Two American families. Two murders. Two killers who are not in prison. One lives openly in Jordan; the other walked free in a hostage exchange and vanished, and his victim’s family learned it from the news. Both families are still fighting, and this week you can stand with them — read both stories below, sign both petitions, and on Thursday, show up with us on Zoom.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

Panel · Free · On Zoom

Justice Beyond Borders: Americans Murdered by Terrorists and the Fight for Accountability

Thursday, July 16 · 7:00 PM ET · Live on Zoom

With the Rhode Island Coalition for Israel and our partner organizations, we’ll sit down with the people who have lived inside this pattern for years. After the panel, we’ll open the floor to your questions.

Arnold Roth — Malki’s father, who has spent more than twenty years fighting to bring her killer from Jordan to American justice. Kathleen Luken — Kristine’s identical twin sister. Tal Hartuv — who survived the attack that killed Kristine. Mark Goldfeder — constitutional attorney and CEO of the National Jewish Advocacy Center.

Register for the Zoom link

Two American citizens, murdered — and their killers are free. Here is how you stand with their families today.

Sign for Malki. In August 2001, fifteen-year-old Malki Roth, an American citizen, was murdered at the Sbarro pizzeria in Jerusalem; Ahlam Tamimi chose that target because it was full of children. Tamimi served eight years, walked free in a hostage deal, and now lives openly in Jordan — the only woman on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list, with a $5 million reward on her head, while Jordan refuses to honor a valid U.S. extradition treaty. Tell the Secretary of State to press Jordan to extradite her.

Sign for Malki

Sign for Kristine. In December 2010, Kristine Luken, an American Christian, was stabbed to death on a hiking trail near Beit Shemesh; her friend Tal Hartuv survived by playing dead. Ayad Fatafta confessed that he killed Kristine because he thought she was Jewish. A 2017 FBI affidavit laid out the evidence for his arrest, and the United States had claimed the case — but in October 2025 he walked free in the hostage exchange, and Kristine’s family and Tal were never told; they learned it from the news. Nine years on, the United States still has not issued the warrant, and his whereabouts are unknown. Demand the U.S. issue the arrest warrant and pursue his extradition.

Sign for Kristine

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A locked gate, and a duck in Newport

A Quacker in Newport, Rhode Island went to tour a landmark and found the gates locked. Then a kosher duck turned up — and the disappointment lifted. “It was a sign,” they wrote, “that all is good.” One small duck, hidden and found, turning a closed door into a smile. From cruise ships to city parks, the ducks keep floating. If hate can go viral, why can’t love?

See the sightings map

Before the Atlanta Israel Coalition had a name, it had a story I couldn't put down.

The very first thing I ever did for AIC was bring a woman named Tal Hartuv to a synagogue here in Atlanta. Two hundred of you filled Congregation Beth Jacob to hear her. Many of you met her that night as Kay Wilson. She told us how, on a hike outside Jerusalem, two Palestinian terrorists set upon her and her friend Kristine Luken, an American Christian. They stabbed Kristine to death. They tried to do the same to Tal. She lived only because she was willing to lie perfectly still under the blade until they walked away. That night is the reason this coalition exists.

Now I have to tell you what became of the man who did it. His name is Ayad Fatafta. An Israeli court sentenced him to 35 years for murdering Kristine and 20 more for trying to murder Tal. In 2017, an FBI affidavit laid out the evidence and made the case for his arrest — Kristine was an American, and the United States had claimed the case as its own. Then in October 2025, in the deal that traded more than 2,000 prisoners for some of the October 7th hostages, Fatafta walked out. He had served a fraction of his sentence.

No one called Kristine's family. No one called Tal. Tal wrote the petition now circulating for his extradition, and here is how she tells it:

“Neither Kristine Luken's family nor Tal Hartuv were notified of his release. [We] found out through the Internet… The man who confessed to murdering Kristine Luken because he ‘thought she was Jewish' remains at large — unindicted, unextradited, and apparently unforgotten only by those he harmed.”

He killed her because he thought she was Jewish. He is free. And nine years after the FBI made the case for his arrest, the United States still has not issued the warrant. Without a warrant, there is no arrest. Without an arrest, there is no extradition. Without extradition, there is no trial. The entire path to justice is jammed on the single move only the United States can make, and it hasn't made it.

That is why we are gathering on July 16, and why I'm asking you to join us. Eight years ago you showed up for Tal, and it started all of this. She is still here, still fighting, still asking the country that has the evidence to charge her attacker to finally act on it. On July 16, show up for her again. It's free, it's on Zoom, and every name on that registration list is one more signal to Washington that no one has forgotten Kristine Luken.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Founder & Executive Director

Panel · Free · On Zoom

Justice Beyond Borders: Americans Murdered by Terrorists and the Fight for Accountability

Thursday, July 16 · 7:00 PM ET · Live on Zoom

Cheryl hosts survivor Tal Hartuv alongside three people who carry this fight too:

Arnold Roth — his fifteen-year-old daughter Malki was murdered in the 2001 Sbarro bombing in Jerusalem. Her confessed killer walks free in Jordan, unrepentant, on the FBI's Most Wanted Terrorists list.

Kathleen Luken — Kristine's identical twin, who has spent fifteen years keeping her sister's name alive and holding America to its word.

Mark Goldfeder — constitutional attorney and head of the National Jewish Advocacy Center, on what the law actually lets us do when governments won't act.

You'll hear the families and the survivor in their own voices, and a lawyer who can show us where the pressure points are. Then the floor is yours for questions.

Reserve Your Spot

Cheryl asked; here is the ask made concrete. It takes a minute.

Sign the petition for Kristine. Nine years after the FBI made the case for his arrest, the United States still has not issued the warrant. Demand it issue the warrant and pursue the extradition of Ayad Fatafta — the man who confessed to murdering Kristine Luken and tried to murder Tal Hartuv.

