Responding to the Crisis in Israel and Gaza
Responding to the Crisis in Israel and Gaza: Support, Programs and Action
Find a place with our Bnai Keshet community to take action, learn, or offer support and comfort during this challenging time.
Read messages to the community from the rabbis and presidents
Our Hearts are with Israel
Holding Each Other as a Community
Responding To Silence and Rebuilding Relationships
Below is a list of opportunities and events If you have more ideas or would like to join this committee contact Mel Comerchero or Betsy Tessler.
To find out when the next Israel Committee meeting will be held, click here to visit the BK Calendar.
Coming Up and Ongoing:
Standing Together Video Screening & Discussion with Aaron Back
Tuesday, December 5, 2023 at 7:30pm
at Bnai Keshet, 99 S. Fullerton Ave, Montclair
Please join us for a video screening and discussion of a recent talk by two members of the national leadership of Standing Together, Sally Abed and Alon-Lee Green.
Standing Together is a grassroots movement mobilizing Jewish and Palestinian citizens of Israel in pursuit of shared society, peace, equality, and social justice.
Bring Them Home Fast
The Bring Them Home Fast is an ongoing, continuous Fast initiated by BK members to keep the fate of the hostages in our hearts and in public consciousness. It is both a powerful, personal way to connect with the suffering of the hostages in Gaza, and a public way to share that we are thinking of the hostages every day. We need volunteers to keep this going! Sign in here.
Support the Fast! Follow and share the Instagram page @BringThemHomeFast where each day the person Fasting and a different hostage are featured.
Questions? Email BringThemHomeFast@gmail.com
Current Issues in Israel with Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum of Congregation Beit Simchat Torah and guest experts.
- A four-part series via Zoom
- Sessions, Mondays, 6:15pm - 7:15pm
- Schedule: 11/20, 11/27, 12/11, 12/18
- Tuition is $220 for nonmembers / $36 for BK & CBST members
Complete the registration form as if you are a CBST member, but enter "Bnai Keshet Member" in the Additional Notes field at the bottom of the 2nd page of the form.
About the Series:
We know that many of you are seeing the ongoing, heartbreaking news from Israel and wishing you had more background in Israeli history, politics, social divisions, or activism to better understand what’s happening now and why. In four sessions, we’ll dive into some essential learning that will help you understand the current historical moment, with guest teachers. Absolutely no previous background necessary. Come with your questions!
Other engagement and community opportunities being developed
Ongoing work to bring the hostages home: Aya Izraely-Levi
Pursuing Interfaith Partnerships to learn more from each other, to work towards taking some kind of action together: Mel Comerchero or Betsy Tessler
Education/action with the kids in the BK Bet Midrash: Pia Kutten
Solution-focused work, advocating for a long-term solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: Craig Levine or Betsy Tessler
Hevruta/study or other programming, possibly starting with Israel-Palestine dual-narrative study: Yael Silverberg-Urian or Doni Remba
Curating a list of webinars and other info about the current situation: Mel Comerchero
Past Events
Tuesday, November 14th
March for Israel in Washington, DC
More information here.
Saturday and Sunday, November 18-19
The Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom Conference at Rutgers University
Bnai Keshet member, Roberta Elliott is the National President of Salaam Shalom. Rabbi Ariann will be teaching at the conference, and BK member, Magda Schayler-Haynes, is leading a workshop. Click here for more info about the Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom Conference.
Shevet B’Yachad (Sitting Together)
Monday, November 27th from 7:30pm - 9:30pm at Bnai Keshet
The events in Israel, Gaza, and the US since October 7th have elicited many deeply-felt emotions, such as sadness and pain about what happened, anxiety and fear about what the future may hold, and anger about reactions to these events by traditional allies. With this in mind, BK members will meet regularly in a safe, respectful, and non-judgmental environment to listen to and support each other's responses to and processing of unfolding events.
Mon, December 4 2023
21 Kislev 5784