Bridges for Peace had its annual fundraiser at the Leaf on Nov 11. Funds from last year’s fundraiser went towards Magen David Adom for the purchase of ambulances and medi-cycles in Israel. This year, as Rev. Don James explained, funds will go towards a victims of terror fund. James also spoke about a pledge program where donors can feed a child in Israel (for $65 per month) , adopt a family in Israel (for $65 per month) or adopt an Israeli community (for $150 per month.. The Feed a child fund insured that an underprivileged child a hot meal, back packs and school supplies to a school in Israel. Victoria James who visited one of the 11 schools that Bridges for Peace supports (several are in Beit Shemesh) explained that the Feed A Child program enabled “a sense of unity and camaraderie” to grow. For example, poor children could not afford the fees to go on a field trip, but through this program they now can.
As an organization, Bridges for Peace has helped bring 110,000 Jews to their ancestral homeland in Israel. It is important for Jews to know that millions of Christians stand with the Jewish people.
Don James introduced Rev. Bill Adams, who served for 11 years in the United States army, who emphasized in his remarks that Jews will always have enemies, which is why “if you’re going to be hated, you need friends.” As he stated, “Bridges for Peace says to Jews, you are not alone.” He added, “We stand with Israel whether you are making peace or war”. Using his military background, Rev Adams analyzed whether Israel’s war in Gaza, the longest war in its history, has been a just war. He said that at this stage of the war, Israel has not fully destroyed Hamas, and “Israel must achieve its final, war aim”, the destruction of Hamas. He referred to Ecclesiastes 3: 8, that “there is a time for peace and a time for war”, and this is a time for war. He refuted claims that Israel’s war involved “unchecked vengeance” war crimes, mass starvation and genocide. He said that Israel had never decisively acted against Hamas for over 20 years. He noted that “every civilian loss is a tragedy.” He stated that there is no way to know the number of non-combatants killed in Gaza until years after the war.
However, Re Adams said the “IDF has put its own soldiers at risk to save Palestinian lives.” He pointed out that the notion of proportionality “does not mean that the losses should be the same on both sides.” Adams noted that Gil Troy has told his sons that they must do whatever is needed to be done to defend their homeland, and he said that “as a historian,” and “if you have to kill a Palestinian, that’s on Hamas,” as Hames is responsible for its Oct 7 invasion of Israel that triggered this war.
Rev James announced that Bridges for Peace, Christian Friends of Magen David Adom and Larry and Tova Vickar had donated another medicycle , which would be used to save lives of all Israelis, regardless of their background James explained that the Victims of Terror fund would be used to help Israelis who had undergone any type of physical or phsocological trauma to heal, and there is great need for such a fund. He indicated the “PTSD haunts thousands of Israelis,: and that there are those who have committed suicide. James noted that Bridges for Peace has donated $50,000 U.S. towards a counselling program for traumatized Israelis. It has visited wounded soldiers. It has a relationship with Kibbutz Kvar Aza and put on a party for children who has spent two weeks in a bomb shelter.”We have been present at the scene of terror such that the victims see that they are not alone,” James said. Bridges for Peace has over 40 volunteers in Israel and during the recent war with Iran “we were on the scenes of the strike on Be’erSheba within 6 hours.
Jonah Cornish , a young man who volunteered in Israel during the war spoke of his experience living in Israel, and being in Jerusalem when he first heard the sound of the iron dome and an explosion. Jonah met with a Rabbi who runs a shop in Jerusalem who told him, “You only come to Israel if G-d invites you.” Jonah states, “G-d invited me to Israel to mature me.” He added, “Going to Israel was life changing” and he needed to stop spending his says playing video games and to get out of the house. He said the people of Israel have a “fighting spirit,” and bring there increased his self confidence and sense of resilience. Jonah talked about his experience working the land planting pomegranates with Bridges for peac, and at a food bank, and he went to the Negev where Israel can grow anything out of sand. “The land responds to the rightful indigenous people of that land,” he said of the Jewish people’s return to Zion making the dessert bloom.
