Category: Crisis Response & Resilience

A missile siren sounded just before Karen Katzman, Director of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington’s Israel Office, joined our community for a live update from Israel. 

“Just about 20 minutes ago… I received a siren. Luckily, I have a safe room in my home and just had to go into it, which is just a few meters away from my office. Generally, if we get an alert like that, I have about 90 seconds to move to the shelter.”

Life Under Missile Alerts

Across Israel, families are living with repeated missile alerts. Schools are closed, businesses shuttered, and people are staying close to shelters. In the moments after a strike:

“You see the people emerging in the minutes after the attack… people coming out in shock, holding babies, helping elderly people leave their apartments, holding their dogs and pets. People were sobbing.”

In the midst of all this, Karen said something that stayed with many of us:

“It sounds maybe kind of cliché, but Israelis truly are resilient.”

She also shared joyful moments she’s witnessing:

“Some of you may have seen on social media the clips of Israelis celebrating Purim in the shelters. I saw a clip today that there was even a wedding in an underground shelter in a garage.”

The Toll of Sustained Conflict

Karen spoke about the growing mental health strain:

“For many people, the sirens and the missile attacks are extremely triggering after everything they’ve experienced over the past year and a half.”

Communities are responding to missile strikes, displacement, and the growing emotional toll.

How Our Community Is Responding

Moments like these are why Federation exists: to bring our community together and respond when Jews in Israel need support.

Earlier this week, Federation allocated an initial $250,000 to begin addressing urgent needs.

The full scope of need is still coming into focus, and we are working closely with partners across Israel—from national organizations to municipalities, hospitals, and grassroots groups—to understand how our community can respond in the days and weeks ahead.

For those who want to help today, your gift strengthens our community’s ability to respond quickly and responsibly as needs emerge.

Support our work in Israel

Karen closed with a message to our community:

“It really means a lot to know that we’re not alone and that you’re thinking of us.”

Thank you for standing with Israel and for being part of a community that shows up when it matters most.

May the people of Israel continue to find strength in one another and know that our Jewish community in Greater Washington stands with them.

Watch the full conversation.

As the war with Iran continues to escalate across the region and families across Israel once again take shelter in safe rooms and bomb shelters, we stand firmly with the people of Israel. We mourn the victims of the recent Iranian ballistic missile strike in Beit Shemesh, in which at least nine civilians were killed and dozens were injured. We remain in close communication with partners there as more details emerge.

Immediate Action

Federation is allocating $250,000 to address the urgent needs in Israel. Funds will be directed to existing partners on the ground, including JDC and The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), and based on evolving local needs in coordination with community partners.

Over the coming days and weeks, we will continue to evaluate developments carefully to mobilize our community to respond where support is needed most.

Security at Home

JShield, Federation’s community security initiative, remains in regular contact with law enforcement and community partners. While there are no known or anticipated security threats in Greater Washington at this time, we continue to reinforce vigilance and encourage all organizations to continue maintaining the security protocols already in place.

Community members who witness suspicious activity can report an incident here. In an emergency, call 911 immediately.

Organizational security-related questions may be directed to security@shalomdc.org.

Next Steps

Watch a live, firsthand update from Israel. Federation’s Israel Office Director, Karen Katzman, joined Gil Preuss on Wednesday, March 4 on Zoom. Speaking directly from Israel, Karen shared what she is seeing on the ground and what we are hearing from partners across the region.

Read the latest Israel update. Special briefings from the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) are available on our news page.

Stay informed and engaged. We will continue to post verified briefings and share meaningful ways for our community to respond as the situation evolves.

Many have already asked how to help. Our current response is being mobilized through existing Federation resources and long-term investments stewarded by the Foundation, enabling swift and accountable action. Those who wish to contribute may do so here.

Learn more about or support our ongoing work in Israel.

Photo credit: L: Erik Marmor/Getty Image; R: Rami Slush/Reuters

Purim typically conjures images of costumes and raucous merriment, and rightfully so. But the holiday also carries with it a special commandment, matanot la’evyonim, to give directly to those in need. Amid our revelry, we are called to ensure our joy is shared and that no one is left behind.

