May 2022
Dear Friend of Israel,
This month we will celebrate Israel’s 74th birthday! And while our country is no longer young and new, the miracle of its very existence remains with us on a daily basis. When we look at the terrible situation in Ukraine, and our heart goes out to the people there, we know that at the very least, Ukrainian Jews have a place to go. The Nation of Israel reaches out to our Ukrainian brothers and sisters and welcomes them home. Just 80 years ago, the Jews of Ukraine or anywhere else in Europe did not have that luxury. There was no country that welcomed them. Looking at where Israel is today is also, nothing short of a miracle. We often refer to Israel as a start-up nation and, indeed, the number of initiatives, in high-tech but also in other areas, is astounding, given the size of our country and our youth as a modern nation. Just a few weeks ago, when we saw our prime minister acting as an intermediary between Russia and Ukraine, when leaders of countries looked to our country for assistance in this horrible mess, we were astounded. Such a young and vulnerable nation on the one hand, and yet able to assist the most powerful of nations on the other. Who could have dreamed such a thing?
I recently heard an interview on the radio with a Holocaust survivor who became a leading business leader in Israel. And he noted with pride – in his wildest dreams in the depths of his despair in Europe, he could never have dreamed that Israel would become a great country and a home for him, let alone that he would succeed as he did.
This and so much more reminds us daily of the miracles that we witness each and every day of our lives. But perhaps the greatest miracle is that we have done this while being threatened with total destruction by enemies who surround us, from the moment we became a state. The fact that we have not only survived but have thrived is truly miraculous indeed. But it is also a testament to what Israel has always been about – human endeavor blessed by G-d. We have never waited around for miracles. We have put our best foot forward, knowing that without G-d’s intervention we would fail.
And that is what CFOIC Heartland is all about. When you support the communities in Judea and Samaria you are taking part in the fulfillment of prophecy by helping us settle the Biblical Heartland. You become part of the human endeavor that G-d is blessing. You become part of the miracle. There were no Jews in Judea and Samaria in 1967; in 2022, there are nearly half a million. Thank G-d!
Sincerely,
Sondra Oster Baras
Director, Israel Office
P.S. You can honor a loved one this Mother’s Day with a gift to save unborn children in Samaria.
P.P.S. I hope you enjoy reading the enclosed Heartland Story about how your donations have helped lost boys
find their way home at the Bet Hagai Youth Village. Thank you for standing with us and making a difference the
lives of those living in Bet Hagai and so many other communities.