Michael Balaban
President & CEO
Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
OUR WORK TO DATE
Philly Stands With Israel
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The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia announced a fundraising goal of $10.025 million for urgent humanitarian needs. 100% of the money raised in this goal will go to Israel.
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As of October 20, 2023, due to our wonderful community, we have raised $8.3 million. We have distributed over $1.3 million to help Netivot and Sdot Negev residents and other communities with basic needs, emergency equipment for volunteer first responders, bomb shelters, supplies for the bomb shelters, and more. You can see our emergency allocations here.
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A team of 23 Emergency Volunteer Project American firefighters deployed this week to Israel, thanks to the support of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. To these brave volunteers, we thank you for your service as you protect our Jewish homeland from terrorism.
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On October 19, Philadelphia City Council passed Resolution 23076 to condemn Hamas’ terrorist attacks against Israel. The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia extends its gratitude to Councilmembers Kenyatta Johnson and Mike Driscoll, and to the entire Philadelphia City Council. We also thank the Jewish Federation’s JCRC Director Jason Holtzman and JCRC Chair Danielle Weiss for speaking to the council about the importance of passing this resolution. Learn more here.
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Sdot Negev and Netivot are the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia’s partnership regions. They border Gaza, which is the epicenter of the conflict, and have been hotspots of an onslaught of terror.
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Right now, disinformation about Israel and Hamas is spreading on social media. These are tactics of the war against Israel’s legitimacy, are methods of dehumanizing the Jewish people, and are part of broader efforts to sow divisions in our society. Learn how to fight back online at jewishphilly.org/disinformation.
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Nearly 5,000 people attended our Solidarity March from City Hall and Rally at Independence National Historical Park on October 16. Greater Philadelphia is one of over 120 communities that have held solidarity gatherings. Click here to watch this powerful video.
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You can learn about events and opportunities to support Israel that are happening in your community and other resources by clicking here.
FROM THE HOME FRONT IN ISRAEL
News from Jewish Federation Partners on the Ground
According to Israel’s Ministry of Health, 309 people injured in the October 7 attacks are still hospitalized. Of these, 80 are in serious condition, 159 are in moderate condition, and 70 are in good condition. A total of 4,629 injured individuals have been treated at hospitals around the country from the terror strikes.
The IDF has also updated its figures and now says that 203 people were kidnapped into Gaza, and 306 soldiers have been confirmed killed.
Funerals continue for many of the 1400 Israelis killed by Hamas:
- On October 18, a bittersweet wedding took place for Yonatan Perez, the son of the head of the World Mizrachi Movement, Rabbi Doron Perez. Yonatan’s brother Daniel, a tank commander, has been missing since taking part in the battles of October 7. The groom, Yonatan, was also involved in the fighting. Heeding the call of his commander, he hurried to the south where he is being hailed as a hero for taking part in the rescue of some 20 women soldiers. During the four-hour battle when he was shot in the leg, Yonatan also killed numerous terrorists. See more here.
- Read here and watch an interview with the parents of a 19-year old woman missing since the fighting began, when she served as a soldier on a base in the south.
- JK Rowling, the famed author of the Harry Potter series, has posted on social media, paying respects to a 12-year-old girl on the autism spectrum (and Harry Potter fan) who was murdered alongside her grandmother, by Hamas terrorists on October 7. See here.
- In a heartbreaking report, the Israeli milk bank has been active in providing breast milk to babies who were orphaned by the massacre, whose mothers were kidnapped or injured as well as mothers deployed by the IDF.
- See here the difficult story of nine relatives living in Kibbutz Be'eri who were all kidnapped by Hamas during the attacks.
- In this story from TIME Magazine, read about how the family and friends of Vivian Silver (currently being held hostage by Hamas), hold on to the memory of her work for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
- See here for a list of the names of those murdered that have been released so far, and here for a site in Hebrew with the names and photos of fallen soldiers.
Once again, there was no rocket fire from Gaza overnight, and overall sirens have decreased significantly. Despite this, among other barrages, there have been rocket attacks on Tel Aviv every evening for four straight days. On October 18, Hamas held its fire for the duration of the Biden trip. As soon as the Presidential visit was over, Hamas launched a barrage of rockets at Israel’s center including Tel Aviv and the coastal region.
