Todays' suggested actions to support Israel in your local community:

• Thank your elected officials who demonstrated their support for Israel by showing up to last week’s historic #MarchforIsrael.
• Share these video clips of individual speakers at the march and this Instagram reel of highlights of the speeches.
• Bring a speaker from Israel to your community to support your fundraising and community mobilization efforts. Please consult our speaker list and intake form to request a speaker.
• Sign our action alert strongly supporting the measure to fully fund critical security assistance for Israel in its fight to destroy Hamas.
• Watch and share this video clip in honor of World Children’s Day, calling upon the international community to do more to bring back the 40 babies and children that are being held hostage by Hamas terrorists.

Issue:
IDF attention continues to be focused around Shifa hospital, which it claims is a headquarters for Hamas activity and served as a cover to hide hostages. Increasing evidence has exposed how the hospital has served as a base for Hamas terror activities.

Background:

• Israeli forces continue to advance in the northern Gaza strip with troops discovering dozens of tunnel access points as well as identifying and neutralizing rocket launch sites and weapons and ammunitions depots.
• After finding weapons and other ammunition in Shifa hospital, The IDF released video footage revealing what it calls a significant 164-foot-long tunnel, 32 feet underneath the hospital, fortified with an explosion-proof door with a firing hole to block Israeli troops from entering the underground complex.
• A CNN team that was escorted into the area around the hospital reported that the discovery “is arguably the most compelling evidence thus far that the IDF has offered that there may be a network of tunnels below the hospital.” 
• A number of medical professionals who worked at Shifa hospital provided testimony of non-medical activity in the hospital. A British doctor told France 24 about the warnings he received during his stint at the hospital in 2021. As far back as 2007, a Palestinian doctor at Shifa hospital was quoted in a medical journal as saying, “The medical staff are suffering from fear and terror, particularly of the Hamas fighters, who are in every corner of the hospital.” In 2014 the Washington Post reported that the hospital has become, “A de facto headquarters for Hamas leaders, who can be seen in the hallways and offices.”
• The IDF released footage from hospital cameras on October 7th showing two Thai and Nepalese hostages being brought into the hospital by Hamas terrorists armed with weapons, after the men were abducted earlier that morning. The terrorists are seen entering the hospital in a captured IDF military jeep.
• The IDF has also found bodies of Israeli hostages near the hospital complex, and revealed pathology evidence that 19-year-old Cpl. Noa Marciano was killed at the hospital.
• Working with UN teams, the IDF helped evacuate premature babies in incubators to Egypt for continued medical treatment. The Israeli military has provided humanitarian aid to the hospital and will assist in evacuating patients. Some patients who cannot be transferred are remaining in the hospital with medical staff.

Community Spotlight

JCRC Bay Area is leading efforts to combat anti-Israel activity by The Oakland Education Association, which included issuing anti-Israel statements with inflammatory language about the Jewish State and proposing a resolution that fails to condemn Hamas.  JCRC Bay Area CEO Tye Gregory spoke at a recent press conference that was attended by dozens of parents, teachers and allies who relayed their concerns over the hostile environment in the classroom and the union’s anti-Israel position.

Additional Resources

Click here to access Jewish Federations’ toolkit on the War in Israel, which links to the Community Mobilization Resource Hub to help you speak up for Israel.

This guidebook can be used as a resource by Federations and partners who have been asked to help Israeli nationals coming to the U.S. following the October 7th massacres.  

Now, more than ever, it’s important for us to come together and be in community during this challenging time. Join us at next year’s Washington Conference, which will take place from Wednesday, February 28th to Friday, March 1st, 2024. For an early bird rate, please register here.

The Community Mobilization Center is monitoring major developments in Israel and North America related to Israel’s war against Hamas. The Community Mobilization Center will rapidly disseminate resources to help mobilize and support our local communities as they build and sustain civic and political support for Israel in this conflict. The work of the Community Mobilization Center will continue as long as it takes Israel to eradicate the terrorist threat and restore security to the country.

The Community Mobilization Center is at your service. Open zoom hours to ask questions and seek support in your community’s response efforts will be held daily from 10-12 ET at this link. Click here to send us an email.

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