A Season of Reflection, A Nation Still Seeking Shelter

Dear Friends,

In these days, the Jewish calendar is turning toward its most sacred season. The High Holidays are almost upon us. Rosh Hashanah, the Feast of Trumpets, will soon call the nation to awaken with the sound of the shofar. Then come the Ten Days of Awe, a time of soul-searching and returning to God, culminating in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when all of Israel stands before Him seeking mercy and a new beginning.

It is a season of hope and renewal. But this year, as we prepare our hearts for the new year, we also carry the weight of a painful anniversary. We are nearing the three-year mark of October 7, the day that changed Israel forever and set in motion the wars with Hamas in Gaza, with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and with Iran.

Three years have passed, and Israelis are still feeling the pain of that day. So many families lost loved ones. Grief lingers in homes across the country, and the trauma runs deeper than most can see. Heartbreakingly, some who survived have carried wounds so heavy that they took their own lives. Behind every headline is a family still learning how to live again.

At Vision for Israel, we continue to work on many levels to restore a sense of safety and to support those who are struggling. One of the most practical, life-saving ways we can do that is by placing safety shelters in the communities that live closest to the conflict, in the northern border communities and in the southern communities near Gaza.

When a rocket is fired, residents in these areas may have only seconds to reach safety. For a mother walking with her children, an elderly man waiting at a bus stop, or families gathered in a public square, a shelter within reach can mean the difference between life and death. To date, we have installed 538 safety shelters in public areas across these vulnerable regions. And we are committed to continuing this work for as long as rocket and missile threats remain.

There is something deeply fitting about this project in this season. During the weeks leading up to the High Holidays, it is the custom of the Jewish people to recite Psalm 27, which declares that God will hide His people in His shelter in the day of trouble (Psalm 27:5). He is our refuge. He is our hiding place. And in His mercy, He invites us to be His hands, extending that refuge in tangible ways to those who live under threat.

Every shelter we place is more than concrete and steel. It is a message to a weary community: you are not forgotten. You are worth protecting. It tells a child that when the siren sounds, there is somewhere to run. It tells a grieving nation that even now, three years after its darkest day, there are friends around the world who stand with them.

As we approach Rosh Hashanah and the start of a new year, we can think of no better way to honor the memory of those who were lost than by protecting the living.

Please join us in contributing toward this important project. Your gift will help us place more shelters where they are needed most and continue supporting those still struggling in the aftermath of October 7. When you give, simply dedicate your donation to "Medical & Disaster Relief" so that it goes directly toward this project: visionforisrael.com/en/give.

May this season of reflection lead us all into a year of peace, healing, and hope. From our home in Jerusalem to yours, Shanah Tovah.


With love and gratitude,

Barry & Batya