Temple Jeremiah is raising funds to benefit the Leo Baeck Education Center in Haifa (see below to read more about the center). The largest Reform institution in Israel, the center was at the front line of the conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah in 2006. The impact of the attacks on the center was devastating. During the height of hostilities, operations were shut down, satellite classes suspended and services to poorer communities postponed. Termed "the summer that never was," families who could afford it left northern Israel for southern destinations, while those who could not had to endure a city that was shut down, forced to endure the constant bombardment of missile attacks. The center itself sustained significant financial losses.

Most devastating however, has been the emotional toll inflicted by the war. Temple Jeremiah is raising funds to hire a full-time psychologist at the center to deal with the trauma imposed by these attacks. Please click here to download a brochure and make your financial commitment to the Leo Baeck Center.

Today, the center is in the critical process of rebuilding. It is trying to provided desperately needed food and social services to families already living on the poverty line. It is also working to serve the emotional needs of those traumatized by this conflict. See the letter below from the Leo Baeck Center:

"Our commitment is to NURTURE those children, parents and staff, for whom the Summer that never was has caused great anxiety. At large, we need to help children in early childhood programs, elementary school afternoon programs, junior and senior high school to better understand their sense of self, security and safety after living under siege. Our teachers need to be trained by psychological professionals to be better understand the impact of this summer on class dynamics and the learning process. In particular, we need to help those individuals for whom the anxiety of this summer was overwhelming. We need to look for the warning signs of post traumatic stress that, perhaps, will only surface weeks from now in the seemingly unexplainable behavior of our children. As we understand the international situation, we need to psychologically, emotionally and spiritually prepare our community for the next battle in the war, when we expect that Haifa will once again be on the front lines and our children will once again need to seek shelter.

"• $60,000 will provide the Leo Baeck Education Center Community with one full-time psychologist who can work with over 500 employees, who in turn work with over 4,500 members of our community. Your gift of any part of this larger sum will nurture children.

"Yes, this was the summer that never was…. with our commitment to NOURISH and NURTURE along with your SUPPORT, tomorrow may not be lost. We thank you for helping us help the children of Haifa."

Temple Jeremiah sent a toy moose to children at the Leo Baeck Center. Click here for photos of this and other Temple Jeremiah events.

The Leo Baeck Education Center

Founded in 1938 as a kindergarten for German Jewish children, the center employs more than 500 people and provides vital social services to 4500 people each week. It serves as a major education and cultural center, offering a high school, junior high school, the renown Lokey International Academy of Jewish Studies, an early childhood center and community center with 12 satellite locations, a sports center and synagogue. It is the third largest educational institution in Haifa after the University of Haifa and Technion. Temple Jeremiah's own Rabbi Paul Cohen has deep ties to the Leo Baeck Center, having attended high school there.

The Leo Baeck Center serves a broad cross-section of Israeli society, operating afternoon care centers for at-risk Arab and Jewish children, recreation programs and education classes for special needs children, in-home art therapy and social services for home-bound seniors, programs for Ethiopian and other immigrant families, camp scholarships, after-school enrichment and cultural exchanges.

With your help, the Leo Baeck Center will continue to thrive.