Sign the petition

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A duck on the jeep after trivia night

A Quacker in Peachtree Corners walked out of trivia night to find a kosher duck waiting on their jeep. “How cool!” they wrote — and that’s the whole idea. No occasion, no reason, just a small yellow duck turning an ordinary night into a smile. From city parks to parking lots, the ducks keep popping up. If hate can go viral, why can’t love?

See the sightings map

In August 2001, a fifteen-year-old American girl named Malki Roth walked into a pizzeria in Jerusalem and never walked out. The woman who picked that pizzeria — because it was full of children — was caught, convicted, and sentenced to sixteen life terms.

She served eight years. A hostage deal set her free. She lives in Jordan today, openly, with no remorse, while the FBI lists her among its Most Wanted Terrorists and offers five million dollars for her arrest. Jordan will not hand her over.

Come, and bring someone with you. These families have carried this alone for a long time. The least we can do is show up and listen.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

Panel · Free · On Zoom

Justice Beyond Borders: Americans Murdered by Terrorists and the Fight for Accountability

Thursday, July 16 · 7:00 PM ET · Live on Zoom · Free and open to all; audience Q&A follows

On Thursday, July 16, AIC, the Rhode Island Coalition for Israel, and a coalition of partner organizations are hosting an evening with the people who live with that injustice — and one lawyer determined to change it.

Arnold Roth is Malki's father. For more than twenty years he has fought to bring her killer to American justice.

Kathleen Luken is the identical twin of Kristine Luken, an American murdered on a hiking trail near Beit Shemesh in 2010. She stayed silent for thirteen years. What she finally said is hard to forget.

Tal Hartuv was hiking beside Kristine that afternoon. She was stabbed more than a dozen times and left for dead. She played dead, then walked over a kilometer through the forest, bound and bleeding, to get help. One of her attackers was released in the 2025 Gaza hostage deal — and she learned about it from the news.

Mark Goldfeder is a constitutional attorney and the head of the National Jewish Advocacy Center.

This is an honest conversation about the hardest question we face: hostage deals bring our people home, and they also send convicted murderers back onto the street. We are going to talk about what comes next — about extradition, about the American laws that already let families fight back, and about what accountability looks like when a government refuses to act.

Register for the Zoom link

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

Waiting in the parking lot at Lake Lanier

On a hot July ice run to Lake Lanier, a Quacker found a little kosher duck waiting in the parking lot. “Thanks for the smiles,” they wrote. One duck, one stranger’s brighter afternoon — a mitzvah that floats. From Georgia lakes to city sidewalks, the ducks keep drifting into view, one duck at a time.

See the sightings map

Sami Steigmann speaks in Atlanta a week from tonight.

If you've been meaning to RSVP, this is the email. Seating at Chabad Israeli Center is limited, and we want everyone who's coming to have a seat. The room fills.

If you've sat with a survivor's testimony before, you know what that hour does. If you haven't yet, this is the one. Bring a friend, a teenager, a colleague who needs to hear it.

See you Wednesday.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Founder & Executive Director

Community event · Free · In person, Atlanta

An Evening with Sami Steigmann

Wednesday, May 13 · 7:30 PM · Chabad Israeli Center of Atlanta

Why we're hosting Sami: he is one of a small number of people still alive who were used as subjects of Nazi medical experimentation, and one of even fewer who travel the country talking about it. He has spoken to more than 250,000 people since 2008.

Survival, military service in Israel, and decades of public speaking give him a perspective on antisemitism, resilience, and moral courage that almost no one else can offer. He brings it without sentimentality and without polish — just the truth, told plainly.

“I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to be.” — Sami Steigmann

Free admission. Seating is limited.

RSVP for Atlanta

Community event · Free · On Zoom

An Evening with Sami Steigmann — On Zoom

Thursday, May 14 · 7:00 PM ET · On Zoom

Can't make it to Atlanta? Sami speaks again the next night on Zoom, hosted by AIC in partnership with Israel Brief and the Rhode Island Coalition for Israel. Open to anyone, anywhere.

Both events are free. The optional supporter ticket on each registration page funds the next one, and the one after that.

Register for the Zoom evening

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

An adorable duck between the shelves in Boston

A Quacker in Boston wasn’t even looking at the books when a kosher duck caught their eye between the shelves. “Thank you to whomever placed it there. Peace to all,” they wrote. A stranger’s kindness, hidden and found. From libraries to cruise ships, the good spreads — one duck at a time.

See the sightings map

On Wednesday, May 13, AIC is hosting an evening with Sami Steigmann at the Chabad Israeli Center in Atlanta.

Bringing Sami to Atlanta matters to us right now. The fight against antisemitism is a daily practice. People who have lived through what Sami has lived through can tell us, with authority, what that practice looks like. He does not speak as a victim. He speaks as someone who decided what to do with his life and is asking the rest of us to decide what we'll do with ours.

Come if you're in town. Bring someone with you. Bring someone who hasn't heard a survivor speak in person — that window is closing every year, and Sami is still here, still on the road, still doing the work.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Founder & Executive Director

Community event · Free · In person, Atlanta

An Evening with Sami Steigmann — Holocaust Survivor and Motivational Speaker

Wednesday, May 13 · 7:30 PM · Chabad Israeli Center of Atlanta

Sami Steigmann is a globally renowned motivational speaker and a Holocaust survivor. Born in 1939 in what is now western Ukraine, he was imprisoned as a child in a Romanian labor camp in Transnistria and used as a subject of Nazi medical experimentation. A German farm woman who secretly smuggled him milk kept him alive.

He went on to serve in the Israeli Air Force, build a life in the United States, and — since 2008 — speak to more than 250,000 people about what he survived and what he chose to make of it.

Free admission. Seating is limited.

