From the streets of Gondor and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to absorption centers in Israel. From the absorption centers to cramped, hot bomb shelters in Northern Israel to the Hadassah Neurim Youth Village, near Netanya, Israel.

So came 250 Ethiopian kids – rescued from Ethiopia by the capacity of the Jewish Federation system and today, rescued from the peril of Hezbollah rockets by the Jewish Federation system – and made safe by the combined efforts of Hadassah and the Jewish Agency for Israel.

I have never been so proud of what we do as a community and as a people than today when I saw these kids happily playing soccer, using my digital camera to take photos and chatting away. Hezbollah tried to take their dreams away -- we helped get them back.

Today, the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston has opened up a mailbox to receive contributions for an Israel Crisis Fund. The cost of bringing these kids, and hundreds of others, to safety in central and southern Israel is mounting – and with uncertainty as to the needs in the coming days, the costs will continue to rise. The national Jewish Federation system has already contributed one million dollars; we have committed $25,000 toward that effort.

ELSEWHERE IN ISRAEL

I talked yesterday with Dani Fessler, the head of the Leo Baeck School in Haifa – our community has enjoyed a long and meaningful relationship with the school. Yesterday, Dani found himself in a bomb shelter as rockets rained on Haifa. Despite this horror, Dani was upbeat as usual and concerned about Leo Baeck students and the teens participating in the Mickey Leland Kibbutz Program, now on the ground in Israel. Our thoughts and prayers are with Dani, his family and all of those associated with the Leo Baeck School – one of the premier institutions serving the people of Israel.

On Tuesday, we will make a solidarity visit to Yoseftal/Dado to express our support and partnership with our friends of more than 25 years.

Reports from friends across Israel indicate unprecedented world wide support for Israel’s response to the unprovoked attack on its soldiers and citizens. With a window of opportunity now open, Israel intends to eliminate the threat from Hezbollah once and for all.

AND IN HOUSTON

A service of solidarity and support for Israel will be held on Thursday, July 20 at 7:15 pm at Congregation Beth Israel on North Braeswood. I hope you and your family will make plans to attend. I will be in Israel and look forward to hearing about the amazing response of our community to this unprecedented crisis.

SOME PERSONAL REFLECTIONS

Friends, most of you know that I have had the privilege and joy of traveling to Israel many, many times. I have been here during good times and bad. I made several trips here during the worst times of the intifada – when daily suicide bombings killed and maimed thousands of Israelis and decimated tourism. Now, I found myself here during one of the worst crises in recent history – when the rockets of Hezbollah are falling in cities, towns and villages across Northern Israel – reluctantly, I cancelled plans to travel to the Galilee and have remained in the relative safety of Jerusalem. That decision reflects the reality of marshal law being declared and directives for tourists to stay in the central and southern part of the country.

As this crisis continues, at least for another few days based on expert opinion, we must stand in solidarity with Israel – with our thoughts, prayers and demonstration of support. We have a shared destiny with the people and the State of Israel – their future is our future, their fate is our fate – let us stand tall and be with them in their time of need.

We can be proud of what Israel has accomplished in just 58 short years. Let us be proud of their decision to defeat the forces of terrorism – as a threat to Israel and a threat to the entire civilized world.

Am Yisrael Chai!! The People of Israel live!!"