Take Action!

One way of coping during times of crisis is to keep busy! Whether it means volunteering opportunities, collecting money, sharing letters of support, or getting involved politically, students (and teachers alike) may find great comfort in taking action.

Here are a few ideas for students to get involved or actively help during the current crisis:

• Write letters of comfort and support to Israeli soldiers and families of Israeli soldiers. Younger kids can draw pictures to send to the soldiers. Also, coloring pages of Israeli flags, drawings of support, etc. can be used to decorate homes, shuls, schools, etc. See here for sample coloring sheets and worksheets. 
• Start a video campaign to show support for Israeli citizens (holding up signs of support and encouragement). 
• Conduct research projects into cities in Israel or Israeli history, etc. A mock visit to Israel/the Kotel for younger students can help them feel connected.
• Write letters to local representatives/senators, thanking them for their support of Israel and asking for their continued support.
• Prayer and reflection can help students to feel connected and less alone. (Specific chapters of Tehillim that can be said include Psalms 121, 130, 20, 27, and many more.) Have one student read the Prayer for Israeli Soldiers, for the State of Israel, for Redeeming Captives, or sing Acheinu Kol Beit Yisrael or Hatikvah daily.
• Social media activism makes a difference! Educate others by posting and sharing pro-Israel info/memes and educational content on social media, be alert to and combat anti-Israel propaganda, and be actively pro-Israel on social media through comments, likes, and shares. Report hateful comments and posts you see on social media.
• On the school-wide level, organize fundraisers for gift packages to soldiers, help with those evacuated from their homes (Kibbutz Beeri, Sderot, etc.), ambulances for MDA, etc. Students can help organize, get the word out, select recipient organizations, etc. 
• Activities that encourage solidarity can afford students a sense of belonging and connection: wear blue and white in school, learn/sing Israeli songs, learn Hebrew “word of the day”
• If your community has a “sister city,” connect students with peers so Israeli peers have some “normalcy.”
• Light a yahrzteit candle in the school with pictures of those who have fallen.
• Learn about those who have fallen; create a wall of those who have fallen and perform actions related to their qualities in their memory. 
• Attend pro-Israel rallies happening in your area.
• Consider donating to organizations that support Israel and are helping Israelis on the ground.