RSVP for Atlanta

Virtual event · Free · On Zoom

An Evening with Sami Steigmann — On Zoom

Thursday, May 14 · 7:00 PM ET · On Zoom

The next evening, AIC is hosting a second evening with Sami on Zoom, in partnership with Israel Brief and Rhode Island Coalition for Israel. Same speaker, same message, open to anyone — wherever you are.

Both events are free. If you'd like to support AIC's work bringing speakers like Sami to our community and beyond, there's an optional supporter ticket on each registration page. Every dollar goes back into programming.

Register for the virtual evening

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A pint, a sunset, and a duck in Newport

A Quacker in Newport, Rhode Island was enjoying a pint over a beautiful sunset when a little kosher duck turned up beside them. Nothing grand — just a good evening made a little brighter. From harbor towns to city parks, small joys keep floating: mitzvahs that float.

See the sightings map

Spring is busy. Here's what AIC wants on your radar this month: a lacrosse game where we'll fly the flag, Israel's birthday in a Dunwoody park, and a Holocaust survivor coming to Georgia who needs hosts.

Show up where you can. Reach out if you can host Sami. And if you see one of us at any of these events, come say hello. Am Yisrael chai.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

Table · Saturday, April 18 · Gas South Arena, Duluth

Georgia Swarm World Fest — first-ever Multicultural Night

The Georgia Swarm pro lacrosse team is hosting their first-ever Multicultural Night at Gas South Arena in Duluth, and AIC will be there with a table representing Israel and the Atlanta Jewish community alongside groups from across the metro. Pre-game on the lawn at 2:00 PM, AIC's table opens inside at 3:00 PM, and the game against the Rochester Knighthawks starts at 4:00 PM.

We know Saturdays are complicated for many in our community. If you can make it, please do — visibility matters, and a strong Israeli presence at a multicultural event with countries from around the world is exactly the kind of showing we want. Bring an Israeli flag, an American flag, or both, stop by our table, and we'll send you home with a free Kosher Duck.

Tickets through AIC's link start at $17.60. Get tickets here.

Celebration · Thursday, April 23 · Zaban Park, Dunwoody · Free

Yom Ha'Atzmaut at the Marcus JCC

The Marcus JCC is hosting a free Israel Independence Day Celebration at Zaban Park in Dunwoody, 5:00–7:00 PM. Music, crafts, games, face painting, and food available for purchase — family-friendly, free, and the kind of event that fills a park with the spirit of Israel right here in Atlanta.

No registration required. Bring the kids, bring the grandkids, bring a friend. AIC will see you there. Details at atlantajcc.org.

One ask this month:

Host Holocaust survivor Sami Steigmann, May 11–14. AIC is bringing survivor and motivational speaker Sami Steigmann to Georgia for four days, and we're looking for organizations, schools, synagogues, churches, and community groups to host him for speaking engagements. Sami survived Nazi medical experiments and turned that survival into a life spent teaching resilience, courage, and the necessity of telling the story. His audiences — students, congregations, civic groups — leave changed.

If your organization, school, shul, church, or community group can host Sami for a talk between May 11 and May 14, reach out to cheryl@atlantaisrael.org. Spots are limited and the calendar is filling fast. More about Sami.

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A kosher duck at Swarm's international night

A kosher duck turned up at the Georgia Swarm's international night in Duluth — one more face of Jewish pride in a room full of the world. From arenas to airports, the ducks keep floating. Mitzvahs that float, one duck at a time.

See the sightings map

Shalom, my friend,

Tonight we sit at the seder table and tell the oldest story we have — that we were slaves, that we chose freedom.

On Sunday night, we chose again, with an extraordinary event: Bridges of Hope — bringing together Jews, Christians, Hindus, Muslims, Atheists, Persians, Israelis, Americans, Canadians, and more, and flying some remarkable talent into Atlanta.

Ghazal Mizrahi sang in languages half the room had never heard and stopped every one of them cold. JoDavi — Joshua Washington — brought soul music from the deepest place a person can bring it. Mustapha Ezzarghani stood on a stage in a synagogue as a Moroccan Muslim and told the truth about what his world did to its Jews. Tehran Von Ghasri had us laughing so hard we forgot we had armed security at the door. Caleiv Jean performed music born from a path most people would never have the courage to take. George Rishfeld, at 86, stood up and reminded us why we can never stop telling the story. And Surinder Dhar spoke about what happens when the world looks away from ethnic cleansing — because he lived it.

We dedicated the evening to the memory of Olga Meshoe Washington, zichrona livracha — Joshua Washington's wife. Olga was a South African attorney, a Christian Zionist, and one of the most courageous voices for Israel and the Jewish people in the world. She spoke at the United Nations. She built bridges between Black South Africa and the Jewish state. She died in January of last year, leaving behind two young sons. Joshua was on that stage fifteen months later. He chose to be there. That tells you everything about the kind of people who were in the room Sunday night.

Now the part that's harder to write.

I am not writing this to complain. I am writing it because you should know: AIC has no endowment. We have no grants. We have no institutional patron. We have a core, committed group of volunteers. We have me, working full time without a salary since 2018, and a community that either shows up or doesn't. On Sunday night, the community showed up. The institutions did not.

The attendees were wowed, and it was clear: we build support for Israel and for Jews, from within our community and beyond it.

And while I'm being honest — none of this works without my husband Steven, who has been the sole breadwinner of this family while I do this work unpaid, and who has never made me stop. Our sons are in college. They have watched their mother run out the door at a moment's notice for eight years — to organize a rally, pick up a speaker from the airport, pull an event together with only hours to spare — and they show up for me every time. The mishegas is real. So is their support. I want them to know I see it.

The Haggadah tells us to search for chametz before Pesach — to find what is puffed up and hollow and remove it. There is institutional chametz in Jewish communal life: organizations that look impressive from the outside but are hollow when you need them, brands that swell with self-importance but produce nothing when a grassroots organization in Atlanta asks for help putting armed guards at the door of a synagogue so families can hear a Holocaust survivor speak.

