Grapevine: September 29, 2024: Celebrating Abraham Accords’ 4th anniversary

Peace in the region was far from present last week, which is why the fourth anniversary celebration of the Abraham Accords by the Ambassadors’ Club of Israel (ACI) was all the more important than in a quieter period. President Isaac Herzog stated as much to the large gathering at the home of the Landau family in Savyon.

“The Abraham Accords ushered in new possibilities for all the children of the Middle East,” he said. “They laid the foundations for a shared peace and prosperity, and served as a platform for President Biden’s vision of a corridor of peace running all the way from the Middle East to India.”

Ruth Wasserman Lande, a former diplomat and MK who founded the Abraham Accords Parliamentary Lobby, was the keynote speaker. Wasserman Lande called on world leaders attending the United Nations General Assembly to support Israel in its fight against terrorism and to recognize the plight of its displaced people who have been removed from their homes as rockets rain down on the north and south of the country and have now reached the center. She also emphasized the need for immediate action to ensure the return of the 101 hostages still held by Hamas.

ACI President Yitzhak Eldan made the point that the celebration of the anniversary of the Abraham Accords was being held not in spite of the ongoing war but because of it, as a reminder that peace is achievable.

People who keep up with Middle East developments are well aware that even though Israel may be the only democracy in the Middle East, it is not the only peace-loving nation, and it is not the only nation that is aware of how much more human suffering and misery there will be if Iran and its proxies take total control of the region.

That time of year

IT’S THAT time of year again when social welfare organizations are asking people to invite the poor and the lonely to their Rosh Hashana tables or at the very least provide meals that can be delivered to them. Fulfilling that mission will be a little harder this year than in years gone by because so many individuals and organizations have been providing meals for soldiers and for people evacuated from their homes. Not every evacuee was placed in a hotel where meals were provided, and not every hotel that accommodated displaced persons provided satisfying and nourishing meals. This was left to caring members of the public.

Because of the dire situation, several organizations expanded their activities to help more people in more ways, as well as to raise more money from donors who are partnering to provide for various needs.

One such organization is Leket Israel, whose founder and chairman, Joseph Gitler, is well-known for organizing food collections from hotels, restaurants, and farmers’ fields and distributing them to needy individuals and families throughout Israel.

This year, in addition to the regular harvesting and distribution of surplus food, Leket has adapted its business model, leveraging 20 years of experience to provide essential food support to those hit hardest by the war. From offering financial aid to evacuees and farmers, purchasing meals and produce, deploying volunteers to assist with agricultural work, arranging loans for farmers, and setting up fresh produce stands in hotels for displaced residents, the Leket Israel community – supporters, volunteers, and staff – has faced what Gitler terms “unprecedented challenges with unwavering resolve.”

It is continuing to do so, but a little help will not go astray.

People who want to help in general should get in touch with the social welfare authorities in their local municipalities and ask about inviting lone soldiers and lonely individuals of an advanced age or delivering food to the needy.

October 7 heroism 

A MOVING Aish documentary, The Voices of Pain, Hope, and Heroism, which was screened for media reviewers several weeks ago, will have its official premiere in Jerusalem and New York City on October 7. The Jerusalem screening will be at 7 p.m. at Kirk Douglas Theater, Dan Family Aish World Center, 1 Western Wall Plaza, and the New York screening will be at 7.15 p.m. at AMC Theater, 234 W42nd St., Manhattan. There will be additional screenings in community centers, synagogues, and schools in more than 100 cities worldwide, as well as streaming on YouTube and X.

Following the screenings in Jerusalem and New York, there will be panel discussions among influencers who will share ideas about antisemitism and the future of the Jewish people.

The Jerusalem panel will consist of Daniel Braun, Lilaq Logan, Matan Peretz, and the film’s producer, Jamie Geller. The New York panel comprises Zach Sage Fox, Lizzy Savetzky, Tanya Zuckerbrot, Ari Ackerman, and Rabbi Elliot Matthias.

Commemoration in LA

IN LOS ANGELES, a series of events and tributes marking October 7 will take place over a 24-hour period, beginning on the evening of October 6 at the Museum of Tolerance and continuing the next evening with a special program at the Saban Theatre organized by Jewish Federation Los Angeles (JFEDLA) in partnership with the Israeli-American Council (IAC), StandWithUs, and Temple of the Arts.

At the JFEDLA event, featured speakers will include American actress and activist Dr. Mayim Bialik, Israeli actress and neuroscientist Moran Atias, Israeli performer Raviv Kaner, and over 30 elected officials, among them Congressman Brad Sherman. A live stream of the event will also be available.

“As we prepared to honor this solemn day of reflection and remembrance, it was vital that we do so together, as one united Los Angeles community, one family,” stated JFEDLA President & CEO Rabbi Noah Farkas. “We will continue to keep the memory of those we lost in our hearts and stand in solidarity with the hostages and their families until they are all home. These events have been organized with our partners to show that despite the tragedy of October 7th, we remain and will forever be a resilient, hopeful, and united people.”

StandWithUs Founder and CEO Roz Rothstein stated, “The tragic events on and since October 7th represent the most difficult time in Jewish history since the end of the Holocaust. Not only Israelis are impacted, but Jews around the world feel the ongoing collective shock and loss connected to our hostages still being held by Hamas terrorists and the soldiers and nation of Israel still engaged in war. Coming together to commemorate October 7th offers all of us an opportunity to gather strength as we share a sense of community that supports Israel and fights to keep the faces of the hostages front and center in everyone’s hearts until they all come home to their families.”

IAC CEO and former US Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism Elan Carr said, “As we commemorate the one-year anniversary of October 7th – one of the darkest days in our people’s history – we gather not just to remember the heartbreaking loss and devastation of that day but also to honor the resilience and hope that emerged in its aftermath. IAC is proud to unite with Jewish Federation Los Angeles, StandWithUs, and so many more of our valued partners, uniting our entire Jewish community in both grief and determination. Together, we reaffirm our commitment to remembering those we lost, celebrating the strength of the survivors, and ensuring that the stories of courage and unity are carried forward. B’yachad nenatze’ach – Together we will win! Am Yisrael Chai.”

“October 7th, 2024, will mark the first anniversary of an unprecedented attack on Israel and, by extension, the Jewish people, which unleashed a wave of antisemitism unlike anything since the Holocaust, stated Simon Wiesenthal Center CEO Jim Berk. The enormity of October 7th and the year since requires that the Los Angeles Jewish community observe a day of remembrance, reflection, recognition, and resilience so that together we can honor those who perished and stand strong for those still held hostage by Hamas terrorists.”

United we stand, divided we fall

KEY WORDS throughout the Jewish world are remembrance, resilience, courage, and honor. At the same time, the rising antisemitism is compared to 1930s Germany, and the assault on October 7 to the Holocaust. Although there are still sharp political and religious divisions within Jewish communities almost everywhere, they are cast aside when Jews and others are under attack.

For instance, ZAKA is an ultra-Orthodox organization whose members go out on rescue missions to aid victims of all faiths who have been trapped in earthquakes, attacked by terrorists, hit by missiles, or involved in motor accidents. They also collect the severed body parts of those killed. They help men and women no matter if they’re on the Left or the Right, religious or secular. When Israelis have a vital mission, they tend to forget their differences. Now, they have to learn that the key mission at all times is unity, though not necessarily uniformity.

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