At Federation, this mitzvah animates our work throughout the year. We know that many people are struggling throughout the community and that Jewish poverty is real and often hidden. Families facing job loss, rising housing costs, medical bills, mental illness, or unexpected crises can quickly find themselves struggling to make ends meet. Last year, through our partnerships and targeted investments, Federation provided $1.85M in critical funds to our local agencies supporting many who are struggling and helps mobilize emergency cash assistance to help individuals and families cover rent, utilities, food, and other essential expenses. These efforts provide not only immediate relief, but also stability and dignity at moments of profound vulnerability. This is a core part of our work that we collectively do every day.

A critical entry point for this support is J-CARING, our community support hotline. With a single call, community members can be connected to financial assistance, mental health services, career counseling, and other vital resources. J-CARING ensures that when someone reaches out, they are met with compassion, discretion, and a clear path forward. You do not need to navigate hardship alone. If you or anyone you know could use some help, please call 703-J-CARING (703-522-7464).

As part of the global Jewish family, we also support Jews in Ukraine who remain affected by four years of war and counting. Our collective efforts have helped deliver cash assistance, humanitarian aid, medical care, and essential supplies, including dignity and hope. Likewise, in the wake of ongoing social and economic strain, individuals and families in Israel continue to face deep uncertainty. Through our trusted partners on the ground, we are providing services and aid to Israel’s most vulnerable.

Inherent in the story of Purim are several lessons that feel as relevant as ever: that circumstances can change in an instant, that collective action matters, that we are bound to one another’s fate. And, importantly, that joy is incomplete if it is not shared.

Please consider making a gift to Federation as we continue our collective work to ensure that those in need across the community have access to critical resources. Your support enables us to forge ahead in our efforts to respond swiftly to crises and sustain the systems of care that define us, among other components of our vital work. As we prepare to celebrate the victory of the Jewish people over those who would cause us harm, we are reminded that we must also care for those struggling within our own community. In true Purim fashion, we get to indulge both our exuberance and our generosity.

Four years into the war, daily life in Ukraine remains unpredictable. Over the past several months, intensified missile and drone attacks once again plunged major cities into darkness, interrupting heat and electricity during the coldest weeks of winter and renewing fear for families already living under constant strain.

And still, Jewish life continues—for the approximately 150,000 Jews who remain in Ukraine and for the nearly 20,000 who have made Aliyah (immigrated to Israel) since the start of the war.

Some are rebuilding their lives in Israel. Others remain rooted in their communities despite the uncertainty. Our responsibility extends to both.

Through Federation’s global network of partners, and the generosity of our community, individuals and families on both paths.

Providing Care and Connection in Ukraine

Through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), Federation’s support strengthens a network of Hesed centers serving vulnerable Jews across Ukraine.

For Lyudmila, a 79-year-old woman in Lviv with serious health conditions, that support means homecare, food assistance, trauma services, and connection to Jewish community.

Since the start of the crisis, nearly 57,000 vulnerable Jews like Lyudmila have received assistance through Hesed centers—essential community lifelines, providing physical warmth, emotional support, and spaces to gather and connect.

Strengthening Jewish Life

Through the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), new olim (immigrants) receive support as they integrate into Israeli society and Jewish life and resilience continue in Ukraine even under fire.

Jewish Agency camps in Ukraine last year served more than 800 children and teens, with local and Israeli counselors providing Jewish learning, connection, and support amid the realities of war.

In 2025:

• 16,000+ people participated in Jewish Agency programs.
• More than 80% remained actively engaged, and more than half began preparing for Aliyah.
• An Aliyah Fair in Kyiv welcomed 780 participants in a parking structure adapted as a bomb shelter.
• Camps, family learning programs, and resilience trainings connected hundreds of children, parents, young leaders, and mental health professionals.
• Security grants strengthened nine Jewish institutions.

Our Community Response

Since 2022, more than 3,500 donors across Greater Washington have contributed more than $2.5 million to support Federation’s Ukraine Emergency Fund. As the crisis has continued, this work is now sustained through our Annual Campaign and the strategic allocations we make to trusted global partners, including JDC and JAFI.

Four years in, this is what showing up looks like.

The needs continue to evolve, and so does our response. Thank you for your continued commitment. Your generosity ensures we can continue providing steady support to those who need it most—in Ukraine, here at home, and wherever Jewish life endures.

