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The recent events have been among the most devastating for the Jewish community since the Holocaust. The loss of over 1000 lives, with 2,800+ injured and many more missing or kidnapped, is enough to make you sick to your stomach. But you should understand Israel is and will remain strong. Also, know the enemy. They are not a regular army. They are war criminals whose goal is to slaughter as many Israeli citizens as possible.

Given these challenges, our community must rally together and bolster support for Israel.

Here’s some advice to make that happen.

Advocate for Israel Online:

Engage positively on social platforms. Focus on promoting unity and solidarity with Israel and peace. That is what is most needed. Our fight is not with the citizens of Gaza but against Hamas terrorists. When discussing the people who attacked Israel, make sure not to call them Muslims or Palestinians. They are Hamas or terrorists.

Make sure you are sharing accurate information. Consider it a lie unless you heard it from the IDF or the Israeli government. Even if you read it in a trusted newspaper, understand that Hamas plants fake news stories for propaganda. Sometimes, reporters make false statements. MSNBC reporter Ayman Mohyeldin once told an anti-Israel lie so blatant that host Jose Diaz’ Balar pointed out his lie on air.

Make sure anything you post is proofread. Any claims need to be sourced or hot-linked.

In these difficult times, we must unite as a community and support Israel stronger and smarter than ever.

 One Person Can Make A Difference

Don’t feed the trolls. Avoid confrontations with fervent anti-Zionists. You can’t change their minds, so it isn’t worth your time. Advocates for solidarity with Israel know who and why Israel is fighting. Beware of moral equivalence. One often heard is, “Israel has killed citizens of Gaza, even some children. That is a true but inaccurate statement.

Hamas is a terrorist organization trying to massacre Israelis. Israel is a democracy trying to defend itself against a terrorist organization.

Israeli airplane technology is designed to pinpoint bombings to military locations. Not everything is perfect; sometimes, there is collateral damage, and civilians are injured or killed. Israel does not see that as a cause for celebration. Hamas targets civilians, particularly women, old people, and little kids. When they kill those people, it’s on purpose. For Hamas terrorists, it is acceptable to rape women they kidnap. Sometimes, when they find a female corpse, she is stripped naked, put in the back of a pickup truck so everyone can see, and drive her through town so the crowd will spit on her naked body and cheer. If G-D forbids an Israeli was caught doing any of the above, they would be imprisoned for a long time.

It’s always great to have support, so seek allies. Talk to your non-Jewish friends and colleagues. Explain the situation respectfully and calmly. Don’t assume they know all the details or are as passionate about Israel as you are.

Reach Out to Organizations and media. Contact organizations, media outlets, and schools. Explain the conflict with moderation; we need the world to react, not push away a fierce conversation.

Lead a letter-writing campaign to your Senators or Congressional reps. Believe it or not, the more letters a member of Congress gets, the more likely they are to support Israel. Give your letter writers a list of points to include, but don’t provide a form letter for everyone to use. Form letters indicate a lack of thought or lack of care for solidifying or changing minds about Israel’s defensive efforts. Congressional and Senate aides tend to be smart, they will recognize a pile of form letters in a nanosecond. (NOTE: Israel is not retaliating. She is taking defensive action to protect her citizens).

Reach out to family and friends. Knowing how a political opinion can ruin a family get-together, Start by explaining that support of Israel isn’t a political issue. Conversationally, give them the hows and whys behind Israel’s defensive actions. Make sure they understand what is going on. If they seem to be agreeing with you, bring out the passion. Try to close the deal. See if you can convince them to get involved with a pro-Israel effort or even donate to a legitimate charity effort. Not an effort for Israel in general but charities directed to the Kibbutzim in southern Israel that have borne the brunt of the terrorist attacks;

Remember to keep current with the news of the war. Gobble up every piece of news you can find, providing the news medium is accurate. Remember, if it isn’t confirmed with or if it disagrees with reports from the IDF or the Israeli govt, don’t pass it along. Even if you found it in a favorite media vehicle.

Stay informed through official news sources; avoid spreading fake news. Use these tragic moments to educate your children and grandchildren about Israel’s significance.

And dear community, we are here for you. Please contact us whenever you need support.

We must stand together during this painful time.

 I wrote this as a member of the Herut Zionist Movement. Herut is an international movement for Zionist pride and education dedicated to the ideals of pre-World War Two Zionist leader Ze’ev Jabotinsky. Jeff Dunetz (The Lid) is an active member and Director of Special Projects for the Herut North America organization. I have never been part of an organization friendlier while creating successful programs than Herut. More about Herut can be found at www.HerutNA.orgPlease click on this link and join me in this great organization.