Dear Moishe House Family,

As we approach three weeks of the war in Israel, we continue to pray for those who have family members who lost their lives, those who have been injured, the safe return of the hostages, and all the people of Israel.

We’ve been able to stay in touch with our staff, community members and alumni throughout Israel, including our 11 current residents and MHWOW hosts who are serving in the army. They’ve been encouraged by messages of love and support from the global Moishe House family as they volunteer, serve and care for each other however they can as the war continues.

Amidst the heartache and pain that continues, we’re inspired by the work our Moishe House community builders and Base rabbis have been doing on the ground in Israel and throughout the rest of the world. We’re seeing the power of community come to life and we couldn’t be prouder of their resilience and strength to lead their peers in this challenging time. In the past week in Israel:

  • Moishe House Ramat Gan RSJ rallied to support Lone Soldiers. What began as a day of fundraising and supply collection, quickly grew to 15,000 shekels in donations and three days of service thanks to the community’s overwhelming generosity and desire to help however they can. Donations came in from the local Moishe House community, friends, and even Moishe Houses in Russia and Georgia. The residents were able to purchase essential clothing, food, and medical suppliesfor the Lone Soldiers actively serving in the war.  Hannah, a resident of Moishe House Ramat Gan RSJ, expressed her gratitude and surprise at the outpouring of support, “The donations came every 10 minutes, we were not expecting such a response! We just wanted to buy something from our personal funds and the funds of our close friends, whowere afraid to leave their homes but wanted to participate. Suddenly it became something bigger.”
  • Jerusalem Young Family Pod got together to cook meals for a base full of hungry soldiers.
  • MHWOW host, Yevheniia Vodolzska, organized volunteers to assist at a local hospital in Ramat Gan.
  • MHWOW host, Niki Forman has been hosting events for people whose spouses are serving in the IDF and most recently organized an arts and crafts day for parents and their children in Jerusalem.
  • Moishe House Tel Aviv, even in the midst of sirens, welcomed 20 people into their home to celebrate Shabbat.

Our community builders all over the world are stepping up in this moment to be a light for their communities and provide support to Israel – even from afar:

  • Moishe Pod Milan visited their local Jewish retirement home to garden with the residents – potting and planting seeds for new life to grow.
  •  Moishe Houses in Boston came together to volunteer at the Israeli American Council center to package supplies and write cards for the IDF.
  • MHWOW host, Joel Croft, hosted a community solidarity shabbat and a therapeutic “puppy playtime” where his community enjoyed the therapeutic benefits of playing with puppies in Washington, D.C.
  • Base Denver held a vigil and processing space about the War, offering clergy-supported pastoral care for the 43 community members in attendance

 

On November 3rd, we are inviting Moishe House communities around the world to host their own Shabbat Kehillah. We hope this will be a moment for our communities to come together to feel the strength of our global community and hold space in solidarity for those who were taken hostage.

 

 

 

We hope that you find space and time to be together with your community, wherever you are this Shabbat.

Shabbat Shalom,
-Your Moishe House Mishpacha (family)