Ideas how to help Israel

How to Help Israel, Outside of Israel:

1) Help political people- write encouraging letters to politicians who support Israel. The letters should be  written personally but with respect for the recipient. 

2) Look at the news and read the newspaper, with extra attention to the pieces concerning Israel and the Middle East.Remember to look at the positive information and not the truth and to not forget the Journalists that did not do a good job supporting Israel.

3) Support Israeli economics- With the Israeli economy suffering, go out of your way to support Israel's export trade. www.shopinisrael.com, www.usaisrael.org, www.israeliwishes.com, and www.israeliproducts.com allow you to buy Israeli products directly. www.shorashim.net is an online tourist gift shop. When in a grocery store, look for brands like Elite, Telma, Osem, and Ahava beauty products -- even if you have to spend a few more money for the Israeli products. Ask the supermarket manager to order these items specifically. www.israelexport.org lists the names of products sold in the USA.

4)  Give money to Israeli companies such as hospitals and Magen David Adom. The money that they recieve will go directly to Israel. You can  donate money online at : www.jewishcharitiesonline.com).

5) Visit Israel on holiday, go on vacation to visit family or take a year out  programme.Fly with an Israeli air company and spare as much money as you can so that you can help the economy.

6) Speak out: The next time you hear something  putting down Israel , dont wonder to yourself "What is anyone going to do about it" as no jewish organization is able to fight the propaganda war on every front, instead you be the "anyone", pick up your pen and start writting a letter for your local newspaper or start talking to people about Israel as the worst thing that one can do is to remain quiet in times like this. So do something!

7) Go to events which have been organised to support Israel. Or organise an event yourself  in your city

8) Make sure that the information that you recieve is from different perspectives, if you read books/articles written from people that you believe in then your not properly informed. You should read information from the left and right wing from the palestinans to the Isarelis and the muslims to the Israelis. The Internet is a great resource for getting an accurate picture of what is really happening in the conflict Go on websites and read the Arabs news translated into English.

 (www.memri.org). You can also go on to www.jpost.com for the Jewish news.

Pray: Ask G-d to bring peace to Israel, particularly pray that only good will come to Israel. Pray that the international pressure does  not affect Israel.  Daven for the safety of the Israeli citizens and for the safety of the IDF soldiers. Ask G-d  to heal the wounding of the Israeli soldiers. Remember the gates of tears are never closed and. He has done miracles before and will do them again. You can send prayers via the Western Wall at www.thewall.org

 10) Show you support Israel by hanging an Israeli flag where people can see it. Put an "I Support Israel" bumper sticker on your car. Wear a combined American/Israeli flag pin on your lapel. If you can't find an Israeli flag, make one yourself, or ask your kids to draw one, and display it in your car window or office.

11). Unity: As soon as we stop arguing with each other  and work together then we are able to stand united againts the enemy. Jerusalem was destroyed because people were talking negatively about each other, so that Israel can be re-built lets  abstain from saying (or listening to) anything bad about any Jew, any group of Jews, or even the Israeli government.

12) Donate blood when you go to Israel, as there is a big shortage of it. To give blood is to give life and by giving blood it shows a deep solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people.

13)  Register andVote-. Elected officials analyze voting registration and voter turnout carefully, and make decisions accordingl. Make sure politics in the country is pro-Israel

14) Support soldiers in Israel by sending them letters to thank them  for their commitment. You can also send them parcels through organizations and gifts for holidays.

15) Sign up for solidarity- There is a website at www.our-support.com, where it enables people around the world to express their support to the state of Israel. The text will be presented to ambassadors in every country and  will be published in the media.

16) Support Magen David Adom- Months of terror have stretched MDA to its maximum capacity, while exposing its rescue workers to extreme danger and great sacrifice. Get your synagogue or school to start a campaign to defray the cost of an ambulance. Or  give an contribution on-line at: www.magendavidadom.org. Jewish lives depend on it.

17) Rally for Israel- Hold a rally in your city. When thousands of people turn out for a public display of support, it affects all segments of your community -- the politicians, the media, general public opinion. And most importantly, it engenders unity and pride within the Jewish and pro-Israel community.

18) Say the Shema.
The Shema is like the Jewish "pledge of allegiance," a declaration of faith to One God and an affirmation of commitment to Israel and the Jewish people.

19) Hold pray rallies.
Communal prayer is more powerful than any individual can muster.

20) Learn Torah.
Through the learning of Torah, the world is brought to its senses and the Jewish people are protected. Make a commitment to a specific increase in the amount of time you learn each day. . Pick something from the recommended reading list at http://www.aish.com/literacy/reference/recommended_books.asp.