As mentioned on October 18, there are still some terrorists believed to be hiding out or moving around Israel, probably in the south. One terrorist was apprehended on October 19 trying to make his way back into the Gaza Strip.
For infographics with the latest numbers from the conflict, see here.
There has been a gradual return to in-person schooling, with additional schools resuming in safer areas in Israel on October 19. Areas around the Gaza Strip and also near the Lebanese border remain closed military zones, to which entry by civilians is prohibited.
In the North, Hezbollah continues to hit Israel, in sporadic attacks. The IDF struck Hezbollah military targets in response, including an observation post near the coast where anti-tank missiles were launched toward Rosh Hanikra on Wednesday (see footage here). Hezbollah said that it conducted seven attacks directed at Israeli territory on October 18, including anti-tank missile attacks and shooting at soldiers and surveillance equipment. It also confirmed that three of its members were killed in those incidents.
Israeli Response
The IDF says it destroyed hundreds of Hamas sites in the last 24 hours as of October 19, including anti-tank missile launch sites, tunnel shafts, intelligence infrastructure, terror leaders, and various command centers. See video images of the strikes here.
Among those terrorists killed was Jamila al-Shanti, the widow of Hamas co-founder Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi and the first woman elected to the terror group’s political bureau. (Rantisi was killed in 2004 by an Israeli airstrike during the Second Intifada). In 2021, Al-Shanti became the first woman elected to the Hamas political bureau, its highest decision-making body.
In separate strikes, the IDF also killed the head of the military wing of Gaza’s Popular Resistance Committees terror group, Rafat Abu Hilal, as well as more than ten members of Hamas’s “Nukhba Commando Forces,” who led the October 7 massacres.
See here for a video message, in English, by the IDF Chief of Staff Hertzi Halevi.
Egypt announced the creation of a “sustainable” passage of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing, as hundreds of aid trucks wait at the border. This is apparently as a result of an agreement brokered between Israel, Egypt and the United States. U.S. President Biden praised the Egyptian and Israeli governments for “stepping up” and reaching a deal. Aid is likely to begin to flow tomorrow.
Despite Israel producing concrete proof (see here) that it was an Islamic Jihad misfired rocket that hit close to a Palestinian hospital on Tuesday night, many around the world continue to question this narrative, pointing a finger of blame at an Israeli air strike. See more here. See also this video message on this issue from the IDF Spokesperson.
IDF tanks assembling at the border with Gaza ahead of a potential ground invasion have been equipped with anti-drone “cages,” similar to those used in the Russia-Ukraine War, according to a report in The Washington Post. The Post published images showing Israeli vehicles with modified coverings whose purpose is to protect soldiers inside from any explosives dropped from drones, presumably a lesson learned by Israel from observing developments during the war in Ukraine.
The beginnings of discussions are starting to take place about long-term scenarios for the Gaza Strip. One of the options being contemplated is for Israel to dismantle Hamas and its infrastructure and then to establish a temporary civilian-international governing structure for Gaza for 5-10 years before the area can be turned over to local leadership or the Palestinian Authority. See more on this issue here.
Efforts On The Ground
Israelis of all stripes have come together to support soldiers and bolster morale in the country, many sharing inspiring tales. See this video of a reserve soldier and his message of “just do good.”
See this photo of a Druze woman who closed her Dalyat-el-Carmel restaurant (called “Nora’s Kitchen”) to volunteer to cook and serve food to reserve soldiers called up to serve on the front.
This wedding was scheduled for on October 19 but was postponed after the groom was drafted. His friends decided to surprise him and made arrangements for the bride to come to their camp near Gaza.
And watch this moving tribute to Israel by surfers in San Diego.
The World Zionist Organization (WZO) has launched a campaign whereby non-Israelis who own homes in Israel can allow those properties to be used by victims who have lost their residences, as well as families evacuated from the south. The WZO will take responsibility to ensure that the properties are returned to their owners in the condition in which they were given. See details here.
NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak arrived in Israel on October 19 on a solidarity mission. He told Prime Minister Netanyahu that “we absolutely support Israel to defend itself in line with international law, to go after Hamas, to take back hostages, to deter further incursions, and to strengthen your security for the long term.”
