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

• Thank your representatives who voted in favor of H.Res.927, “Condemning Antisemitism on University Campuses and the Testimony of University Presidents in the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.”
• Learn about the war’s impact on women in Israel at a webinar at 1 pm ET on December 19th on how Israeli women's organizations are partnering to meet immediate needs for women and girls and to advocate for their rights.
• Share these social media posts on Instagram and Facebook highlighting the ways Hamas harms Palestinians and uses them as human shields.
• 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.
• Read and share the story of 80-year-old Kibbutz Be’eri resident Albert Miles, remembered for the colorful clothing he loved to wear and for handing out fruit that he grew himself. Albert was murdered by Hamas terrorists in his home on October 7th. A book of Tehillim [psalms] was found next to him when his body was recovered. His grandchildren would visit him after school and return home with sweets.

Issue:
This week marked the 36th anniversary of the founding of Hamas. While much of the conversation around Hamas is focused on October 7th, the organization has been committing terrorist attacks against Israel for over three decades.

Background:

• Hamas, an acronym of the Islamic Resistance Movement, promises in its charter “sincere efforts to fight the Jews” and that "'Israel will exist, and will continue to exist, until Islam abolishes it.”
• The organization has committed itself to brutal terror attacks that have left thousands of Israelis dead and many more injured.
• On October 8, 1997, the organization was officially added to the U.S. State Department’s list of terrorist organizations.
• In the 2006 elections in Gaza, Hamas won the majority of seats and made statements that opposed recognition of Israel. The following year, it took over Gaza and expelled the PA even though the PA had a majority in the parliament. Its leaders continue to call for the annihilation of Israel as well as violence against Americans worldwide.
• Just this week, Hamas terrorists were arrested in Europe for allegedly plotting attacks on European soil.
• The organization is notorious for the torture and murder of Palestinians in Gaza who oppose its control and of those who identify as LGBTQ. Hamas has been accused of horrific women’s rights abuses and honor killings.
• Hamas deliberately places Palestinian civilians in harm’s way by turning civilian infrastructure into terror bases, embedding itself within mosques, schools and hospitals and preventing civilians from heeding the IDF’s evacuation orders.
• The organization benefits from massive financial support from international allies and supporters, most notably Iran, with the injection of billions of dollars of aid which has been diverted to finance the organization’s terrorist activities. The organization’s three senior leaders who are living in Qatar have a combined estimated worth of $3 billion.

Community Spotlight

Over 75 people joined Jewish Federation of Reading/Berks’ Shine A Light on Antisemitism menorah lighting and reception at the Alvernia University John R. Post Center. Community members were joined by elected officials and representatives of the LGBTQ, Hispanic, Muslim and Black communities for a night of celebration and education on antisemitism.


Submit a community initiative here that you would like to highlight for our system.

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.

Click here for guidance on responding to canceled Chanukah lightings in your community over the war in Israel.

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. Click here to send us an email.

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