Hope, strength, and action for 5786
A Rosh Hashanah message from Cheryl for 5786, plus three ways to act — volunteer with AIC, back the December supply mission to Israel, and subscribe to the Israel Brief.
In this issue: A Rosh Hashanah message from Cheryl for 5786, plus three ways to act — volunteer with AIC, back the December supply mission to Israel, and subscribe to the Israel Brief.
We enter the new year in wartime. Israel holds the line in the south, the north, and in Judea and Samaria. Families grieve. Communities endure. Hope remains — the disciplined kind: the work of teshuvah (return) and tefilah (prayer), done with clear eyes and steady hands.
AIC began in 2018 to turn scattered goodwill into coordinated action. We stayed volunteer-run so every dollar goes to substance: education, solidarity, and presence. We build programs that outlast headlines, and we show up when it is hardest to do so.
In December, our volunteers will again return to Israel to deliver requested supplies and to purchase what we can there, strengthening local businesses while meeting urgent needs. We will visit soldiers, families, hospitals, and schools. We will listen first. Then we will carry their stories home to Atlanta so neighbors understand what Israelis face and how they stand.
To our Jewish community: hold fast. Light moves forward when people keep choosing it. To our Christian, Muslim, and other friends who stand with us: your solidarity honors your own traditions as much as ours. Walk with us. We see you beside us.
To the families of hostages and the bereaved, we carry your pain into our work. Your loved ones are not statistics. We speak their names. We press for their return with resolve.
Rosh Hashanah brings apples, honey, crowded lots, long services, and that cousin with strong views on everything. Good. Let the table be loud. Let the blessings be louder.
Shanah tovah u'metukah — a good and sweet year. Sweetness matters, but goodness leads.
Here is our pledge for 5786. We will speak clearly. We will act quickly. We will hold the line for Israel and for Jewish life with courage, competence, and care. We will be a coalition worthy of its name.
Ken yehi ratzon. So may it be.
— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director
Volunteer with AIC. Join the team that powers every program, mission, and campaign — whether you write, plan, teach, or pack supplies, your time makes a real difference. Apply to volunteer.
December mission: deliver aid, deliver strength. This winter we bring critical supplies directly to soldiers, families, and communities across Israel; your gift fuels the mission. Support the mission.
Israel Brief: knowledge is advocacy. Get the daily digest of Israel news and context trusted by thousands — stay informed, speak with clarity. Subscribe today.
MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT
A duck out for Israel's Independence Day
A kosher duck out for Yom Ha'Atzmaut in Dunwoody — Jewish joy in full color. From parades to city parks, the ducks keep floating, one duck at a time.