But here is what I want you to carry into your seder tonight: the room was full anyway. The music was extraordinary. The stories were real. The security was there. This community — your community — made it happen without a single institutional hand on its back. That is not a failure. That is proof of what we are.

AIC is not going anywhere. There is more coming.

Tonight, tell the story. And when you get to the part where it says "in every generation they rise against us," remember that in every generation, someone rises to meet it. That was Sunday night.

Regardless of what you're celebrating, I hope you find this season one of hope, unity, and peace.

Chag Pesach sameach. Am Yisrael chai.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

AIC has no endowment, no grants, and no institutional patron. Sunday night happened because this community built it — the volunteers, the resources, the hands that show up. None of it happens by accident, and the work ahead needs you: not the next person, you.

This Pesach, rise up with us. Give. Your support funds the events, the speakers, and the armed security that let families gather safely to hear a Holocaust survivor speak. Give your generous support to AIC.

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

Sharing is caring, in Atlanta

A kosher duck passed along in Atlanta — one small kindness handed to a stranger. That is the whole revolution: joy you can hold and give away. If hate can go viral, why can't love?

See the sightings map

Shavua tov. This week's Torah portion returns to fire — the perpetual flame on the altar that the Torah insists shall not go out, and the priest who had to show up every single morning to clear the ashes and lay the wood so it wouldn't. It is a portion about people who tend fires nobody asked them to tend.

Tomorrow night, seven of those people take a stage in Dunwoody. A Persian Jewish singer who has performed at hostage-family events since October 7. A Moroccan Muslim who made a video asking the Arab world where its Jews went. A soul musician who runs the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel. An Iranian-African American comedian. A hip-hop producer from Haiti who became an Orthodox Jew. A Holocaust survivor who has spent decades making sure people know what happened. A Kashmiri Hindu activist who survived ethnic cleansing and now fights for minority rights worldwide.

None of them had to be here. Every one of them chose it. This is a room full of those people, and I would like you to be in it. Come choose it with us.

Lo tikhbeh.

Concert · In person · Tickets from $18

Bridges of Hope: Standing Together for a Better Tomorrow

Sunday, March 29, 2026 · Doors 6:30 PM, concert 7:00 PM ET · Dunwoody, GA

Seven artists and advocates from across faiths, continents, and backgrounds share one stage for an evening of music and solidarity with Israel. Tickets start at $18.

Get Your Tickets

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A duck under the Chagall windows

A kosher duck found beneath the Chagall windows in Jerusalem — light meeting light. From synagogues to city parks, the ducks keep floating. Mitzvahs that float.

See the sightings map

This Sunday evening, seven performers and speakers from across cultures, faiths, and continents take one stage in Dunwoody. A Persian Jewish vocalist. A soul artist who tours from Harlem to Jerusalem. A Moroccan author who challenged the Arab world to confront its erasure of Jewish communities. An Iranian-African American comedian. A hip-hop producer who found his way to Orthodox Judaism. A Holocaust survivor. A Kashmiri Hindu human rights activist.

This is Bridges of Hope — one heart, one community, one Israel. Seats are going. Will we see you there?

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

Concert & Speakers · Ticketed · In Dunwoody

Bridges of Hope: Standing Together for a Better Tomorrow

Sunday, March 29, 2026 · VIP Reception 6:00 PM · Doors 6:30 PM · Concert 7:00 PM · Dunwoody, GA

An evening of music and testimony — seven performers and speakers from four continents, on one stage.

General Admission $18 · Student $8 · VIP $108.

Get Your Tickets

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A kosher duck at a Dunwoody festival

A kosher duck spotted at a festival in Dunwoody — a little Jewish joy in the middle of the crowd. From festivals to city parks, the ducks keep popping up, one duck at a time.

See the sightings map

On Sunday evening, March 29, we're hosting Bridges of Hope: Standing Together for a Better Tomorrow in Dunwoody — and I want you there.

We've pulled together a lineup of artists and voices you won't find on one stage anywhere else. Everyone stepping up to that microphone brings a different background and something of their own to share. None of them had to show up for this. They all chose to.

Bring someone you love. This is going to be a night people talk about.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

Concert · Live Music & Voices · Dunwoody, GA

Bridges of Hope: Standing Together for a Better Tomorrow

Sunday, March 29, 2026 · VIP 6 PM, Concert 7 PM ET · Dunwoody, GA

An evening of music, comedy, and testimony from artists and advocates who chose to stand together for Israel:

Ghazal Mizrahi — a Persian Jewish world-music vocalist who sings in multiple languages and was recently named a Women of Achievement honoree.

JoDavi (Joshua Washington) — soul composer, recording artist, and Executive Director of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel, whose album Zion has toured from Harlem to Jerusalem.

Mustapha Ezzarghani — Moroccan-born author of Arab Identity Syndrome and founder of the Moroccan-Israeli Friendship Association, whose "Where Are Your Jews?" video pressed the Arab world to confront the erasure of its Jewish communities.

Tehran Von Ghasri — an Iranian-African American comedian and Laugh Factory regular who performs in English and Farsi.

Caleiv Jean — an Atlanta-based hip-hop producer whose path from the rap industry to Orthodox Judaism has drawn audiences across social media.

George Rishfeld — a Holocaust survivor, saved as a child by a Catholic family during the war, and a longtime educator.

Surinder Dhar — a human rights activist and survivor of the 1990s ethnic cleansing of Hindus in Kashmir, who co-leads global advocacy through HAHRI and HinduPACT.

General Admission $18 · Students $8 · VIP Experience $108, which adds the 6 PM meet-and-greet, kosher bites, and priority seating. Sponsorships from $180 to $5,000.

Get Your Tickets

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A little cute duck in Atlanta

A little kosher duck, found in Atlanta — a small surprise that made someone's day. One duck, one smile. From Atlanta to Tel Aviv, mitzvahs that float.

