7 Things You Can Do for Israel Now
Help by taking an action from this list, and by sharing it with family, friends and colleagues
Amid the growing threat from the North, our hearts and thoughts are with our brothers and sisters in Israel during these challenging times.
It has been many months that our heroic IDF soldiers are on the front lines, combatting the terrorists and doing their utmost to bring back the hostages.
In this critical time, we all ask:
What can I do for Israel? How can I help my brothers and sisters in the Holy Land?
There is much we can do, no matter how distant we are geographically.
The Torah teaches us (and history has repeatedly demonstrated to us) that the physical protection of each one of us — and, indeed, our very collective destiny! — is intrinsically connected to our spiritual activism.
When we pray or dedicate a good deed to our brothers and sisters in Israel, we create a spiritual defense shield for them that will help them through difficult and dangerous times.
In that vein, we’ve gathered some of the directives that the Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson of righteous memory, shared with the Jewish people worldwide during other times of challenge; positive action we can each take for Israel and its people.
Here goes:
1. Put on Tefillin
What it is: Before the outbreak of the 1967 war, the Rebbe prompted a spiritual “call to arms” to encourage Jewish males to don the holy heart-and-mind connectors known as tefillin, whose spiritual potency is foretold in the Talmud to help instill fear and deterrence in the enemy.
What to do: Help every Jewish man and boy over the age of 13 to put on tefillin today, and every weekday.
Links: Want to learn how to put on tefillin? Check out this tutorial. Don't have tefillin or seek the personal touch? Contact your local Chabad rabbi or visit a trusted Judaica source. (There a couple to choose from here. too.) Watch the Rebbe explain the power of tefillin.
2. Share the Power of Light
What it is: While this is a once-a-week mitzvah, its power lasts for an entire seven days. Lighting Shabbat and holiday candles ushers light and peace into the home and the world.
What to do: Encourage every Jewish woman and girl to light Shabbat candles every Friday before the onset of Shabbat and on the eve of Jewish holidays.
Links: Learn how to light Shabbat candles, find out what time the candles should be lit, read stories and discover the power of bringing more light into the world. Watch the Rebbe discuss the redemptive power of Shabbat candles.
3. Check Your (Spiritual) Security System
What it is: Called the “guard” of the Jewish home and the guardian of the Jewish people throughout the ages, the mezuzah is a parchment scroll containing sacred portions of the Torah that is hung on the right side of the doorpost to a Jewish home. They are also affixed on most doorposts within the home.
What to do: Do you have mezuzahs on and in your home? This is a good time have them checked to make sure they are still in tiptop shape. (It is best to check your mezuzahs annually, and at least twice every seven years.) If you don’t have mezuzahs, or are missing on some doors, now is the time to get up to snuff.
Links: Learn all about mezuzahs, how to affix them, and how and why to check them. Watch the Rebbe discuss the protective power of mezuzah.
4. Pray
What it is: The power of prayer. Our ability to reach the gates of heaven and plead with the Almighty to make things better.
What to do: Dedicate a daily prayer for our brethren in Israel. Psalms are especially appropriate for times like this. But feel free to go off-script and speak to G‑d directly in your own words, too. While praying, keep in mind those who were injured in the attacks, the families of the victims, and those taken hostage, in addition to all of Israel. The prayer of children is considered to be particularly potent.
Links: Psalms for Times of Distress
Links: Watch the Rebbe discuss the potency of children's prayer in a time like this.
5. Be Financially Supportive
What it is: Give charity! The protective strength of charity is considered to be particularly strong. Consider in part also an Israel-based charity.
What to do: Chabad's Terror Victims Project and Colel Chabad are two of the many worthy organizations doing this holy work. Watch the Rebbe discuss the special protective power of charity for Israel.
6. Nurture Your Faith
What it is: What kept us going for thousands of years. Amid all crises, the faith and knowledge that G‑d is with us and protects us.
What you can do: Reach into yourself to find your innate faith. Learn about it. Speak to your family and friends about it. Gather them around your dining room table at home or the water cooler at work, and speak about our faith in G‑d and His bond with every one of us. Engender confident trust that He will guard us, and especially in His holy land.
Reach out to friends and family in Israel, or even to strangers on Facebook. Tell them that you are one with them, about the mitzvahs you’re doing in their honor, and that you are sure that they will prevail.
7. Join the Unity Torah Scroll
What it is: The Torah is the common denominator that unites all Jewish people. Special Torah scrolls are being written in Israel, in which every single Jewish person may purchase a letter to become part of the Torah and unite together. Besides for fulfilling (at least in part) the Biblical commandment to write a Torah scroll, having a letter in these scrolls connects you and Jewish people all over the globe, in Israel and the diaspora, into one Torah-created unified entity.
What you can do: Purchase letters for yourself and your family members, and encourage others to do the same.