Photo credit: JFNA

On October 7, 2023, Ran (Rani) Gvili, 24, was at his parents’ home in Meitar, in southern Israel, on medical leave from his service in an elite police unit. About two weeks earlier, he had injured his shoulder in an off-road motorcycle accident and was scheduled to undergo surgery just days later. As his family rushed into the shelter amid relentless sirens, Rani put on his police uniform and prepared to leave. His mother, Talik, asked him where he thought he was going. Rani replied simply: “Do you really think I’d stay home knowing my friends are fighting? No way.” (as reported by The Times of Israel)

Defender of Alumim

As chaos raged all around, without waiting to be called, Rani drove straight into the fighting. He first assisted survivors of the Nova Music Festival and then joined the heroic battle to defend the nearby Kibbutz Alumim. He neutralized dozens of terrorists and saved the lives of many residents, even as he sustained severe injuries to his arm and leg. Over time, he became known as “Rani, Defender of Alumim.” He fought relentlessly until he ran out of ammunition. It was later learned that he fell in battle and that his body was abducted to Gaza.

Bringing Rani Home Last week, at long last, the circle was closed. After critical intelligence was received regarding his whereabouts, hundreds of soldiers, accompanied by dozens of forensic dental specialists, set out on a mission almost impossible to imagine: locating Rani’s body in a cemetery in Gaza. After approximately 48 hours of exhausting searches under extremely difficult conditions, the long-awaited answer came—Rani was found. Dr. Assi Sharon, who took part in the mission alongside the forces in Gaza, described the emotional moment: “There wasn’t a dry eye. People were deeply moved, with a profound sense of reverence. We recited Kaddish, and there was a ceremony with the Chief of Staff—a very special moment. As I stood there, I realized I could finally remove the yellow ribbon, and I did.” (as reported by JFEED)

843 Days, 12 Hours, 5 Minutes, and 59 Seconds With this, one of the most painful, yet also most inspiring, chapters in the history of the State of Israel and the Jewish people came to an end. After 843 days, 12 hours, 5 minutes, and 59 seconds, the clock at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv stopped. A shofar was sounded, and many recited the Shehecheyanu blessing, giving thanks for reaching this moment. The mitzvah of redeeming captives, which Maimonides called the greatest commandment in Judaism, was fulfilled. The Israeli ethos—viewing the return of every soldier and civilian from enemy hands as a supreme moral obligation—was upheld. All 251 Israelis and foreign nationals abducted to Gaza on October 7, together with two Israeli civilians and two fallen soldiers previously held by Hamas, were returned.

The Power of Public Pressure The sustained public effort to bring the hostages home was essential. Throughout this long—far too long—period, the Hostage Families Forum worked tirelessly to keep this issue at the forefront of the public agenda, most prominently in Israel and the United States. One powerful testament to the impact of this cause can be found in the words of Alon Ohel, who returned from captivity after 738 days: “They opened a laptop and showed me a picture of someone holding a drawing of me, with a piano behind her. That’s when I understood that people I didn’t know were fighting for me. It gave me even more strength—if people who don’t know me are fighting for me, who am I to give up?”

A Shared Response, Across Oceans With great pride and deep appreciation, it can be said that our community also took an active part in the collective endeavor to bring the hostages home, and in Israel’s broader recovery efforts. Shortly after October 7, Federation established the Israel Crisis Relief Fund and raised more than $15 million from the community for emergency assistance to Israel, nearly half a million dollars of which was transferred directed to the Hostage Families Forum. Beyond this, Federation supported the Hostage Families Forum in convening community events that brought people together with hostage family members and former captives, allowing them to share their personal stories and mobilize the broader community around the cause. The Community Shlichim—placed in synagogues and Jewish organizations across the community as part of a joint initiative of Federation and the Jewish Agency for Israel—led a wide range of activities focused on the hostages. These included creating dedicated spaces highlighting the hostages and their stories, and organizing events such as a community solidarity walk, an interactive cartoon exhibition addressing the hostage crisis and current Israeli issues, and many more.

“Thanks to Your Efforts…”

For all of this—and so much more—we extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone across our community who took part in advancing this most important cause.

