Michael Balaban's Update on the War in Israel

- Michael Balaban
President & CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

When speaking about the ongoing war in Israel, I find myself saying “we” a lot: we are fighting terrorism, we are fighting for our lives, we are being targeted unjustly on the international stage. And that’s because it is a “we” issue. As the indigenous people of the land of Israel, we are inextricably linked to the Jewish homeland. As Americans, so is our fate.

With this fervor, a delegation of Greater Philadelphians traveled to Washington D.C. this week as part of the Jewish Federations of North America Advocacy Fly-In Mission to speak up for our Jewish people in Israel and at home. From January 30-31, over 400 activists from 65 communities met with over 190 Congressional offices to advocate for legislation to advance combat antisemitism, military support for Israel and provide security funding for nonprofit agencies to protect themselves against rising tides of hate. 

• Combat hate through the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which would require the Department of Education to consider the widely accepted International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism when enforcing federal anti-discrimination laws.
• Provide military support for Israel through the Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, which includes $14.3 billion in emergency aid to Israel to help the country defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks and prevent the conflict from escalating regionally.
• Protect Jewish and other communal institutions against threats by increasing funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which will provide agencies with more resources to keep their communities safe, such as hiring security, upgrading surveillance equipment and infrastructure, and more.
  

Among our meetings with local representatives, we spoke with the offices of U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA 2nd District), PA Sen. Bob Casey, U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA 4th District), U.S. Rep. Dwight Evans (D-PA 3rd District), U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA 1st District), PA Sen. John Fetterman, U.S. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-PA 6th District), and U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (D-PA 5th District).

With each meeting, we were reminded of the power of the voice, the power of the story and the power of the people. As each volunteer spoke about the importance of supporting these issues, their personal experiences and their concerns for the Jewish community, it was clear that they were heard and affirmed with a commitment to action. This power is something we all possess. 

And we know that most days can feel helpless – as hostages remain captive, Jewish students are targeted on campuses, and Jewish institutions are targeted, all of which is compounded with more upsetting news pouring in daily, such as the recent allegations of UNRWA  employees being complicit in the Oct. 7 massacre. But hope is not lost as long as we remember our voice – and how to use it. 

Every day, you have the opportunity to call your representatives, whether to thank them if you feel they are representing your concerns or to tell them about the issues you believe they need to support. Every day, you have the opportunity to sign petitions, be out in the community, and join initiatives and efforts that are striving to make the world a better place. And if we do our part – even in times like now that feel bleak – we can improve it.  

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