Dear K.I.N.S. Community,
This Yom Tov was surreal. As news from Israel slowly reached Chicago, we found ourselves celebrating Simchat Torah, overwhelmed with concern and fear. With the conclusion of Yom Tov and as we grasped the true scope of the tragedy in Israel, many of us participated in a powerful late-night Tehillim Kinnus with over 2,500 attendees.
Which brings us to today: We believe our Tefillot must resonate in Shamayim, our voices must be heard in the seats of power, and our support must extend to "acheinu kol beit Yisrael." But what steps should we take?
We suggest FOUR:
Torah U'Tefillah: Our tefillot and Torah learning must persist with fervor. Every evening between mincha and maariv, we will recite tehillim. We urge you to join us in learning Torah, starting tonight at our open Beit Midrash at 8:00 p.m. and tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. with our Tuesday Chaburah shiur. Additionally, you can join a 24-Hour Tehillim WhatsApp group here .
Political Action: We must communicate with our political leaders to ensure they uphold Israel's right to self-defense. AIPAC is a vital resource for reaching out to our legislators. Here's a link , but we encourage you to contact anyone you know in local, state, or federal government.
Financial Support: It's crucial to financially support the soldiers and the State. While there are numerous worthy causes, we particularly recommend considering the following two:
Public Support and Chizuk: Show your public support for Israel, starting with tomorrow's J.U.F. Israel Rally and including future public events, rallies, and tefillah gatherings. Create short videos of support and chizuk with your families to send to Chayalim nationwide. You can upload the videos directly here or email them to rabbileibtag@congkins.org .
Earlier today, some of our members in Israel shared their experiences on the KINS Chessed Whatsapp Group. Their stories were both heartwarming and chilling, yet filled with faith. As Rabbi Azi Feifel wrote, "With three of our children and their families living in ארץ ישראל, there's a desire to aid and protect. But in the end, רק השם ישמור."
This is our moment to make a difference in every possible way. We turn to you, our cherished friends, for help.
May the upcoming news be positive, and may salvation arrive swiftly.
Bvracha,
Rabbi Leonard A. Matanky
Rabbi Aaron Leibtag
Rabbi Noach Goldstein
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