Announcements

October 11, 2023
26 Tishrei 5784

Dear Beth El Alumni,

We hope this message finds you, your loved ones, and friends safe during these challenging times.  On Saturday, the Jewish people experienced an unimaginable trauma – attacks from Hamas on Israel.  We are devastated, scared, and angry.  As alumni of the Beth El teen community and current college students and young professionals, we want to offer an opportunity for us to gather online and process what we are experiencing this week, together.

Please join Bekkah Gold, current teen advisor at Beth El and Director of Israel Education for RootOne at The Jewish Education Project, for an online conversation on Sunday, October 15 at 5:00 pm EST. Please click here to register - and feel free to forward to your Beth El alum friends.

This is meant to be an open conversation, flowing based on the needs of those of you who join.  Here, we can talk about what is happening in Israel, what you might be experiencing on college campuses and in your places of work or social circles, and create an open space for dialogue, questions, emotions, actions, and whatever else this group needs in the moment. 

We are working on putting together some resources for you during this difficult time as well.  In the meantime, we reciommend reading this  Times of Israel article  and this fact sheet from the IAC  for an overview of the last few days, curated by our friends at The Jewish Education Project. 

You may be wrestling with complicated, difficult feelings right now, exacerbated by what you see and hear on social media and the news.  You may be confused, frustrated, or disagree with what you see or the people around you.  Please know that you are not alone.  No matter what you are feeling, it is valid.  These are trying times.  It is normal and human to hold contradictory thoughts and opinions, and for new information to impact what we are thinking and where we stand.  These conversations scheduled are meant to help you navigate this difficult period.   If you want or need additional support, please reach out to Bekkah or any of the Beth El clergy. 

In light of the events in Israel and how it is being shared on social media, we are discouraging you from clicking on photos and videos, as they are incredibly hard to see (and unsee).  We are here to support you.

Hope to see you on Sunday.

Am Yisrael Chai, 

Bekkah Gold and the Beth El Team

PS Parents receiving this email, please share with your college- and young professional-age children in case we do not have their email addresses. Thank you.