Links: For children, fill out this form to purchase letters (for a symbolic $1) in the special Torah for all Jewish children under bar- or bat-mitzvah age. To purchase letters for Jews of all ages in a general unity Torah, click here. Watch the Rebbe discuss the unifying power of purchasing a letter in the Torah.
Spread the Message!
What it is: If one deed is powerful, many deeds have an even greater impact.
What to do: Forward this information to your friends. Post it on Facebook, Twitter or any other social media. Print this list and hang it in your workplace.
Let us pray together for our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land.
Join the Discussion
I support you from the depth of my heart.
It occurred to me to ask. this question to the internet
I glad to find this site. Reading the seven ways I can help Israel and my many brothers and sisters there I propose to do this thank you.
Israelites people are there as one of the proof that G-d is there and whoever want to wipe them out is of the evil
My thoughts go out to the hostages and to their families. I think it's safe to say that having to celebrate holidays without loved ones is brutal, regardless of whether or not a person is of the tribe. I encourage you all to add an extra candle to your Shabbat Yom Tov setup for them. We need all the light we can get in this dark time. Shana Tova to all!
I PRAY EVERY DAY FOR ISRAEL . IT IS NECESSARY TO SUPORT ISRAEL NOW AND EVER BECAUSE OF THE LIGHT HE GAVE AND HE GIVES TO THE WORLD. ISRAEL IS A PEACEFUL, A SHALOM COUNTRY, ALWAYS WITH GOD, AND MANY OF THE GOIM, WE FEEL VERY MUCH UNITED WITH THE PEOPLE OF TSION, AND WE DEDICATE OUR SALMS FOR THE BRAVE JAILIM, AND THE LIBERATION OFTHE JATUFIM. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
Israël the Light of the World have to shine, always.
"Yom Kippur. The holy Zohar (parashat Noach) states that even if the people in only one synagogue did complete teshuva on Yom Kippur, then all of the Jewish People would be immediately redeemed! "
We say in davening hamevorech es amo Yisrael BASHOLOM . When we have peace in the family,peace in the community,and treat each other with Avhavas Yisrael we will be worthy of Hashem’s blessings.
I believe the Rebbe said that one powerful thing we can do is to say 3 chapters of tehillim for Eretz Yisrael daily, including chapter 150.
The best thing you can do for Israel is to move to Israel. Imagine if every single Jew of the diaspora made aliyah: it would strengthen Israel in all areas- materially, spiritually, everything.
Amen!
HaShem is merciful and gracious, may He continue to protect Israel and our fellow brethren around the world. May Mashiaj come in our time and United all Jerusalem...Zion will prevail.
You forgot the most important one. Trust in Hashem, as it says it psalm 146. "Do not rely on nobles, nor on a human being for he holds no salvation.
When his spirit departs he returns to his earth, on that day all his plans perish. Praiseworthy is one whose help is Jacob's G-d, whose hope is in Hashen, his G'd.
Omein!
They didn’t forget that one. That’s number 6, it’s about having so faith and trust in Hashem.
In response to Ivan: Glory to Hashem, Amen
Living in Israel My husband and I live in. Israel. We left Arizona USA and have been here in Israel since 2014 of August. People here where we are in Northern Israel are friendly and helpful more than the USA. We have all my husbands family here.
Hello, I live in Bothell, WA north of Seattle. I am a Christian and have never been to Israel though I was planning to do so in 2020, but then travel got cancelled. I have learned a little about the geography of Israel over the past year. One morning as I woke up I felt impressed "pray for Kiryat Shmona" I'm not exactly sure where you are but I did pray for protection, safety, peace. Blessings to all of Israel, may you indwell all the land promised to you according to the Scriptures. It is a privilege and blessing to love the things and people G-d loves and to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
May G-d bless His people Israel. May He keep you in His peace and surround you with His protection. My prayers are with you.
Amen i am praying for the peace of Jerusalem and for protection for the Jewish people i love the Jewish people
G-D bless israel May G-D bless Israel and her people. Allow peace and safety come to Israel and the Jewish people throughout the world. May spiritual protection be with Israel and the IDF in their mission to protect the holy land. G-D bless you all!
G d will always know the answer. Have faith and pray for peace. We are all one mankind
So be kind to each other
I believe that Hashem is mine and our God and He will porform what we daven for. All Jews, lets daven and make our religion stand out! Come on Israel!
I always pray for the goodness and peace in Israel. I believe that there is no other gods other than in Israel. My family supports Israel. Jewish people are good and kind. May the Holy One, blessed is He, grants you peace oh Jewish people.
From Philippines
I love the holy land
May God protect every innocent life
My house stands with hashem! Ma6 he bless and keep all of Isreal.
Long live jewish people. Long live Judaism. The chosen people are justice, and they will get the final triumph. I support Israel only, because I support jewish people only.