Weekly Edition: October 13th, 2023

Shabbat shalom. Our hearts are heavy with the weight of the last several days. Several hundred Boulder community members came to the vigil Wednesday night at Har HaShem to help process the news. There will be a rally in support of Israel on Sunday, October 15th on the steps of the State Capitol in Denver.

There are many fundraising appeals making the rounds. We have two: from JNF-USA and from The Kibbutz Movement. JEWISHcolorado has also opened an appeal. We will have more tzedakah opportunities in the coming days.

Our thoughts and prayers are once again with our brothers and sisters under attack in Israel, Ukraine, and the women of this country.

Stay warm, stay safe and stay healthy. Chazak chazak v’nitchazek!

Here are stories from the last week:

News/Columns/Letters

• Peter and Beth Ornstein Honored by Boulder Rotary for SIPP Work (10/12/2023) - Peter and Beth Ornstein have been named Boulder Rotary’s 2023 recipients of the Jim Swaeby Peace Award for their work with the nonprofit organization Sustainable Israeli-Palestinian Projects (SIPP). Continue Reading
• We Are One! We Are All Hurting! We Are Hoping for a Brighter Future! (10/12/2023) - We invite you to join us for an Israel Solidarity Friday night where we will celebrate Shabbat together, sing uplifting songs, and hear words of inspiration. Continue Reading
• JNF-USA 10/13 Special Live Zoom Shabbat Prayers and $1 Million Matching Gift (10/12/2023) - Join JNF-USA tomorrow morning in solidarity for a special live Zoom Shabbat Prayer for Israel: 10/13 at 10:00 AM MT. Links to prior briefings available. Continue Reading
• Message to Colorado Community from Shaul Amir (10/12/2023) - Shaul discusses the aftermath of the brutal attack by Hamas, causing unimaginable losses to Israel. Continue Reading
• Eyewitness Account from Jerusalem (10/12/2023) - By Fruma Scheiner, Special to the Boulder Jewish News I was abruptly woken up at 6am Saturday morning to siren after siren ringing in my ear. It was terrifying to say the least. I held my friends hands in mine, not wanting to let them go for even a second. Together we started to pray… Continue Reading
• Column: Worse Than Nazis: It Is Babi Yar All Over Again (10/12/2023) - Hitler taught the Arabs how to slaughter Jews, yet we can be surprised that the Einsatzgruppen’s chapter in Gaza City could not find a 50-foot deep ravine to gun down the 1200 or more Jews who were massacred on Saturday morning. Continue Reading
• The Rabbinic Council of Boulder Offers Prayers And Asks For Your Help In The Wake Of Terrorist Attacks In Israel (10/10/2023) - In light of the horrific attacks and acts of terrorism perpetrated by Hamas, we reach out offering community and accompaniment. Our hearts are with you. Please join us October 11 at 6pm at Congregation Har HaShem for a community-wide vigil. Continue Reading
• JNF-USA Sharing Daily Updates From Israel (10/10/2023) - The unthinkable continues in Israel, and Jewish National Fund-USA is working around the clock in the USA and on the ground in Israel to take care of our friends, family, and colleagues. Continue Reading
• Letter: 150% Reservist Call Up (10/9/2023) - On the morning of October 9 on a world wide zoom conference, Israeli Brigadier Gen (Res) Amir Avivi declared that the IDF reservists have responded at a rate of 150%. Continue Reading
• Letter: A Queer Clash at Rice University (10/9/2023) - Bruce Ticker’s column is a good illustration of the problems Jews are facing on college campuses. Continue Reading
• HAMAS LAUNCHES MAJOR ATTACK ON ISRAEL; HUNDREDS DEAD, WOUNDED (10/7/2023) - Fifty years, almost to the day, after the Yom Kippur War, Israel was surprised again Saturday by an enemy attack on a holiday and shabbat. Get links to the latest. Continue Reading

Jewish Life

• Emergency Fund to Support Kibbutzim Near Gaza (10/12/2023) - The Kibbutz Movement is raising desperately needed donations to support the members of its kibbutzim impacted by the recent Hamas attack. Continue Reading
• Never Again We Said (10/12/2023) - A new poem from Todd Greenberg. Continue Reading
• Why I Love Hummingbirds (10/12/2023) - A poem from Morah Yehudis. Continue Reading
• October 7, 2023- A Poem (10/10/2023) - A timely poem from Todd Greenberg. Continue Reading

Arts and Culture

• The Boulder Jewish Film Festival Offers Its First Silent Film Screening (10/12/2023) - “The Man Without a World,” a silent film with live original music by violinist Alicia Svigals and pianist Donald Sosin, is the festival's Centerpiece event. Continue Reading
• Threadbare Sails from the West (10/10/2023) - A timely poem from Lisa Tremback. Continue Reading

Events

• Rally for Israel in Denver on Sunday (10/12/2023) - The Israeli-American Council (IAC) Colorado chapter, along with other Denver Jewish organizations, is rallying on Sunday, October 15 to support Israel following a Hamas terrorist attack last Saturday, which resulted in significant casualties. Continue Reading
• War in Israel and Gaza: Analysis, Explanations, Memories (10/10/2023) - A Panel Discussion with Profs. Zach Levey (International Affairs/JWST), Eyal Rivlin (JWST), John Willis (HIST, to be conrifmed), and Karim Mattar (ENG, to be confirmed). Continue Reading
• Community Vigil for Israel Will Be Held at Har HaShem Wednesday (10/9/2023) - The Boulder Jewish community is organizing a vigil for 6:00 pm this Wednesday evening, October 11, 2023, at Congregation Har HaShem. Continue Reading