by Rabbi Steven Saks
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here are that of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of the Union for Traditional Judaism, unless otherwise indicated.
Nasso 5781 – Exposing Hamas By Rabbi Steven Saks
It’s our obligation to support Israel. Here is how we can. Here are two Call to Action letters to help.
Israel Under Attack: Let’s Do Our Part – Donate to the Bayit Brigade
Shalom Chaverim,
The matsav (situation) in Israel is deeply troubling. Again, our brothers and sisters in Israel have been forced by terrorists to take refuge in shelters. We must show our solidarity with our fellow Jews who are on the front line of our battle, the battle for the one Jewish State. Not only is it important that Israel receive support from diaspora Jewry, it is also important that we in the diaspora feel that we have a role in preserving the Jewish homeland.
I am asking that you donate to my discretionary fund so I can make a generous contribution to The Bayit Brigade on behalf of Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth. The Bayit Brigade helps Lone Soldiers (people who move to Israel without family and serve in the army) find a home. I have chosen this organization because of the wonderful work it does and because there is a Delaware connection. Mara Seidel, daughter of Jeff & Dianne, who made aliyah, works for the Bayit Brigade. By supporting this organization, we are supporting Israel and olim (those who immigrate there).
Aaron Loyn, president and founder of the Bayit Brigade, just reported:
“We are taking steps on the ground to support our soldiers. We have one new soldier that was called to the Gaza border within the last 24 hours. He was in the process of moving and was unable to move his belongings into his room. We are working hard to furnish and complete his room so he’ll have a personal space to return to where he can rest and regroup. It’s with the ongoing support of our donors that we are able to ensure everything will be in place for his heroic return. Thank you.”
For more information about the Bayit Brigade, please visit https://www.bayitbrigade.org .
Thank you for joining me in showing our support for Medinat Yisrael (the State of Israel).
To contribute please make out a check to:
Rabbi’s Discretionary Fund, AKSE
Memo: Bayit Brigade
and send to:
AKSE, 2412 Pennsylvania Ave., Wilmington, DE 19806
Todah Rabbah & Am Yisrael Chai,
Rabbi Steven Saks
Israel Under Attack – Suggested Letter to Politicians and Press Outlets
Shalom Chaverim,
Please see the letter below regarding the terror assault on Israel. I have sent it to our Senators, Congresswoman and will be sending this to the News Journal and Jewish Voice.
Please consider signing your own name to this letter and sending it to our Senators and Congresswoman.
Senator Chris Coons https://www.coons.senate.gov/
Senator Tom Carper https://www.carper.senate.gov/
Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester https://bluntrochester.house.
Todah Rabbah
Rabbi Steven Saks
Spiritual Leader, Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth of Wilmington , DE
President Biden is to be commended for affirming his “unwavering support” for Israel and Israel’s “legitimate right to defend itself and its people while protecting civilians.”
However, dispatching Hady Amr, the now Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for “Israel-Palestine,” to “de-escalate the fighting” between Israel and Hamas undercuts his “unwavering support.” Amr has said he was “inspired by the Palestinian intifada,” and accused Israel of ethnic cleansing and apartheid.
Furthermore, by restoring to the Palestinian Authority the funding that had been suspended because it was used to fund terrorism, Washington has sent the message that the Palestinians will again not be held accountable.
National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan stated he has “serious concerns” about the potential eviction of Palestinian families from their homes and Israel’s behavior on the Temple Mount. But the rent dispute in the Sheikh Jarrah district of Jerusalem, in which Palestinian tenants are refusing to pay their Israeli landlords, was just a pretext, not a justification, for launching deadly missile attacks upon Israeli civilians. And Israeli police only went into Al-Aqsa mosque after it had turned it into a theater of war, a place to stockpile rocks and petrol bombs that were hurled at Jews and police.
To his credit, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has emphasized that “there is a very clear and absolute distinction between the terrorist organization Hamas that is indiscriminately raining down rockets targeting civilians, and Israel’s response defending itself, targeting the terrorists raining down rockets on Israel.”
Israel should not be criticized for the higher number of Palestinian casualties. Israel makes every effort to protect its own population and to limit collateral damage among Palestinian civilians. Hamas launches missiles from civilian areas using civilians as human shields in hopes that Israeli retaliatory strikes will kill these civilians. Blaming Israel for harming these human shields hands Hamas a propaganda victory and only encourages them to sacrifice more civilians.
The Biden administration should be urged by members of Congress:
Not to appointment people who have a track record of making antisemitic statements.
Not to provide funding to the Palestinian Authority until it forsakes terrorism.
Not to make or tolerate false moral equivalences.
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Rabbi Steven Saks is the full-time spiritual leader of Congregation Sons of Israel in Woodmere, New York. Previously, he served as the rabbi of Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth Congregation. In Wilmington, Delaware. Rabbi Saks received rabbinic ordination in August 2006 from Kollel Ayshel Avraham in Spring Valley, NY. He holds a B.A. from the State University of New York at Oswego and an M.S. degree in Human Resource Development from Towson University, as well as a black belt in Jiu Jitsu.
Prior to coming to Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth in August 2008, Rabbi Saks was the spiritual leader of Adath Zion Congregation in Philadelphia. His past experiences include teaching classes in religious and secular studies, working as a hospital chaplain, serving as a Big Brother through the Jewish Big Brother/Sister League, teaching Jiu Jitsu and participating in the Volunteers for Israel Army Program. Since coming to Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth, Rabbi Saks has served as the head of the Delaware Association of Rabbis and Cantors, head of the Vaad HaKashrut of Delaware, rabbinical head of the Chevra kaddisha (burial society) and member of the UTJ Board of Directors. He has visited Israel six times; he and his wife Anne led a community-wide trip to Israel in June 2014 and look forward to leading another trip in the future.
Rabbi Saks is active in communal organizations such as the Siegel Jewish Community Center of Delaware and the Albert Einstein Academy (the local Jewish day school) in addition to national organizations such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and Israel Bonds. Rabbi Saks was awarded the Zionist Organization of America's 2016 "Guardian of Israel Award" and shared the " Adas Kodesch Shel Emeth 2016 Endowed Honor" with his wife Anne.
Rabbi Saks believes that there is a need to strengthen Judaism’s religious center, which has been referred to as “Traditional” and Open Orthodoxy. He sees our challenge as similar to that of the early Hasmoneans (Maccabees): to remain true to Jewish laws and practices while at the same time embracing the positive attributes of secular culture. Another important issue for Rabbi Saks is to build welcoming Jewish communities. Rabbi Saks believes that every Jewish person should endeavor to climb the ladder of mitzvot at his/her own pace and within his/her comfort level.
Rabbi Saks and Anne have four daughters: Talia, Gavriella, Elisheva and Margalit.
You can find Rabbi Saks’s sermons on the Torah parsha and holidays on his blog.