As Matan Sivek, Founder of the Hostage Families Forum US, put it:

“The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington joined forces with hostage families from day one to ensure they get the financial and communal support they need. The DMV community advocated, marched, embraced, and was on the front line of ensuring the highest echelons don’t forget about the hostages. We are grateful for the leadership and partnership of Federation in this historic moment in Jewish history. Thanks to your efforts, they are back.”

Photo Captions: Ran (Rani) Gvili in uniform; Israel Defense Forces; Photo courtesy of IDF; Hostages Square clock at the moment of release; Photo: Avshalom Sassoni / Maariv; Alon Ohel, former hostage, after return; Photo: Eden Danielle Kleiban Pakter; Pozez JCC community walk for hostage awareness; Photo: Hostage Families Forum US, Leigh Vogel

After an act of antisemitic arson devastated Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, our community stepped up. It’s a small but deeply rooted congregation where Jewish life has endured for generations—now facing the long road of recovery.

In response, 222 donors across Greater Washington raised nearly $60,000 to support restoration and healing, ensuring Beth Israel can continue to serve as a place of worship, gathering, and Jewish life. Per the congregation’s request, funds are being distributed by the Jewish Federations of North America to reach them directly and with care.

Moments like this remind us what Federation is for: to mobilize resources when crisis hits, and to build a more connected, secure, and vibrant Jewish community every day.

Thank you to everyone who gave. Your generosity sent a clear message: they are not alone and Jewish life will continue to thrive. 

This is what it means to show up as a Jewish community. This is the power of collective giving.

I stood in Hostage Square, Tel Aviv among a quiet crowd, patiently waiting. What was once a vigil site, a protest space, a place of mourning and solidarity was now the square where we were about to hear the collective sigh of a small country. At 843 days, 12 hours, 5 minutes and 59 seconds, the clock that made the abstraction of time in captivity real, was turned off. The body of Ran Gvili, the last hostage, was returned home.

Now the true healing can begin.

I am with ten amazing women from our community, on a National Women’s Philanthropy mission in Israel. Resilient is the word we keep hearing and seeing. It feels that way, and yet, you can see the cracks of exhaustion and immense sadness. The wife of a reservist said, “We are slowly starting to put our hearts together.”

Our Federation continues to work with partners on the ground.  We support the Jewish Agency for Israel, which operates Youth Futures, in response to the high levels of trauma among children. Research has found that PTSD is high among children: 15% of Israel’s children lived in communities infiltrated by terrorists, and 20% were displaced from their homes for months.

We are the initial investors in the Alin Beit Noam, Ilanot National Rehabilitation Center, a state-of-the-art rehabilitation center that serves Nova survivors, bereaved families, injured soldiers and adults with special needs.

The Israelis are grateful for our commitment. A Nova survivor said, “we want to be the heroes to the heroes of October 7.” Because of you, we are a community of heroes.

This Shabbat will be the first time since October 14, 2023 that we won’t need to say a prayer for the hostages.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Over the weekend, an act of antisemitic arson devastated Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi—an attack not only on a building, but on the heart of Jewish life in a small and geographically isolated community. In a region with few nearby Jewish institutions, the loss of a synagogue carries particular weight. It was an attack on Jewish life in a place where sustaining it is neither easy nor assumed.

Several Torah scrolls were destroyed or damaged in the fire, a profound spiritual and communal loss for the congregation. One Torah that survived the Holocaust was protected and not damaged. Its survival does not lessen what was lost, but it stands as a reminder of the endurance of Jewish life in the face of hatred.

This was not vandalism. It was a deliberate act of antisemitic violence, echoing a painful history for this congregation, which was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan in 1967 for its civil rights leadership.
For Jews in small Southern communities, maintaining Jewish life often already requires resilience, vigilance, and deep commitment. When a synagogue is targeted, the loss extends far beyond physical walls. It disrupts the ability to gather, to worship, and to remain visible as a Jewish community. Our hearts are with the Jackson Jewish community as they begin the long and painful work of rebuilding.

We are working in close coordination with national and regional partners, including Jewish Federations of North America, as well as Federation partners in the region, including the Memphis Jewish Federation, the nearest Federation community. In response, The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington has opened a dedicated fund to support recovery and rebuilding efforts. This approach helps ensure support is coordinated, responsible, and responsive to real needs on the ground, while allowing the affected community to focus on care, recovery, and rebuilding.

