What To Do

Sitting here, feeling helpless, makes me feel... well, helpless. I've been trying to figure out what to write: There's little for me to add in terms of updates, and other people are keeping the updates coming from Israel far better than I could possibly do from here. To some extent, I agree with Romach who notes that we should try and continue with our daily blogging (Ezzie: and lives) even as we pay close attention to the war that rages; WestBankMama explains wonderfully from Israel why that is the case. Meanwhile, to avoid the helpless feeling, Treppenwitz gives a laundry list of suggestions for people both in Israel and around the world to do. A couple:

Give blood. Under normal circumstances the blood supplies are critically low. Now more than ever you must find time to donate. Not only will it help save a life, but it will give you and your family 'blood insurance' in case (G-d forbid) the need arises.

Open your home. If you have friends or relatives living in communities that are currently under fire, please don't assume they have plans. Pick up the phone and invite them for Shabbat... for a few days... for a week.

Come visit. It may seem counter-intuitive to discuss tourism, but many people outside of Israel forget that this country relies on the tourist industry for more than half its GNP. I'm not saying you need to book a bed & breakfast in the upper Galilee or Golan (although once things quiet down that is exactly where you should be going). Just come. During the the Intifada too many people who claim to support Israel voted with their feet and stayed home. Don't let it happen again.

Support humanitarian and lifesaving organizations such as Magen David Adom and Zaka.

While we're not in the financial situation right now to do some, we can do the others, and for those who can send (even very small) amounts of money to the places he mentions, they are certainly excellent, worthwhile, and important causes.