Israel

Through education, awareness, support, and advocacy, Beth El has an unbreakable bond with Israel. We provide programming and resources through education, culture, advocacy, and travel. Through participation in local and national programs and events, we affirm the central Jewish value of Am Yisrael (the People of Israel) Medinat Yisrael (the State of Israel), and the Hebrew Language.

We are committed to creating a personal connection with Israel through a range of programs and we encourage individual opportunities for both adults and teens to engage first-hand through visits to Israel. Our teens receive a certificate toward a trip to Israel upon completion of their Sokol Hebrew High School or Rochelle Zell Jewish High School or Ida Crown Jewish Academy studies.  Many of our students participate in study/tours in Israel, as do many of our families and our adult congregants.

A large number of our members attend the AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington each year, and many of our members hold positions of leadership in national and international political, Zionist and other Israel-related advocacy organizations.  This year our congregants, led by Rabbi Vernon Kurtz, participated in the International March of the Living, an annual educational program bringing individuals from around the world to Poland for Yom HaShoah Commemorations, to study the history of the Holocaust and to examine the roots of prejudice, intolerance and hatred. The march was followed by a visit to Israel, this year celebrating the 70th anniversary of the State of Israel.

To promote religious pluralism in Israel, we also support the Masorti/Conservative Movement in Israel.

ISRAEL-RELATED NEWS AND INFORMATION
American Jews have a wide variety of sources available for news and information regarding Israel.  The following list is just a sample:

Ha’aretz   www.haaretz.com
Haaretz is Israel’s oldest daily newspaper. 

Jerusalem Online    www.jerusalemonline.com
Daily video news and breaking news from Israel

Jerusalem Post   www.jpost.com
An English language publication based in Jerusalem. 

I24 News   www.i24news.tv/en
 A 24 hour online news station from Israel, streaming live

Jewish Telegraphic Agency   jta.org
Jewish Telegraphic Agency is an international news agency and wire service serving Jewish community newspapers and media around the world

The Times of Israel   www.timesofisrael.com
An English language online publication

Yediot Ahronot (in English)  www.ynetnews.com
A national daily newspaper published in Tel Aviv, Israel. Founded in 1939 in Mandatory Palestine, Yedioth Ahronot has been the largest newspaper in Israel by sales and circulation

OTHER SOURCES OF ISRAEL INFORMATION AND ACTIVISM:
The Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest   embassies.gov.il/Chicago         
The Consulate is the official representative of Israel to the Midwest, serving as a liaison between the residents of the region and the state of Israel.

www.aipac.org  The American Israel Public Affairs Committee. AIPAC is a bipartisan organization of U.S. citizens committed solely to strengthening, protecting and promoting the U.S.-Israel relationship.

www.israel21c.org  ISRAEL21c is a non-partisan, nonprofit organization and the publisher of an English-language online news magazine recognized as the single most diverse and reliable source of news and information about 21st century Israel. The website offers a vast resource of more than 10,000 originally researched and produced articles, videos, images and blogs by some of Israel’s leading journalists, uncovering the country’s rich and diverse culture, innovative spirit, wide-ranging contributions to humanity, and democratic civil society.

www.jnf.org The Jewish National Fund’s iconic blue tzedakah boxes were originally for purchasing land and planting trees in Israel until ultimately, their dream of a Jewish homeland was a reality. JNF’s long-term vision has grown to include building new communities in the desert, water research, exploring energy production, increasing population in northern Israel, making all parks and playgrounds accessible to people with special needs, bringing thousands of people to Israel every year on missions and trips, and growing future leadership in our youth community through the Alexander Muss High School in Israel and Zionist education and advocacy programs.

www.juf.org  The Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago is an organization that impacts every aspect of local and global Jewish life, and providing human services for Jews and others in need, creating Jewish experiences and strengthening Jewish community connections.

www.masorti.org  The purpose and mission of the Masorti Foundation for Conservative Judaism is to support the work of Israelis in building a Judaism that preserves observance and tradition while recognizing how modern life in Israel is lived. There are  Masorti Kehillot (synagogues) all over  Israel today and they can be found on this website

www.mercazusa.org MERCAZ USA is the Zionist membership organization of the Conservative Movement, the voice of Conservative Jewry within the World Zionist Organization.