See the sightings map

For two years, I've watched our community ask one question more than any other: who stands with us? On March 29, the answer walks onto a stage in Dunwoody.

We're bringing three artists to Atlanta — a Persian Jewish vocalist, a Black soul composer, and a Moroccan Muslim author. Every one of them comes from a different world. None of them had to be here. They all chose to stand with Israel, and with us.

This is going to be a night people talk about. Bring the friend who's been asking what they can do — and I hope you'll be there.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

Concert · In person · Dunwoody, GA

Bridges of Hope

Sunday, March 29 · Doors 6:30 PM · Concert 7:00 PM · Dunwoody, GA

Three artists, three different worlds, one stage.

Ghazal Mizrahi — a Persian Jewish world-music vocalist who sings in multiple languages and has performed at rallies and hostage-family events since October 7. She was recently named a Women of Achievement honoree in New York.

JoDavi (Joshua Washington) — a soul composer and recording artist who has opened for India Arie and Anthony Hamilton, and whose album Zion has toured from Harlem to Jerusalem. He is Executive Director of the Institute for Black Solidarity with Israel.

Mustapha Ezzarghani — a Moroccan Muslim author and founder of the Moroccan-Israeli Friendship Association, whose viral "Where Are Your Jews?" video challenged the Arab world to confront the erasure of its Jewish communities.

General admission $18 · students $8 · VIP experience $108. The VIP meet-and-greet at 6:00 PM includes kosher bites, conversation with the artists, and priority seating.

Get Your Tickets

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A kosher duck bringing joy to all faiths

A kosher duck bringing joy across faiths in Atlanta — which is the whole point: Jewish pride that invites everyone in. From cruise ships to city parks, the ducks keep floating.

See the sightings map

On Sunday, March 29, we invite you to an evening of music, unity, and inspiration in Dunwoody. Bridges of Hope: Standing Together for a Better Tomorrow brings together internationally acclaimed performers Ghazal Mizrahi and JoDavi — artists whose work bridges cultures, faiths, and communities.

This evening celebrates what connects us: resilience, shared humanity, and the power of community. Reserve your seat, bring someone with you, and we hope to see you there.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

Concert · Dunwoody, GA

Bridges of Hope: Standing Together for a Better Tomorrow

Sunday, March 29 · VIP Meet & Greet 6:00 PM · Concert 7:00 PM ET · Dunwoody, GA

Internationally acclaimed performers Ghazal Mizrahi and JoDavi take the stage for an evening built around resilience, shared humanity, and the power of community. The VIP Meet & Greet opens at 6:00 PM; the concert begins at 7:00 PM.

General Admission $18 · VIP Experience $108. Student tickets are available.

Get Tickets

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A duck marching in the Israeli Day Parade

A kosher duck marching in the Israeli Day Parade in New York — Jewish pride, out loud and in the street. From parades to city parks, the ducks keep floating. Mitzvahs that float.

See the sightings map

Shalom,

These are not easy weeks for Israel — or for Jewish communities here at home.

The headlines are loud. The narratives are often distorted. The conversations are often heated. Many of us are facing difficult questions in our workplaces, schools, and civic spaces.

This is precisely why the Atlanta Israel Coalition exists.

We were founded to bring principled, informed, and steady leadership into moments like this. When media coverage is incomplete, we provide context. When misinformation spreads, we provide education. When our community feels unsettled, we convene and strengthen it.

In the weeks ahead, we are continuing that work.

On Sunday, March 1, we welcome Gil Hoffman — Executive Director of Honest Reporting and longtime chief political correspondent for The Jerusalem Post — for a lecture at Congregation Etz Chaim. His perspective, shaped by 25 years covering Israeli and Palestinian leadership, offers rare insight into media, politics, and the Middle East. Headlines shape perception, and thoughtful analysis matters more than ever.

That same day, we are a proud community partner of the Atlanta Jewish Life Festival at the Georgia Aquarium. Large, joyful gatherings are essential. When tension runs high, visible, confident Jewish celebration is a form of resilience.

Beyond traditional programming, our Kosher Duck Revolution keeps growing as a creative expression of Jewish pride and connection. What began as a simple act of kindness has become a movement — small symbols traveling into classrooms, synagogues, churches, missions, and everyday spaces, sparking conversations where they might not otherwise happen.

AIC friends can also receive 36% off their first year of Israel Brief, a trusted source of analysis that cuts through the noise and keeps conversations grounded in fact.

These efforts may look different on the surface — a policy lecture, a community festival, a duck drop, a news partnership — but they share a common purpose: strengthening informed, resilient Jewish life.

We are not interested in noise. We are interested in impact.

In the months ahead, AIC will keep convening serious conversations, supporting humanitarian efforts, expanding national and international engagement, and building partnerships rooted in democratic values and shared responsibility.

Your presence, your engagement, and your partnership matter.

Together, we remain steady. Together, we remain informed. Together, we stand with Israel.

With conviction and gratitude,

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

Lecture · Congregation Etz Chaim

An Insider's Look at Media & the Middle East

Sunday, March 1 · Congregation Etz Chaim

Gil Hoffman — Executive Director of Honest Reporting and longtime chief political correspondent for The Jerusalem Post — on how media narratives shape public understanding of Israel and the region. His perspective is shaped by 25 years covering Israeli and Palestinian leadership.

Register for the lecture

Festival · Georgia Aquarium

Atlanta Jewish Life Festival 2026 — Through the Decades

Sunday, March 1 · Georgia Aquarium

Live music, full aquarium access, community partners, and a free Kids Zone — a joyful, multi-generational celebration of Jewish Atlanta. AIC is a proud community partner.

Get festival tickets

Two ways to stand with us this month.

Donate & make a difference.

Support Hearts United — Boots on the Ground and help Israel rebuild now.

Donate

AIC Friends offer — 36% off Israel Brief.