How You Can Help

Support recovery and rebuilding efforts through a dedicated fund coordinated by The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. Funds raised will be directed to trusted, vetted partners working directly with the congregation and community.

At the same time, this attack reinforces why shared investment in community security remains essential. Synagogues and Jewish institutions should never have to stand alone in protecting themselves. Here in Greater Washington, we continue to strengthen preparedness, infrastructure, and coordination through our community security efforts, reflecting our commitment to protecting Jewish life today and into the future.

This is the role Federation plays every day: connecting our community and its donors to moments of greatest need, stewarding resources with care, and helping ensure Jewish life can endure wherever it is threatened.

Moments like this test us, and they also remind us why collective action remains one of the most powerful expressions of Jewish responsibility and care.

When Omer returned to his classroom after October 7, he couldn’t breathe.

Five of his students were gone, killed in the attacks. Just stepping into the room triggered waves of panic, grief, and memory. He felt like he couldn’t go on.

But through weekly sessions with a JDC counselor, Omer slowly rediscovered his footing. Today, he’s not just working—he’s leading. Omer now runs a therapeutic gym in a Gaza-border community, helping fellow survivors rebuild physically and emotionally. “I found a way to move forward,” he said. “And to help others do the same.”

This is what your dollars make possible.

In the wake of the Iron Swords War, thousands of Israelis were forced to evacuate their homes. Many lost not just their sense of safety, but their livelihoods. The trauma was deep, the economic toll was devastating, and the path to stability felt out of reach.

That’s why Federation responded swiftly, providing a $500,000 grant to JDC to launch “Getting Victims of War Back to Work”, Israel’s first trauma-informed employment recovery model. More than just getting back to work, it’s about dignity, healing, and long-term resilience—about helping people get back to life.

With your support, here’s what’s already happening:

• 890 Israelis have received hands-on vocational training, career guidance, and access to real employment opportunities
• 131 participants have already been hired, earning more than 6% above minimum wage
• 500 trauma survivors are in employment rehab, double the original 2025 goal
• 40% of previously unemployed participants have found jobs; 100% of at-risk employees stayed employed
• 18 locations now offer specialized career recovery support (up from 11)
• 48 employers have been trained to support hires navigating trauma
• And early evaluations show a 14% decrease in PTSD symptoms among participants

This model is now informing national efforts to scale trauma-informed employment support.

A Bold Investment in Israel’s Future Workforce

Through this initiative, we’re supporting Israelis not just in healing, but in retraining and returning to work with purpose.

Beyond immediate relief, it’s recovery with resilience built in.

And this is exactly the kind of long-term, people-centered impact we’re working toward through Federation’s Israel strategy: investing in long-term recovery and deepening connection between our communities.

Photo: JDC

In the wake of the horrific terrorist attack in Australia, I want to speak directly to our community here at home.

Our hearts are with the victims, their families, and the Jewish community in Australia as they mourn and begin to heal. Violence against Jews anywhere reverberates everywhere, and moments like this understandably heighten concern within our own community.

Here in Greater Washington, the safety and security of Jewish life remains our highest priority. Through JShield, Federation’s community-wide security initiative, we are in close coordination with local and federal partners and with Jewish ​institutions across our region, supporting schools, synagogues, and organizations with threat monitoring, training, assessments, and grant support at no cost. You can learn more about how JShield works to keep our community safe at shalomdc.org/security.

If you see or experience something concerning, we encourage you to report it to JShield. Reporting helps identify patterns and supports coordination with our security partners.

Jewish life will continue. We will gather, celebrate, learn, and mark our holidays together, thoughtfully, responsibly, and with care for one another.

At the same time, this moment calls on all of us to be attentive to the language and actions we tolerate in our public spaces. Antisemitism, in any form, must be named and challenged, and Jewish communities must never be left to carry that burden alone.

Earlier today, I shared these concerns in a brief conversation on CNN about antisemitism and the responsibility to challenge it before it escalates. You can watch it clip below.

Thank you for the many ways you show up for one another and for our community, especially in difficult moments. We are grateful for your partnership and your trust, and we remain committed to keeping Jewish life in Greater Washington strong, safe, and connected.

This is a moment for shared responsibility. Take action by supporting JShield and strengthening Jewish community security.