Dear Friends,

There was a horrible friendly-fire tragedy in Southern Lebanon a couple of weeks ago. One Israeli tank mistakenly opened fire on another Israeli tank, destroying it, and killing the tank commander. The gunner of the destroyed tank was a recent immigrant to Israel, from the former Soviet Union. He spent the night pacing outside his commander's room in Rambam Hospital in Haifa, head in his hands, covered in blood and tears, mumbling to himself in heavily-accented Hebrew, "Asiti maspik? Asiti maspik? Did I do enough?"

"Did I do enough?" These are tough words to ask ourselves after something like this happens. They are even tougher words to ask now, when our brothers and sisters in the State of Israel are attempting to return to their broken lives and destroyed homes in the north of the state. The fighting may be over – and I pray that it is over – but the work has only just begun to rebuild our country. The costs are in the billions; the need for aid is immense. New olim – immigrants to Israel – from Ethiopia have lost their absorption centers and schools. Homes have been leveled, businesses burned to the ground. Children will attempt to return to school this fall and deal with the shock of missiles raining down upon themselves and their families. Here in the safety of the United States and Northern California we ask ourselves, asiti maspik, have we done enough?

We cannot, pray though we might, change what has happened to our brothers and sisters in Israel. We can, however, change their futures. Join me now in making your donation to the Israel Emergency Campaign. Let us show the world that when the need is great, the Jewish people stand together. Let us show our people in Israel that when we were called upon to help, we answered. Most importantly, let us know, once and for all, that we will not have to ask, asiti maspik? Let us do enough.



B'Shalom,

Jonathan Berg
Young Adults Division Director
408-357-7503
svyad@jvalley.org
AIM: SVYAD
www.svyad.org


"Live Generously."


How to Give: Go to the Israel Emergency Campaign information page, located here. Click on the Israel Emergency Campaign flyer, fill out the secure form, and make your fully tax-deductible contribution to help your people.

How to Volunteer: The Jewish Federation of Silicon Valley is having a Telethon for the Israel Emergency Campaign on Wednesday evening, September 13, from 6-9pm. Please join us in reaching out to members of our community for support in Israel's current crisis. There will be two training session, one at 5:30pm and the other at 7pm to catch you up on what is happening on the ground in Israel, and the difference that just a few more dollars can make. Federation, JCC, and JFS will provide a bunch of phone lines, but we are also asking people to bring their cell phones to help out. Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to Jonathan at svyad@jvalley.org or 408-357-7503.

As Congressman Tom Lantos pointed out (hat tip John Hawkins, who else?), "Lebanon will get help from both Europe, the Arab world and the United States. Unless the United States provides some aid to Israel, Israel receives no aid."

If you can afford to give, or happen to live in the SF Bay Area and have time to volunteer, I can't think of a better cause at present time than helping out a staunch and unwavering ally in the War on Terror.