Access reliable, thoughtful reporting and analysis through our partner offer: 36% off your first year of Israel Brief.

Claim the AIC offer

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A kosher duck in Times Square

A kosher duck in Times Square — a small, bright act of Jewish pride in the middle of the crossroads of the world. If hate can go viral, why can't love?

See the sightings map

One Heart. One Community. One Israel. That's the spirit I want to carry into Wednesday, February 11, and I hope you'll be in the room with us.

Jewish identity, Israel, and antisemitism are debated loudly right now, and often carelessly. AIC is bringing Yirmiyahu Danzig to Atlanta for an evening of learning and honest conversation, grounded in history, lived experience, and a genuine commitment to dialogue. It's free, and I'd love to see you there.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

Free Event · Registration Required

An Evening with Yirmiyahu Danzig

Wednesday, February 11 · 7:00–8:30 PM · Chabad of Buckhead, 133 E Wesley Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305

Yirmiyahu Danzig is an educator and speaker for Unpacked. He brings a grounded, thoughtful perspective on Jewish identity, Israel, and antisemitism — rooted in history, lived experience, and a genuine commitment to dialogue.

The evening covers Jewish identity and diversity; the 'other' Jewish histories; Israel, diaspora, and belonging; antisemitism and today's discourse; and Jewish continuity in a complex world.

The event is free, but registration is required. Optional donations help support future AIC programming.

Register Now

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A very special duck in Georgia

A kosher duck turned up in Georgia — 'very special,' the finder wrote, and that is exactly it: a small surprise that made someone's day. One duck, one smile, one duck at a time.

See the sightings map

Happy New Year. We're writing on New Year's Day from Israel — a short update, sent between meetings, because the days here move quickly and the work cannot wait.

We want you to know how this happens. We are all volunteers, and we pay our own costs. The supplies you donated came over not only in our own bags but in the checked bags of people in our networks who had flights planned and room to help. We do this deliberately, so that what you give goes directly to mission-critical costs.

Thank you for the funds. Thank you for the supplies. Thank you for trusting us to use both well. Your support is here — on the ground, in use.

We enter the new year with open eyes and open hearts: grief that does not disappear, resolve that does not fade, and laughter that does not quiet. May the coming months bring healing where it is needed, courage where it is demanded, and the strength to keep choosing life and love.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

From the Nova site to the Gaza fence

Since our last update, we traveled to the car graveyard and then to the Nova site. All but one of us had been there before; even so, it did not soften the time we spent there. We joined a minyan for prayers on site — a moving experience. At the car graveyard near the Nova site, the ambulance we stood beside had been struck on October 7. Hamas murdered eighteen people inside.

From there we went to Shuva Junction, where we distributed supplies and restocked what they had run out of: first aid kits, electrolytes, protein bars, and much more. Practical, needed work.

The next day we spent with Shlomi's food truck. For hours we prepared food, then handed out falafel, schnitzel, shakshuka pita sandwiches, and kosher ducks to IDF troops along the Gaza fence. This is still an active war zone, and our presence was appreciated by those fighting on the ground. Over and over we were told they feel forgotten, that they feel the world's hate bearing down on them.

Again and again, the soldiers asked for the kosher ducks. You might think they're a little silly and whimsical, and you'd be right — but you could hear them squeaking as we drove off to the next checkpoint. Soldiers laughed and smiled. Some seemed to laugh for the first time in days. They told us of the joy it brought them, and how they can't wait to get home to their families to share it. Many asked for extras to give to their kids.

That evening the weather finally broke and we held the rescheduled BBQ. Heavy rain the day before had turned the access roads to deep mud, so civilian vehicles couldn't reach the original base, and the unit there was ultimately sent out on a mission. We moved instead to a secure base along the Green Line. The soldiers we cooked for had not had a single BBQ in more than two years of war. Not once. They operate constantly, with enormous responsibility, and hearing how long they had gone without that kind of support stayed with us. We grilled sausages, hamburgers, and smoked brisket, and set full tables with salads and vegetarian options. We talked. We stayed. We gave them your support.

Yesterday was a different kind of day. We received an IDF briefing that will directly inform AIC's educational work. We met with Hillel Fuld to discuss collaboration. Then we went to Sheba Medical Center, where we met wounded soldiers, delivered requested care packages, and brought adult LEGO kits — they were gone quickly as the wounded warriors clamored for them. That night we visited J17, a kosher vegan restaurant that regularly feeds troops, hostage families, and Nova survivors; we came to support their work, and we rang in the new year quietly.

Today is New Year's Day. We have meetings scheduled and a visit planned to bring children's toys to hospitalized kids. Some of us fly back to the United States tomorrow. The work of AIC continues — educational programming will come out of this trip, along with relationships, clarity, and responsibility we intend to carry home.

Help us carry this work forward

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A surprise duck in an Israeli break room

A kosher duck surfaced in an Israeli break room in Ramat Gan — a little joy waiting between shifts. From Atlanta to Israel, the ducks keep floating. Mitzvahs that float.

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Another quick update from Israel. The pace has not slowed, and that's a good thing. We're sharing this briefly because our time here is spent doing the work, not documenting it — but we want you to feel connected to what your support makes possible.

If you'd like to see more photos and short videos from along the way, we're posting them on the Atlanta Israel Coalition Facebook page, where it's easiest to share in real time.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

Notes from the road: lone soldiers, Shabbat, and the Golan

Lone soldiers: presence matters

We hosted a BBQ for lone soldiers at the Michael Levin base in honor of Rose Lubin z”l. “Hosted” might be too strong a word — they didn't let us do much cooking. But that turned out to be the point.

We provided the food and supplies and then helped where we could, but mostly we spent time. We shared meals, listened, and passed along the support of this community. That mattered — to seasoned special forces and medics, and to brand-new lone soldiers who were getting their buzz cuts on the spot before reporting for training. Seeing them about to step into service, without family nearby, made clear why we were there.

