Update from Israel

This email and video were sent yesterday by Ariel Kotler, a development officer working in the JNF office in Israel:

Dear friends,

There is no question that we are at war. I am almost 33 years old (or young) and this is the first time we can remember such a situation in Israel. 

This morning 18,000 reservists (now over 75,000) were called in to the IDF on the emergency draft #8 including Ranit's brother, my sister Leora's fiancé and our close friend and JNF partner Lavi Zamir the CEO of Green Horizons. 

The radio stations are on in every room and the broadcast is automatically interrupted to announce the "tzeva Adom" code red siren almost every couple of minutes. In the last hour rockets fell again in Tel Aviv bringing the total number of rockets to more then 500 in the last 48 hours. 

Whomever was able to move away from harms way has done so and we are currently spending the next couple of days in our capital Jerusalem. There are so many who can't just leave there homes and in order to give them an opportunity to maintain some normalcy, JNF USA has decided on the following:

Beginning Sunday morning and continuing based on the fighting it the South, we will be opening the following locations for all citizens of Southern Israel at no charge:

Ammunition hill in Jerusalem 

Neot Kedumim near Modiin

30 sites of society of preservation of heritage sites including Ayalon institute, atlit and many more.

Kiftzuba amusement park outside of Jerusalem.  http://www.kiftzuba.co.il/

We will be providing buses to bring children and families to the sites in a couple of designated areas approved by the IDF home front command to congregate near shelters. 

We purchased personal toiletries and candy bags for the fire fighters in southern Israel. About 250 fire fighters (and their 750 children) who are working around the clock saving lives. 

We are also working on opening Heichal Shlomo for free movies and shows and we hope to finalize on Sunday.

Together we are making a difference. Thank you to everyone who has already supported JNF's emergency campaign. You are making this all possible. 

Israel has named this operation "Pillar of Cloud". The pilar of cloud was the one that hovered over Israel as they made their way from Egypt to the land of Israel. As we are about to enter the holy Shabbat which is called in prayer the "sukkah of peace" we wish and we pray that H' give all of our brothers and sisters in Israel and world around a peaceful Shabbat and a better week ahead. 

Shabbat shalom, of peace. 

All our love,

Ranit & Ariel Kotler