Dear South Jersey Jewish Community,
Recent days have seen significant clashes between Palestinian protestors and Israeli security forces. The violence has escalated as Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza have fired hundreds of rockets at Israeli cities and towns. Over the last hour, at least 60 rockets have been aimed at Tel Aviv, Herzilya, Ra'anana, Ramat Gan, and Bnei Brak. Initial reports indicate that there are casualties.
Please read here for the latest full update from the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) from earlier this morning.
We stand in solidarity with the people of Israel who are under attack right now from Hamas. The continuous rocket attacks against the civilians of Israel have left hundreds of people injured. Calls for restraint, condemnation of violence, and actionable measures to de-escalate the situation are necessary at this time to prevent the crisis from metastasizing further.
We appreciate the U.S. State Department's condemnation of Hamas rocket fire and call on the American and international community to do all that they can to stop these attacks immediately. We pray for a speedy recovery of the injured and express our full solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Israel.
Finally, we recognize that images of violence in Jerusalem, especially during Yom Yerushalayim and Ramadan, are painful to both Jews and Muslims. We pray for days when our holiest sites are known only for the peace that dwells in their midst.
We will continue to provide updates as developments unfold on our Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) website at jcrcsnj.org/israelupdate and on social media.
If you have any questions, please contact Sabrina Spector, JCRC Associate Director, at sspector@jfedsnj.org.