Your support was felt. Quietly. Directly.

Community, dialogue, and Shabbat

The following day, we visited the peace village and Abu Ghosh, then prepared for Shabbat.

We spent Shabbat with Tal Hartuv and Alon Penzel, an author whose writing grapples honestly with the barbaric attack of October 7. These weren't formal meetings. They were conversations — the kind that shape programming worth bringing back to Atlanta.

The Golan: industry, security, and reality

Today took us north to the Golan Heights. We toured the Naot factory at Kibbutz Neot Mordechai and learned how local industry continues even under rocket fire. From there, we visited a Druze village on Mount Hermon, met with the mayor, toured the community, and explored possibilities for partnership and programming.

We also visited the Golan Regional Council, where the deputy mayor walked us through the region's security realities and emergency operations center. It was direct, practical, and unsentimental.

The day ended with a visit to a Golan-based paratrooper and drone reservist unit. We delivered sweatshirts to help with the cold, shared a meal, toured parts of the base, and received a briefing on their operations.

What's next — and how you can help

Tomorrow we shift our base from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, then head out to host another BBQ with Binyamin's BBQ Brigade on an IDF base in Judea and Samaria. The soldiers there are doing daily security operations to protect the heartland. This BBQ, like the last, is funded by this community.

This is where I'll be direct. Atlanta Israel Coalition is entirely volunteer-run. We are covering our own costs to be here. Every dollar donated goes directly to supporting Israelis — food, supplies, presence, and programming — not to us.

If you are able, we would be grateful if you would consider making a year-end donation to support tomorrow's BBQ, our ongoing work here, and the programs we are building to bring back to you in Atlanta. We have met extraordinary people on this trip — leaders, thinkers, and practitioners — and we want to bring them to our community. Let's make that happen together.

Thank you for staying with us, for trusting us, and for standing with Israel in practical, meaningful ways. We'll keep sharing as we're able, and once we're home, we promise to slow down and tell the full story.

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A hidden duck at Magen David Adom

A kosher duck hidden for someone to find at Magen David Adom in Tel Aviv — joy tucked in where the work is hardest. From city parks to first-responder stations, the ducks keep popping up.

See the sightings map

Shalom. This will be a shorter update than I would normally send, not for lack of things to share, but because the days here are full, the work is moving fast, and we are spending our time where it matters most: on the ground.

I wanted to bring you along, even briefly, and show you how your support is already being put to work. This is a quick update because the needs are immediate; once we return we will have much more to share, in detail and with reflection. Thank you for standing with us. You are here with us, in purpose and in responsibility.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

On the ground this week

Getting here. Getting here wasn't simple. We were delayed more than five hours when a plane door wouldn't safely close, which forced an immediate reshuffling of our schedule. One large bag of donated supplies was temporarily lost in transit; it was recovered and delivered yesterday morning, intact. We took it as an early reminder that persistence is part of this mission. Once we settled in there was no downtime. Sunday night went to sorting and organizing donations so we could move efficiently in the days ahead, and even a short walk through the Old City ended with a delay as a bomb squad responded to a suspicious package — an unremarkable but telling snapshot of daily life here.

Monday: support, healing, and learning. Monday began early with a drive to an industrial area outside Tel Aviv to drop off sweatshirts to be printed with IDF unit insignia for paratroopers serving in the Golan, where winter conditions are already harsh. From there we traveled south to Efrat to visit a PTSD therapy farm, where we learned how agriculture, routine, and caring for animals help people processing trauma regain balance. We helped tend the animals and planted an olive tree, an act rooted in continuity and hope.

Later that day we met a Haredi rabbi who describes himself as a healthy Jew. We spoke about the connection to the land of Israel, went on a foraging walk together, and discussed the draft issue; he has recently enlisted in the IDF himself. It was an honest, grounded conversation about responsibility and belonging. That evening we returned to Jerusalem for the Day of Hope reception and concert supporting the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance. We went to support their work and to build relationships, and we left with real connections and real opportunities to bring extraordinary voices and programs to Atlanta.

Tuesday: children, community, and dignity. On Tuesday we traveled to Kiryat Gat. We toured the area, learned about the CMCC, and visited an exceptional children's home. Alongside caring for the children, the home runs a bakery as part of its educational program, giving kids responsibility, skills, and pride. We delivered donated toys and supplies, and then did what felt right: we bought generously from the bakery. More carbohydrates than strictly necessary. A mitzvah, or at least that's what we told ourselves.

Wednesday: media, diplomacy, and listening. Wednesday began with a meeting with the Executive Director of HonestReporting, followed by a briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We met with Ambassador Dor Shapira, who heads the North America bureau, and Noam Vatarescu, to explore collaboration and engagement. Later that day we crossed the Green Line into Judea and Samaria to meet a Palestinian family in their home. The meeting was facilitated by an Israeli NGO working carefully and within the law. We cannot share photos or video; doing so would put them in mortal danger. What we can share is this: listening directly, without slogans or intermediaries, matters. We look forward to sharing thoughtful educational content that comes out of that conversation.

Today: Christmas, and showing up for lone soldiers. Today is Christmas, and we wish a meaningful and peaceful holiday to everyone in our community who celebrates. Today is also a workday. We are hosting and working a BBQ for lone soldiers at the Michael Levin base in Jerusalem. Lone soldiers are IDF service members without immediate family in Israel; many are immigrants, and all are serving without the support system most soldiers rely on. This meal is not catered. We are buying the food, cooking it, serving it, and bringing the specific supplies that were requested, all made possible by your support. We will do another BBQ at a different base in the coming days, and we are also using funds to purchase additional needed supplies for families in need and for reputable people and organizations supporting IDF units.

I want to be very clear about this: the Atlanta Israel Coalition is entirely volunteer-run. None of us are paid, and we are covering our own costs to be here. Every dollar you give goes directly to supporting Israel: food, supplies, care, and presence for those in need. None of it goes to us. If you are able, we would be grateful if you would open your wallet to help support today's lone-soldier BBQ, the next one, and the ongoing work here.

