For the past few weeks, Israel has been under hard times.  Since Israel’s complete withdrawal from the Gaza strip in 2005, Hamas’s rocket fire has yet to end.  The situation developed to the point where Israel’s government, currently still under the leadership of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, decided to take military action.  In the midst of this, we must also remember that IDF soldier Gilad Shalit is still being held captive in Gaza, as he has been for over two years. 

Chicago’s Partnership 2000 region, Kiryat Gat, is well within the range of enemy fire, making this time especially difficult for our community.

In response to these difficulties, though, there are many projects happening inside Israel to help the country through.  Here are a few of them:

The Weizmann Institute opened its doors to children dealing with trauma for a day of science projects and fun in a calm environment.

Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency ambulance service, continues to save lives, regardless of race, religion, or national origin.

A group of ultra-orthodox women in Israel are becoming the programmers for a system that will make Palestinian hospitals more efficient.

And there’s so much more.  If you are looking for a way to get involved, check out what the Jewish Federation of Chicago is doing, or create your own project.  Let us know what you did, and we’ll post it to ClubIsrael.org. 

We all can do our part to see a true and lasting peace for the entire region.

Thursday, December 11th marks the 900th day that Gilad Shalit has been held captive in the Gaza strip.  His abduction, followed shortly after by the abductions of Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev, spurred the Second War in Lebanon in 2006.  To the best of anyone’s knowledge, Shalit is still alive.

Below is a video featuring middle-schoolers in New York reading the English language version of a book called “When the Shark and the Fish First Met,” a story that Shalit wrote when he was a boy.  Shorashim’s Club Israel has used this book on many occasions to teach Shalit’s story and raise awareness for him and all the missing soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces.