July/August 2024

Our Hebrew calendar brings, each summer, a season of profound sadness, tragedy and grief (The Nine Days, The Three Weeks, The Fast of Seventeen Tammuz and The Ninth of Av). We are repeatedly reminded of the terrible cost to our people due to the lack of sovereignty and independence.

The very walls of Jerusalem were destroyed by enemies. Our temples and entire communities were wiped out, uprooted and exiled on The Ninth of Av. This evoked the most astonishing display of the resilience of our people who endured and flourished in spite of centuries of persecution at the hands of "great world religions" throughout the empires of the Western World. Everywhere, our people endured "second-class citizenship - at best"; forced conversions prevailed.

Somehow, through sheer determination, we have survived.

Our most cherished traditions kept us alive in the most dire of circumstances. Throughout most of history, our people were victimized and oppressed at a whim; with no consequences.
Today, violence against our people will not be tolerated.

The State of Israel will prosper and not be vanquished. Sovereignty over our homeland must be supported with our gifts and guarantees that our people remain - fully committed to a strong, secure State of Israel - projecting the lessons of perseverance and sovereignty.

AM YISRAEL CHAI!