21) Get the Israeli side.
There's a lot of misinformation out there. When an incident happens in Israel, visit the websites of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs (www.mfa.gov.il) and the Israeli Defense Forces (www.idf.il/english/news/main.stm) to get the Israeli side of the story.

22) Stick up for Israel in your collegue.

23) Get the facts. The situation in Israel and the Middle East is very complicated. The only way to really know what's going on and develop informed opinions is to get the facts. In addition to http://www.aish.com/jewishissues/middleeast/ , some great websites are aipac.org, us-israel.org and memri.org. Three excellent books are "Israel: A History" by Martin Gilbert, "Myths and Facts" by Mitchell G. Bard (http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/myths/mftoc.html), and "From Time Immemorial" by Joan Peters.

24) Help families who have lost loved ones to terrorist killings. A Long Island couple who just couldn't go on as if nothing had happened started the Israel Emergency Solidarity Fund. Check out their website at walk4israel.com.

25) Tap into the power of Psalms. There is a time-honored custom for Jews to gather and recite King David's' Psalms in times of distress. These are times of unimaginable distress. Once a week, say a few Psalms together with your family, or even gather some friends together to recite Psalms on behalf of Jews in Israel. English translations of Psalms are available at any Jewish bookstore, or at artscroll.com. Some appropriate Psalms for these times are numbers 83, 87, 121, 130, 137 and 142.

26) Pray for the recovery of wounded victims. Send an e-mail to Prayers-InjuredVAT@yahoogroups.com. They will send you regular updates with the names and status of people who have been injured in attacks

27) Invite a Jew to your Seder. At such difficult times, Jews need to reach out to one another. Passover is coming and this is a wonderful opportunity to think about a Jew who may be alone, in need of an invitation to join your Seder.

28) Neutralize Boycotts of Israeli Goods 
we can focus our purchasing power on the many products on the boycott list. To view a partial list, visit www.inminds.co.uk/boycott-israel.html. 

You can also visit www.usaisrael.org to review and research various Israel companies that do business with American ones. This is a very detailed and thorough website and contains a lot of information. Support those who support Israel.

29) Give Your Money 
Give to your local Federation. To find your local Federation go to www.ujc.org. Now more than ever, when Israel needs to spend more on defense, the funds that you give go towards social services and the poor and immigrants, things that fall out of the limelight in times when Israel’s security takes precedence.

30)Campus watch- a project of the Middle East Forum, reviews and critiques Middle East studies in North America with an aim to improving them.

31) Myths and facts- Go onto http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/myths/mftoc.html and get a guide to the Arab-Israeli conflict.

32) Daily updates- go onto http://www.dailyalert.org/ and get the daily updates on Israel.

33) Israel forum- http://www.israelforum.com/. Go and speak up for Israel.

34) Find out the truth Go onto http://www.mideasttruth.com/index.shtml and find out the truth about the Middle East conflict.

35) Holocaust education.
With the rise of anti-Semitic incidents around the world, and the state-sponsored anti-Semitism in Arab countries, it is important to see the warning signs before a crisis happen. Learning about the Holocaust helps us appreciate the depth of anti-Semitism and its root causes. Excellent information is online at www.anti-semitism.com. Squelch all anti-Semitic language everywhere you are. Stand up against this terrible hatred -- no matter what the consequences. 

36) Educate the Palestinian public.
With all the hatred in the Palestinian media, textbooks, etc., an entire generation is being raised for war, not peace. Find ways to introduce democratic values into Palestinian society. Jews cannot realize their dream for peace until the Arabs desire the same. 

37) Show both sides of the refugee issue.
In conversations and in the media, emphasize how the Arab states have mistreated the Palestinians -- refusing to grant them citizenship in order to keep the "refugee" issue an open wound. Raise the issue of how 600,000 Jews were driven out of Arab lands during Israel's independence and forced to abandon their property. 

39) Get a clear definition of terrorism.
September 11 united the civilized world against terrorism. Concerned citizens should agree on a strong definition of terror, one that encompasses September 11 terrorists and also suicide bombers. Once agreed upon, there should be a mass campaign to get Congress and the White House to make this definition official -- to the point of using it to dictate policy. Once everyone is clear about what is "terrorism," support for Israel will grow much stronger. And let Congressional leaders know that you do not agree with the double standard that has been set in fighting terror -- one for America, another for Israel.

40) Make a contribution
to the Israel Emergency Campaign through your local federation. To find it, go to www.jewishfinder.com.

