Shalom friends,

Israeli society is astounding. How can a nation living under existential threat constantly rank among the happiest countries on earth?

Israelis are living under fire – of daily arson terror by kites, balloons and now tires; of intermittent missile attacks in our South and now in our North with two Syrian missiles landing right next to a crowded beach of the Kinneret. Hundreds of attempts have been thwarted by our good soldiers in the IDF as 2 teenagers were caught with pistols in their backpacks, but a 17-year old terrorist managed to infiltrate a community in Adam and stab 3 people before being eliminated by one of the victims.

Other nations go into lockdown following terror attacks. Israel does not. Throughout Shabbat on July 17th over 200 rockets were fired and yet, amazingly enough, On July 25-26, Sderot, on the border with Gaza, held an International Blues Festival. The determination to live beyond terror, to balance bad by doing good, by responding to horror and sadness with happiness and life is one of Israel’s best qualities.

At the same time, this seemingly unique ability is what enables Israel’s detractors to dismiss the reality of living under fire as “it’s not so bad” and even change the focus of sympathy from the terrorized to the perpetrators of terrorism.

It is our responsibility to spread the truth about Israel (because if we won’t, who will?). It is up to us to declare that terrorism is terrorism everywhere and that it is unacceptable in Israel, just like anywhere else in the world.

Because of the very uniqueness of the Israeli reality and response, we are offered an opportunity – what can we learn from Israel’s example of living beyond terror? How can we utilize this skill in our own lives, to deal with our local, community and personal challenges?

	HARRY POTTER AND THE THREATS TO ISRAEL: FOR US IT’S NOT A MOVIE People around the world flocked to the bookstores and the movie theaters to soak up the drama of Harry Potter. They were thrilled, moved and emotionally involved in the well-being of the characters. But what about Israelis? For us, it’s not a movie. READ MORE
	WHY DO ISRAEL’S IDF SOLDIERS SUFFER FROM PTSD LESS THAN THEIR AMERICAN COUNTERPARTS? Trauma and PTSD have sadly become issues that are relevant in the daily lives of people everywhere, not just soldiers. What is the difference between trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? Why do IDF soldiers who have higher exposure to terrorism and war, suffer from PTSD less than their American counterparts? READ MORE
	MEET 10 ORGANIZATIONS HELPING ISRAELIS COPE WITH TRAUMA What would you do if you or someone you love was injured or even killed in a terror attack or a war? Meet 10 Organizations founded to help Israelis cope with trauma, many of them founded by bereaved parents who discovered that the best way to help themselves is by empowering others going through similar experiences. READ MORE
	THRIVE LIKE AN ISRAELI: HOW DO YOU COPE WITH BULLYING? This activity is a fun and easy way to teach kids about coping mechanisms to handle unpleasant experiences that are all too prevalent - such as bullying. Israelis have unfortunately had to hone their coping skills and as a result have become among the most resilient people in the world. We can utilize these skills in our own lives, to successfully handle events great and small! READ MORE
	SHABBAT TALKS: LIVING BEYOND TERROR Shabbat Talks are discussions you can have around the Shabbat table or any time you are up for a friendly debate. Living Beyond Terror is one of the things Israel excels at. What is this special quality and what can we learn from it to make our own lives better? READ MORE

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IS HAPPENING BETWEEN ISRAEL AND GAZA?

Our goal is not to promote, justify or explain any political stance or party but rather to focus on the human experience surrounding this issue. Human rights are not political. Neither is morality or decency.

This is about understanding what is happening, in context and having the tools and critical thinking skills to make fact-based conclusions.

TEACHING GAZA