Also note that prior to the terror attacks, JNF had a program that made grants available to Alexander Muss students that raised certain amounts through Dream Israel. In this time of need, we do not know if this grant program will continue but I urge you to contribute to support Israel.
Am Yisrael Chai 💙