I Operation Cast Lead Yes, Israel! from page Al2 Israel Want% peacet Allison Bloomberg, 10, of Farmington Hills, and Atara Krakoff, 11, of Southfield, hold up their signs. On A Mission Hannan Lis shared reflections from the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's recent 2008 Family Mission to Israel, which he co-chaired along with his wife, Lisa, and Linda and Kenneth Gold. "The start of the fighting in Gaza came during our second day in Israel," he said. "The operation in Gaza gave the participants an immediate and unplanned insight into the reaction of Israelis to a national emergency. Our par- ticipants got to experience how the entire country united behind the Israel Defense Forces and the people residing in the south. Israelis refused to allow Hamas to interfere with their daily lives. Our mission continued as planned and to our delight, we kept running into many other groups touring the country." Shaarey Zedek's Rabbi Joseph H. Krakoff also participated on the mission. - Rina Bergman, 17, of Farmington Hills, sings "Shir l'Shalom" (A Song for Peace). "Having talked to Israelis personally, I can tell you they are upset and angry;' he told the large crowd in his invocation. "They did not want this battle. They simply wanted a partner for peace' He questioned what other choice there was. "Hamas unilaterally declared an end to the cease-fire and launched 80 rockets at Israel on Dec. 25:' he said. "Like any other nation, Israel must protect her citizens and be clear that terrorism will not be accepted now or ever. The time has come to weaken the morale of Hamas and its followers in a region where almost every home is a potential Hamas stronghold. Israel cannot back down until her survival is assured beyond any shadow of a doubt." The rabbi led a prayer for the elimina- tion of terrorism, the safety of those under Hamas' rocket fire and the strength and Writing With Care Letters provide a simple way to show big support for Israel's soldiers. Shelli Liebman Dorfman Senior Writer A midst stacks of flyers, bro- chures and supportive staff members of rally sponsors, the foyer of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield was the site of a campaign to gather letters to be sent to Israeli soldiers. "A lot of people have said they want- ed to write to the soldiers, so a project was created to provide the stationery and then deliver the mail," said Rabbi Leiby Burnham, associate director of the Jean and Theodore Weiss Partners in Torah adult education program of Yeshiva Beth Yehudah. The innovative letter-writing initia- tive is a venture of Partners in Care — a division Partners in Torah — in A14 January 15 • 2009 Ai conjunction with Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF). "Partners in Torah provides a Jewish educational opportunity; Partners in Care provides the opportunity of activism," Burnham said. "Our mission is limud, laasot, to learn and to do. And for rally participants who wanted to do, specially printed stationery was on hand, as was Partners in Care pro- gram coordinator, Rachel Leah Black, who collected the composed letters. Beyond the rally site, Black said the hope is for 5,000 letters to be written and delivered to the Michigan chapter of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces with the help of area agencies and schools. "We've contacted many of them and several are already on board, including Jewish Family Service and (Yeshivat) Shaarey Zedek Cantor Meir Finkelstein performs songs of peace and hope at the rally. resolve for those fighting to defend Israel. Continuing Support Detroit's special connection and deep commitment to the people of Israel is nothing new, Federation President Nancy Grosfeld reminded the crowd, recapping recent local celebrations honoring Israel's 60th anniversary of statehood. "Now we gather under different and dif- ficult circumstances to once again show our solidarity and support:' she said. "We come together to express our strength as a community ... and our resolve that we are here and will always be here for Israel." Grosfeld described Federation's "proud tradition of providing unwavering support for Israel." She listed Detroit's recent Israel missions and donations to Israeli commu- nities in traumatized regions, stressing the importance of supporting Federation so Akiva, who want to involve every stu- dent." And Partners in Care will do more than provide paper and the delivery of the letters to those interested. "Our goal is to share information with the Detroit Jewish community about the IDF (Israel Defense Forces)," Burnham said. "Our rabbis will come to the school or the facility to talk about the soldiers. We want there to be a connec- tion with our brothers and sisters in Israel, so their heart is in the writing." The letter campaign is Partners in Care's second project; the first, taking place this past September, involved a canned food drive for Yad Ezra, Michigan's kosher food pantry. "People want to give, and many aren't able to give the same way they used to," Black said. "But they under- stand the writing is a way of giving. "Just think of the Israeli soldiers in Gaza opening a package of letters that say, 'Thank you. The Detroit Jewish community stands behind your Black said. "They don't even know where Detroit is; but they know we care about them." LI Hy Safran of Franklin listens to a speaker. critical needs at home and in Israel may be met. For Uri Segal of West Bloomfield the purpose of the rally hit home, eliciting strong memories of the eight years he lived on Kibbutz Kfar Aza, bordering the Gaza Strip. Sporting a lapel pin that over- lapped an American flag and an Israeli flag, he said, "While I was there, I could see Gaza from my window. We had no fear back then, but now the kibbutz is being shelled from Gaza." He often returns to the kibbutz and other parts of Israel, where he has fam- ily and friends. "Israel's military and the government waited and waited, and finally they took the right action. There is a time for peace and a time for war. But even a justified war is ugly." ❑ More Coverage: JNonline.us. Rachel Leah Black staffs the Partners in Care letter-writing station. For information about Partners in Care, or to send a letter to an Israeli soldier, call (248) 583-2476. Letters may also be deposited at the JCC in Oak Park and West Bloomfield, where stationery is available at the front counters.