Israel Update: January 10

Jan 11, 2024 | Article

Dear JEWISHcolorado community:

We want to share the following update on the war in Israel and the continued aftermath of the October 7 attacks. Our work continues to be focused on these two fronts, along with our day-to-day efforts of convening, connecting, investing, and protecting our Colorado Jewish community.

Monitoring Threats

We continue to monitor, with our partners at Secure Community Network, the ADL, and the FBI, the wave of false bomb threats targeted now at both Jewish and non-Jewish targets. For questions, please find contact information here for our Regional Security Advisors, Phil Niedringhaus and Kevin Farrington.

Antisemitic incidents in the United States have tripled in the three months since Oct. 7, compared to the same period a year ago, according to newly collected data from the Anti-Defamation League posing a threat level now unprecedented in modern history, based on incident tracking. According to the ADL Center on Extremism these 3,283 Antisemitic Incidents breakdown into the following categories:

60 incidents of Physical Assault, 553 incidents of Vandalism, 1,353 incidents of Verbal or Written Harassment, and 1,317 Rallies, including antisemitic rhetoric, expressions of support for terrorism against the state of Israel and/or anti-Zionism.
Of the total, at least 505 incidents took place on College Campuses, another 246 were reported in K-12 Schools, and at least 628 incidents were reported against Jewish Institutions such as Synagogues and Community Centers.

Supporting Israel

The Jewish Federations of North America Emergency Israel Campaign has now reached a donation total of $768 million system-wide; and has allocated over $282 million to a wide range of humanitarian organizations in Israel. JEWISHcolorado has raised $7.5 million, 80% of which supports the work of JFNA; the remainder is being allocated to our partner regions in Israel. So far, $1 million has been allocated to assist those displaced by the war and who are relocating in the Ramat HaNegev region.
JEWISHcolorado’s former Shaliach Itai Divinsky, who returned to Israel last summer after four years, has returned to service in the IDF. Formerly, Itai was a tank commander in the Israeli Defense Forces, but on what is now a defunct model of the equipment. He said, “Tanks are like bikes, and after four days, we were ready to join the forces on the front lines.” Today, Itai is a tank commander in a unit that is securing Israel’s border along the Northern Gaza Strip.

Itai Divinsky in a tank

Action Items – What You Can Do

Raise awareness for the 136 hostages still being held in Hamas captivity by taking part in the #RidetoBringThemHomeNow on January 14.
Take part in Shabbat of Love on January 19. #ShabbatofLove was created to embrace the Jewish people, by spreading love during one of the hardest times in our history. Join us as we set the table for the largest Shabbat dinner celebration in North American history. Visit shabbatoflove.org to learn how you can participate.
Watch and share the story of 35-year-old Uriel Baruch, husband of Racheli and father to two children, aged eight and five. He is a fan of techno music and is described by loved ones as “a beautiful soul.” He was last seen with a friend at the Supernova Music Festival on October 7th. There is still no trace of Uriel, who is presumed to have been taken to Gaza by Hamas terrorists. For three months Uriel’s family has not known whether he is dead or alive.
Follow JFNA on Instagram at @jfederations. They update their Israel at War Resources daily with social posts, reels, videos, and talking points. Follow JEWISHcolorado on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X, and follow our Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Give. Continue to support the Israel Emergency Fund.