Hello From Jerusalem From Yossi's desk
Erev of Rosh Hashanah 5768 September 12, 2007

Hello from Jerusalem.

By now, I expect many of you have heard the distressing news to which those of us in Israel awoke to last morning: at dawn, in what Hamas hailed as a "victory from God," a Kassam missile struck an IDF training base, wounding at least 69 soldiers, one of them critically. The injury toll is the highest ever sustained in a single Palestinian rocket attack. A second Kassam struck an area of the westernNegev later this morning, causing damage but no injuries. There is no doubt at this point that in the coming weeks and month will be eventful in this front. The State of Israel that evequated the Gaza strip making a huge sacrifice will not be able to tolerate these levels of violence for much longer.......many here to include the IDF leadership and the Shein Beit (Internal secret service) believe that we have already been too patient!?

Meanwhile, the Shalit family is bringing in yet another New Year filled with feelings of anxiety and uncertainty. Just days ago, the Shalit family commemorated the second birthday their son, Gilad, has spent in captivity. They are no closer to any resolution about the whereabouts and well-being of their son.

On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, our prime minister is in a terrible position. On one hand, as a father, he can relate to the feeling of other parents, who are willing to do anything and everything in order to protect their children.The Shalit family and, now, the parents of at 69 additional Israeli soldiers have made enormous sacrifices in the name of this country, and our prime minister has an obligation to each and every one of those families, as to each and every one of their sons and daughters.

On the other hand, the prime minister is bound by the very same reasoning to do what is in the best interests of the State of Israel. Despite the pressure he faces to bring about the immediate release of Shalit and our other captive soldiers, he cannot ignore the implications of submitting to terrorists' demands, nor the consequences to the security of Israel if he agrees to release known terrorists from prison.
None of us I am sure is willing to walk into his shoes ! May GOD bless him with the wisdom to make the right decision for the State of Israel !!!!

As we enter the year 5768, our dear young State of Israel is still struggling to find the rightbalance, and the answers aren't always clear.

Life in Israel is never simple, but each year, as we review our achievements in the previous one, we can be proud of our progress. As we bring in the year 5768, the north is once again beginning to flourish with new, stronger buildings and more resilient communities, and the children of Sderot have begun school after a summer of much-needed relaxation and fun sponsored by Canadian Federations via UIA and our sister Federations in the US via UJC and operated by the Jewish Agency that did a holy work in the camps this summer . Our economy is doing well, and a generation of future leaders are benefiting from higher education due to thanks to generous scholarships from caring donors in Israel and abroad.

As always, I'm privileged to represent an amazing community of committed Jews, and I'm so proud of the work we are doing here together.

Tami and I wish you and your families a year of health and happiness, prosperity and progress, security and peace, for the State of Israel and for all of its soldiers, parents, children and families, and for all of Am Yisrael.

Shana Tova.

Yossi

MIA Countdown (as of September 11th):
Gilad Shalit: 1 year, 78 days
Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev: 1 year, 61 days