When the sun sets this Friday night, the New Year begins on the Jewish calendar. What is typically a festive launch to the High Holidays of autumn will instead this year mark the start of a second lockdown across the State of Israel. As we all know, this has not been a typical year for anyone. Israel is no exception. COVID-19 cases have recently skyrocketed across the country, and Prime Minister Netanyahu returns this weekend from signing the Abraham Accords with the UAE and Bahrain in Washington D.C. Before the ink could dry on the new peace agreement—opening the door to a new way forward in the Middle East—Hamas pummeled southern Israel with yet another barrage of rockets. Between Coronavirus and Gaza’s stream of air artillery, Israel is in a nationwide state of emergency.
Israel Alliance International, the Israel division of FAI, is committed to serving Israelis through this unique and stressful holiday. We stand with the IDF, and will serve the soldiers running checkpoints as the country monitors threats of terrorism and enforces lockdown rules imposed by the Ministry of Health. With or without COVID-19, the IDF is on high alert against surrounding security threats, and many of the soldiers keeping the country safe are young Israelis fulfilling their mandatory army service. It is our privilege to serve them, even in small ways, to tell them we see them, their country sees them, and we are grateful for what they sacrifice to keep Israel safe.