41) join something Jewish.
Connect locally with a project that helps build Israel. Volunteer your time, spirit and talents to the world Jewish community. Go to www.ujc.org or your local federation's Web site for ideas.

42) Make a small repair.
If you've had an argument with someone, simply forgive them, and then ask God to forgive His people.

43)  Organize Israeli products fair.
In Denver, Christians and Jews have come together under "Action Israel" to sponsor what is called "

44) The merit of a mitzvah.
Before you do any one of the 613 mitzvot, have in mind that God should use this merit to help protect Israel.

45) Learn Hebrew.
Call your local synagogue and find out about Hebrew classes. This will build your bond with the Jewish people and the Land of Israel.

46) Distribute literature on college campuses.
There is an urgent need to counter the virulent wave on anti-Semitism and pro-Palestinian activism on college campuses. Print and distribute literature on campuses highlighting Israel's humanitarian achievements, democracy and ethnic diversity. One group working on this front is www.israelactivism.com

46) Stop carnage on the roads.
Work to end the terrible traffic accidents in the land of Israel which claim 600 lives each year. It is absurd that while we fight against terror, there are tragedies which are completely in our own hands and we refuse to take the necessary steps to stop them.

47) BurgerIDF.org

Delight Israeli soldiers out in the field with a hamburger and cola and your good wishes. Send to Jeep Patrol Package for 4 soldiers, Section Package for 10 soldiers, and Platoon Packages for 30 soldier and other gift options. You can also send pizza.

48)  Point and Click - The first task is to better educate ourselves and our communities about events in Israel. The Internet provides a range of useful sources for getting a more accurate picture of what is really happening in the Jewish state. A few useful sites are: the Jerusalem Post - www.jpost.com, Arutz-7 - www.israelnationalnews.com and IMRA -

www.imra.org.il . Visit such sites and recommend them to friends

49) Provide Assistance - If you able to provide financial support, there are many worthwhile organizations working to address the problems

Caused by the intifada. The Israel Crisis Management Center, based in Tel Aviv (phone: 972-3-544-5161), assists new immigrants who have been victimized by terrorist attacks, including the families of those killed in the Tel Aviv disco bombing, with grants, loans and volunteer counseling. A group called Helping Israel.

50) Pressure Representatives - Wherever you live, your views as a citizen need to be heard by your elected representatives. Find out who are your elected officials, in whichever country you live, and urge them to publicly express their support for Israel during these difficult times.

52) Read- For crucial background information, read "Myths and Facts" (by Mitchell G. Bard) Read English editions of The Jerusalem Post, Ha'aretz News, Net Breaking News. Read “What Israel Means to Me,” written by 80 Prominent Writers, Performers, Scholars, Politicians, and Journalists and edited by Alan Dershowitz. Also read an essay by David Harris, executive director of the American Jewish Committee, on a similar subject.

53) Travel- Go to Israel in a kayak, hang glider, canoe, or by any other means for a vacation, to study, to help the economy, or to visit family. Visit www.goisrael.com or check the United Jewish Communities or the Jewish National Fund for their mission itineraries.

54) Reach out to individual Israelis
in your community's Partnership 2000 region (contact your local federation to find out how). Go to www.walk4israel.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Living to find out about Project Embrace, which twins schools and synagogues with families of recent terror victims.

55) Israel Emergency Solidarity Fund - One Family
IESF-OneFamily was created in response to the ongoing tragedies affecting families and children in Israel caused by terrorism. The Fund promotes the long-term physical and emotional health, educational, housing, income maintenance and other needs of survivors and their families. We are a catalyst, knowledgeable grant maker, and responsible guardian

56) NAVAH
NAVAH distributes care packages, together with a monetary endowment from people around the world. This communicates to the victims of terror that many people from many countries are behind them during this most difficult time; that people care about them and pray for their recovery. Send cards and care packages through this organization

57) Twin with Israeli communities- Choose an Israeli community and contact them for ways you can connect and assist one another

58)  Support IDF soldiers- Friends of the Israel Defense Forces
Official website. How you can help! Includes an array of programs to benefit and connect with IDF soldiers: Adopt a Soldier, School Program, etc. Contact them about how to bring out a soldier to speak in your community

59) Help kid terror victims- Kids for Kids
Youth Organization for the Recovery of Young Victims of Terrorism.

60) Advocate.
Call the White House at (202) 456-1111 to encourage the Bush Administration to fully implement the Syrian Accountability and Lebanese Sovereignty and Restoration act. www.hillel.org/supportisrael.