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A duck discovered mid-flight to Israel

A young traveler found a kosher duck mid-flight to Israel — a small surprise at 30,000 feet. From airplanes to city parks, the ducks keep floating, one duck at a time.

See the sightings map

Our suitcases are full. Boxes are stacked. Supplies are sorted and ready. What you're seeing here is real, physical support — sweatshirts for paratroopers in the Golan, supplies for medics, and toys and games for children who have lived too much of their young lives under stress and sirens. Every item will be carried by hand and delivered directly in Israel in the days ahead.

We also want to be clear about what happens next. Every dollar raised beyond excess baggage costs will be spent directly in Israel, on Israelis in need — hosting a BBQ on an IDF base, buying and preparing meals for lone soldiers, and covering food and supplies for families in need we meet through ongoing volunteer work. We buy locally and show up in person.

This is not a tour. It's days spent cooking for those on the front lines, carrying, cleaning, listening, and responding where needs present themselves. The schedule shifts. The work is physical. The purpose is simple: to help, without spectacle.

Atlanta Israel Coalition operates entirely through volunteer effort, all of us, including me. The funds raised go to Israelis in need — not to salaries, not to travel comfort, not to overhead. The final hurdle is logistics: airlines do not waive excess baggage fees, and with the volume we're carrying, those costs add up quickly. Covering luggage and transport is now the single most effective way to help us deliver what is already in hand.

This is arevut: mutual responsibility, carried literally. Thank you for trusting us, and for helping us carry the weight.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

One concrete, immediate way to help before takeoff:

Cover the cost of getting the supplies to Israel. Your gift funds the excess baggage and transport for everything already packed — sweatshirts for paratroopers, medic supplies, toys for children — and every dollar beyond that goes straight to work on the ground: a BBQ on an IDF base, meals for lone soldiers, and food for families in need, all bought locally and delivered by hand.

Donate & Make a Difference

What your support has already made possible.

On a previous mission, AIC brought educational materials and toys to families in a growing community in Judea and Samaria, strengthening daily life and learning where continuity matters.

During the height of the war, we brought hot food and supplies to IDF soldiers near the Rafah fence coming off long combat rotations — many of whom hadn't had a real meal in more than a day.

This summer, we delivered tactical first aid kits to an IDF friends' warehouse depleted after intense fighting, restoring readiness when seconds matter. This trip lets us respond the same way: flexibly, quickly, and based on real needs.

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A duck for a bar mitzvah project in Jerusalem

A kosher duck turned up as part of a bar mitzvah project in Jerusalem — a young person making joy their mitzvah. From Atlanta to Israel, the ducks keep floating. Mitzvahs that float.

See the sightings map

In days like these — when the headlines feel heavy and the world feels louder with hate — Chanukkah arrives as a reminder.

From the attack on Jews in Bondi, Australia, to violence that reached Brown University, and to other acts of intimidation aimed at Jewish communities around the world, we are once again confronted with darkness that seeks to silence, frighten, and divide.

Chanukkah was never about waiting for darkness to pass. It was about growing the light along the way.

This holiday tells the story of resilience and courage. Of Jews who refused to disappear. Of a people who understood that light is not passive. Every candle is an act of defiance. Every expression of Jewish life is strength. Every refusal to shrink is a statement.

They may try to spread fear. Fear does not get the final word. They may try to dim our light. Darkness has never succeeded at that.

Chanukkah reminds us who we are: a people rooted in memory, bound by responsibility, and sustained by hope. A people who light candles not because it is easy, but because it is necessary.

Am Yisrael Chai.

As we light the menorah this year, thank you for standing with us. Thank you for being part of a community that chooses light, again and again.

May your homes be filled with warmth. May your candles burn bright. May our people know they do not stand alone.

Happy Chanukkah,

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

From light to action: our December Israel mission. Even as Hanukkah draws to a close, our work continues. Members of the Atlanta Israel Coalition will be on the ground in Israel from December 21 through January 2, arriving just a few hours before we light the eighth candle. It is a moment of light, carried into days of hard, necessary work.

We are going to stand with soldiers and families, to deliver what is needed, by hand and in person. Some supplies travel with us in suitcases. Others are purchased in Israel, strengthening both people and place.

This is how light becomes action. This is arevut.

Thank you for your support. Thank you for your strength. Thank you for choosing light.

Support the December Mission

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A duck resting on a Golda Meir quote

A kosher duck resting on a Golda Meir quote — Jewish pride, quietly on display. From city parks to bookshelves, the ducks keep popping up, one duck at a time.

See the sightings map

Boker tov. This Giving Tuesday, I want to invite you to support the mission of the Atlanta Israel Coalition. AIC is more than a community organization — it's a growing movement committed to education, understanding, and unity.

What began here in Atlanta has expanded into partnerships and programs that reach people across the world. We bring together Jews, Christians, and allies who want to learn, ask questions, and build real connections. When division spreads quickly, we create space for clarity, truth, and shared purpose.

Your Giving Tuesday gift fuels this work. It strengthens programs that counter misinformation, supports events that bring diverse voices together, and sustains the advocacy, education, and relief efforts that help people understand Israel with honesty and depth.

Every contribution helps us expand our reach. Every dollar keeps our community informed, prepared, and united. Thank you for being part of this mission.

— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director

One way to build the bridge this Giving Tuesday:

Give to AIC this Giving Tuesday. Your gift funds programs that counter misinformation, events that bring diverse voices together, and the advocacy, education, and relief work that helps people understand Israel with honesty and depth.

Donate to AIC

MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT

A duck in Nashville — 'love this!'

“Love this!” a Quacker in Nashville wrote when a kosher duck turned up — a small surprise that landed just right. If hate can go viral, why can't love?

See the sightings map