Sunak added, “I know you are taking every precaution to avoid harming civilians, in direct contrast to the terrorists of Hamas, which seek to put civilians in harm’s way. We also recognize that the Palestinian people are victims of Hamas too. I am proud to stand here with you in Israel’s darkest hour as your friend. We will stand with you in solidarity, we will stand with your people, and we also want you to win.”
Following U.S. President Biden’s visit to Israel on October 18, he is expected to request $14 billion in emergency aid to Israel from Congress today.
- Another shipment of military supplies has arrived in Israel from the U.S., in the form of armored vehicles. See video footage of the arrival here.
- A U.S. Navy warship traveling near Yemen intercepted multiple projectiles yesterday. The missiles, according to Israeli media citing the Pentagon, were launched at Israel.
- Also, in an affirmation of Israel’s stated goals, US State Department Matthew Miller said that the Jewish state’s position that Hamas must be ousted from Gaza is “appropriate.”
- Thousands of pro-Israel demonstrators held a rally in New York’s Times Square, calling for the release of the Hamas-held hostages. A number of speakers addressed the event remotely, including US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and New York Mayor Eric Adams.
Evidence has come to light that the Hamas terrorists used some North Korean weapons during their October 7 invasion. North Korea has repeatedly denied that it sells weapons to Hamas. See more here.
Saudi Arabian Prince Turki Al-Faisal issued a surprising statement condemning Hamas for the attack on Israel, saying this attack contravened the rules of Islam. He said Islam does not allow the killing of women, children and the elderly. At the same time, he also said that all occupied people have the right to fight against occupation.
The BBC has published an apology for broadcasting that Israel had struck a hospital in Gaza earlier in the week.
- Israel has produced overwhelming evidence that the rocket was fired by the Islamic Jihad terrorist group.
- Meanwhile, it is emerging that the number of deaths at the hospital was grossly misrepresented according to reports from a number of US intelligence sources as well as European news sources. Hamas said that 471 people were killed at the hospital; but foreign independent intelligence sources claimed instead that the number was under 50.
A CNN poll, conducted October 12-13, found that over two-thirds of American respondents believe the Israeli military response in Gaza was either “fully justified” (50%) or “partially justified” (20%). Even among Democrats, the support for Israeli military countermeasures was nearly as high: Thirty-eight percent said they would be “fully justified,” while 30% said they would be partially justified. Nearly three out of four respondents (71%) feel “a lot of sympathy” with Israelis, while 41% say the same about the Palestinians.
Meanwhile, some 76% of respondents in a new Quinnipiac poll think supporting Israel is in the national interest of the United States — including 84% of Republicans, 76% of Democrats and 74% of independents. Only 20% of Americans said that America was “too supportive” of Israel — with the greatest degree of opposition (30%) centered among the youngest voters aged 18-34.
JTA has produced the following updates about how the war is affecting Jewish communities outside of North America:
Jewish Federations
Already, through our national efforts with the Jewish Federation system, we have allocated over $50 million to 20 organizations providing emergency relief and support in Israel, including the Jewish Agency for Israel, JDC, World ORT, Israel Trauma Coalition, United Hatzalah, Magen David Adom, ZAKA, Barzilai Medical Center, and the Soroka Medical Center. These funds are being put to a slew of immediate and urgent needs, such as medical care, emergency services, evacuation, transport, housing, supporting victims of terror, trauma relief and psychological support, as well as preparing for medium- and long-term needs.
The announcement follows a gathering of major philanthropists and community leaders in Washington, DC, who also participated in the "Unity in Crisis" event Federations co-hosted alongside the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, AIPAC, AJC, the ADL, among others. See more here.
The Community Mobilization Center is monitoring major developments in Israel and North America related to Israel’s war to defend herself against Hamas, and will rapidly disseminate resources to help mobilize and support our local communities as they work to build and sustain civic and political support for Israel in this conflict. Read the latest communication from the Community Mobilization Center here.
Our Israel Office, having activated emergency protocols, is working closely with our partners on the ground, and is in close contact with the Government of Israel and the IDF. We will continue to update as the situation develops.
Click here to subscribe to these emergency Israel emails.
