Israel-SA/TO Ideas

Social Action and Tikun Olam Israeli Style!*
Compiled by Jen Abrams, SATO IGB 2004, and Adam Zarek, Israel Affairs IGB 2004

Planting Trees in Israel
There are many ways for USY to plant trees in Israel. At the end of each chapter event you can make sure you have collected $18 so for each event you can plant a tree. The Jewish National Fund plants trees across Israel and in addition, runs a program called "Plant Your Way To Israel" where Jewish teenagers sell trees for Israel. Half of the money donated goes to plant trees and the other half funds a scholarship in their name to go to Israel. For more information, check out www.jnf.org. If you are interested in planting a tree then contact your local Jewish National Fund office.

Pen Pals in Jerusalem
Anyone who is interested in being a pen pal should send their Name, Date of Birth, Name of School, Grade/Year, School Address, Home Address, Hobbies, Pen Pal Preferences (boy/girl/either, religious/traditional/non-religious, age) to:

The Joint Authority for Jewish Zionist Education
3 HaAskan Street
Jerusalem 93780
Israel

Political Action

• Contact the U.S. President to encourage his administration to continue their support of Israel.

President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
202-456-1414
FAX 202-456-2461
president@whitehouse.gov

• Contact your Congressional delegation to urge their support of Israel.
• Keep apprised of television coverage of the Middle East.
• Read newspapers, including op-ed columns, letters to editors, etc. It is important to be informed and up-to-date on these complex issues so we can participate with veracity in discussions with our friends, neighbors, etc.
• Call friends in Israel just to talk.
• Make an effort to attend community organizational meetings and events concerning Israel.
• Invite local community experts on the Middle East to speak at chapter events.

Buy Israeli Products
It is important for us, as American Jews to support our family in Israel financially. Check out some of these websites to purchase products:

• www.israelexport.org
• www.shopinisrael.com
• www.israeliproducts.com

Interact with Soldiers

• Letters can be sent to either of these addresses:

  Letter for an Israeli Soldier
  The Jewish Agency for Israel
  POB 92
  Jerusalem 91000, Israel

  OR

  Letter for an Israeli Soldier
  The Jewish Agency for Israel
  633 Third Avenue, 21st Floor
  New York, NY 10017

  Letters can also be emailed as an attachment to LetterToSoldier@jazo.org.il.

• Make care packages for Israeli soldiers with kosher candy. Decorate the bags and mail to:

Chashi Freedman
Institute for Jewish Studies
Kiryat Moriah
HaAskan 3
POB 92
Jerusalem 91000 ISRAEL

Partnership 2000
Contact your local Jewish Federation to find out your P2K region of Israel. Ask them how you can get involved in that community.

Ink for Israel
Collect used printer cartridges for a kibbutz in Israel that uses the raw materials to carry out their cartridge enterprise. Visit www.israel-ink.com for more information.

Greeting Cards
Chayamiriam Taurog makes handmade greeting cards for new baby, wedding, engagement, holiday greetings, birthday, b’nei mitzvah, graduation and sympathy. The cost is $10.00 per card and proceeds go to Yad Eliezer, an organization that provides food baskets and other assistance to the most destitute people in Israel. Contact her at chayamiriam@yahoo.com.

Allocate to Israel
Every chapter has the opportunity to choose where their Tikun Olam money is allocated. An easy way to turn any T.O. project into a SATO Israeli Style project is to allocate the monies raised to one of the Israeli tzedakot.