From Rabbi Eger, July 28, 2006
Dear Kol Ami community,
Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem. The city is preparing for Shabbat as the last minutes of the afternoon close. Jerusalem is quieter this Friday afternoon. Most summer tourist have deserted Israel after more than two weeks of nonstop rockets and missiles that have rained down upon the Gallilee and Israel's northern cities. Hezbollah is ruthless and the conventional wisdom here in Israel is that Syria and Iran are calling the shots. (They supply Hezbollah with rockets, missiles, arms and money.)
Most Israelis in the north of the country have spent the last two weeks in bomb shelters. Others have gone south to stay with family and friends in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Beer Sheva and Eilat where life goes on far away from the katusha rockets' range, but where one eye is always on the television watching the news.
As injuries and the death toll mounts and soldiers are being called up to their units, the country hunkers down. It is especially hard on the children in the bomb shelters for hours and days on end.
People here in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv are grateful we have stayed on. Israel is always a magical place. For those who have traveled with me before here, our friend's Russell and Avi, tour guides Rafi and Sherri all send their greetings.
Although the Parade part of World Pride was cancelled, other activities will still take place. So those who were planning to come should do so. As long as you are not traveling to the Gallilee or Haifa area things are relatively business as usual.
Israel needs our support more than ever as do the people of Israel. Don't believe everything you are hearing on CNN because it is not the whole picture. They have conveniently forgotten that Hezbollah and Hamas have worked together to pull Israel into this conflict and that this is another way that Iran (who funds both Hamas and Hezbollah) wants to distract the world from its own work to build a nuclear bomb and to get at the U.S. through Israel.
On this Shabbat your prayers for peace for Israel and her neighbors is essential. Take a few moments to focus your heart toward Jerusalem and offer a prayer for shalom and salaam. Peace to all.
Peace for Israel and protection and safety for those who live within her borders. Pray for healing for those injured in Israel and Lebanon and pray for comfort to those who mourn.
God, who makes peace in the heavens above, make peace for us and for aIl of Israel. Oseh shalom bimromav Hu yaaseh shalom aleinu v'al kol Yisrael. V'imru Amen.
And let us say Amen.
Shabbat Shalom,
Rabbi Denise L. Eger
Posted by Lee at August 2, 2006 05:11 PM
