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Updates from your Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC)

 

 

updated August 8, 2022

 

 

Operation Breaking Dawn lasted 66 hours. At 11:30 pm Israel time (4:30 pm ET) yesterday, Sunday, a full ceasefire went into effect. The details of the agreement, which was brokered by Egypt, have not been publicized, other than to say that both sides – Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad – have agreed to halt all attacks.

 

As of Monday afternoon, the cease fire seems to be holding, and there are no reports of attacks from either side. The IDF has instructed that civilian life in the south could return to normal, and all restrictions have been lifted.

 

In total, during the just-over two days of fighting:

·         Around 1,100 rockets were launched by Islamic Jihad against Israeli civilian targets.

·         Of these, some 200 fell short of the border and landed within Gaza, some causing casualties.

·         The rest of the rockets crossed into Israeli territory. Of these, Israel’s Iron Dome Rocket Defense System successfully intercepted more than 96% of those rockets headed towards populated areas.

·         Meanwhile, the IDF struck 170 Islamic Jihad targets in Gaza, including senior commanders, rocket launch teams, terror military posts and compounds, weapons storage facilities and a terror attack tunnel.

·         A few Israeli citizens were lightly injured from debris on Saturday, and others were treated for anxiety and shock. Beyond that, no Israeli casualties were reported from the days of attacks.

·         Palestinian authorities have reported a total of 35 deaths out of which 26 were innocent bystanders. Of the 26, 11 were accidentally killed in Israeli airstrikes, and 15 were killed by Islamic Jihad rockets that failed to clear Gaza.

 

 

ACTION ALERT

 

Since Friday, nearly 1,000 rockets have been indiscriminately fired into Israel by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a U.S.-designated terror organization. And at least 120 fell short of the border and landed in the Gaza Strip causing damage and casualties to Palestinians.

Israelis have spent days in bomb shelters protecting innocent children, women, and men, while these terrorists use innocent Palestinians as human shields.

We must urge our elected officials to publicly support Israel’s right to self-defense against terrorists. Take action by emailing and tweeting at your Members of Congress today.

View updates on Operation Alot Haschachar (Breaking Dawn) here.

Watch the recording of Jewish Federations of North America's webinar, Dobbs v. Jackson: A Jewish Perspective. 

 

Collected Statements from Jewish Organizations on Reproductive Rights

 

National Council of Jewish Women Resources

Public Affairs Update

On May 11th, hundreds of Federation activists traveled to Washington, DC to advocate for the following: Securing Our Communities, Combatting Hate Together, Supporting Ukraine, and Addressing Antisemitism. Last week, our federal legislature advanced or passed multiple Federation advocacy priorities:

 

 

SC Legislative Update

South Carolina's regular legislative session came to an end on May 12th. Legislators will be called back for special session to resolve the budget, including provisos.

 

  • Working as a member of the Pro-Truth in Education Coalition to ensure that history, including the Holocaust, will be taught accurately, we are happy to report that H.5183/S.945, aka "anti-truth in education" bills, did not pass. The Pro-Truth in Education Coalition will monitor anti-truth budget provisos still under consideration.

Hate Crimes Legislation Blocked From Passage This Session

Stamp Out Hate SC is profoundly disappointed that the Senate opted not to debate and vote upon H.3620, the Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney Hate Crimes Act, this legislative session. After successfully passing the House and being reported on favorably by the Senate Judiciary Committee in 2021, the hate crimes bill sat untouched in the Senate for the duration of the 2022 session, due to the objections of five Upstate Senators.

Most disheartening about this failure to take common sense action against hate is that it ignores the will of South Carolinians. In an unprecedented coalition, non-profits, businesses, our State Chambers of Commerce, and diverse faith communities came together in common cause to advance this hate crimes legislation, advancing this legislation further than in any previous attempt.

Though H.3620 is now dead in its current form, we will work again with legislators and community leaders to reintroduce similar legislation in the next session. We applaud the House for taking action to combat hate in South Carolina. We also thank the Senators who bravely took the well at every opportunity to urge their colleagues to take up this important issue.  

We stand committed to Stamping Out Hate across our state so that all South Carolinians are safe to be who they are.

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Tricks and traps for reading bills in the SC Legislature

Looking for anti-racism resources? Click here.