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How You Can Help
Defend Israel At War
On July 28, Douglas Bloom, president
of the Jewish Federation, Sandy Danto,
Federation's campaign chair and I, as
president of the Jewish Community
Relations Council, traveled to
Washington, D.C., to represent Detroit
at the National Leadership Assembly
for Israel to raise our voices in sup-
port of Israel in its defensive operation
against Hamas.
We heard support from members
of Congress from both parties and
chambers who unequivocally voiced
unwavering support for Israel. We were
encouraged by the reassurance that
Congress, with support of the Obama
administration, is going to approve the
restocking of and adding of additional
batteries to the Iron Dome missile
defense system, which has provided
safety for Israel's citizens.
We listened to Ron Dermer, Israel's
ambassador to the U.S., and Susan Rice,
national security adviser represent-
ing the Obama administration, both
reinforcing the deep bond of friendship
and cooperation between Israel and
the U.S. We were also addressed by
our Canadian allies who strongly con-
demned Hamas.
The clear message from all who
spoke was that there is no moral equiv-
alence between the State of Israel and
Hamas, a terrorist organization. Yes,
we mourn the Palestinian civilians who
have been casualties of this conflict
because Hamas uses them as human
shields and sacrifices them for propa-
ganda value so they can continue their
terror efforts. We also mourn the loss of
those brave Israeli soldiers and civilians
who have lost their lives needlessly in a
war that Israel did not want but Hamas
initiated.
So, what can we do? We, the Jewish
community and like-minded people
can speak out and educate our friends,
neighbors and colleagues. We can sup-
port our brothers and sisters in Israel
who have lived under the constant mis-
sile barrage these past several weeks.
We can also support the Israel
Emergency Campaign through the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan
Detroit in cooperation with the Jewish
Federations of North America, which
has raised and delivered $10 million
already for humanitarian aid to Israel
and which needs to continue this effort
as the conflict continues.
Your donations will provide needed
relief and emotional support for mil-
lions of men, women and especially
children and the disabled, all civilians
who have been so severely impacted by
this terrorist Hamas activity.
Yiddish Limerick
Dr. Richard Krugel, president
Jewish Community Relations Council
Bloomfield Township
Help Give IDF Troops
Better Bulletproof Vests
There are many ways to help Israel
during this difficult time. A unique
opportunity arose last week when
good friends in Israel asked us to help
provide Israeli troops with potentially
lifesaving equipment.
The Rotary Club of Yavne, a south-
ern Israeli town located about halfway
between Tel Aviv and the Gaza Strip, is
raising money to purchase bulletproof
vests for the infantry/combat unit of
the Givati Brigade. The new vests are
needed because the "one-size-fits-all"
ceramic vests provided by the Israel
Defense Forces do not correspond to
a soldier's size or operational need,
restrict movement and are very heavy.
The Givati Brigade commander has
authorized the purchase of 250-300
Modular Tactical Vests that are breath-
able, adjustable and designed for car-
rying heavy loads as well as quick draw
of all equipment for combat readiness.
The expected weight reduction from
the standard issue vest is about 40 per-
cent.
Each vest costs $350 and will be
delivered to the soldiers as soon as
they can be purchased. Members of the
Yavne Rotary will call each donor to say
thanks.
We've donated, and thought others
might want to do so, too. Time is of the
essence.
To learn more, or to donate, contact
me at (248) 505-5189 or doncohen@
comcast.net .
Thank you for your help.
Don Cohen
West Bloomfield
ZOA Thanks Community
For Support At JCC Rally
On July 26, we discovered that the
Michigan Voice for Palestinian
Rights and the Detroit Light Brigade
were planning to protest the Zionist
Organization of America-Michigan
Region's board meeting on July 31 at
the Jewish Community Center in West
Bloomfield.
Federation's security officer, Gary
Sikorski, was informed, and he
took charge. We owe Sikorski, West
Bloomfield police Chief Michael Patton,
and Jim Issner and the staff of the JCC
our thanks for making sure that there
was a safe JCC environment for all of
jarc
INCLUSION
COMMUNITY
CHOICE
EMPOWERMENT
RESPEr
DIGNITY
Keeping Cool
It's summer again, and indroysn * it
is hays.**
Mir trinken di*** cola , mir
vashn**** our face.
Mir gayen tzum yam,***** we
swim in the pool.
Mir villn tzu zayn abi
sale****** cool.
But gornisht vet helfn, mein kind-
er,******* ich vays.********
* indroysn — outside
** hays — hot
*** Mir trinken di — We drink the
**** mir vashn — we wash
***** Mir gayen tzum yam — We
go to the beach
****** Mir villn tzu zayn abisale
— We want to be a little
*******gornisht vet helfn, mein
kinder — nothing will
help, my children
******** ich vays — I know
— Rachel Kapen
Thursday's JCC events.
It is also appropriate to thank the
large crowd of pro-Israel activists who
decided to defend Israel in a peace-
ful way with signs and flags with little
notice. They pointed out that Hamas'
rocket fire and its ongoing desire to
destroy Israel and its Jewish popula-
tion is the cause of the present war.
Everyone should google the Hamas
Charter to understand Hamas' stated
goals.
There are those who say there should
not have been a pro-Israel counter
demonstration. They should watch the
Simon Wiesenthal Center's film Against
the Tide and remember this country's
Jewish community's relative silence
leading up to and during WW II.
We should also remember that Israel
gave up Gaza in 2005 giving the Gazans
an opportunity to demonstrate what a
peaceful two-state solution would look
like. They were given millions of dol-
lars' worth of greenhouses that they
Letters on page 6
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