Ways you can support the IDF

Israel is doing much of the world's dirty work right now, fighting in the trenches against a powerful terrorist group that has backing from Iran and Syria. And we know that if Israel loses to Hezbollah, it has dire consequences for the West and for the War on Terror. So what can we do to back the Israel Defense Forces? Little things that mean a lot -- here's a few that we rounded up:

Annoy lefties here at homegrown anti-Israel protests. Just show up wearing one of these shirts from the Israel army surplus store. Like the one pictured, heh heh...

Send troops a pizza party. Or a burger party. Or soup or ice cream. Basically, a morale-boosting treat that doesn't cost a lot! The pizza project began in 2002 and buyers can order for a patrol, section, platoon or company. Send a message to the soldiers with the order. Order pizza here, and burgers here.

Throw support behind pro-Israel lobbies. Like NACPAC or the Republican Jewish Coalition.

Give soldiers small comforts. Friends of the Israel Defense Forces is conducting an emergency campaign to round up donations that will go toward everything from toothbrushes to underwear to cell phone chargers for Israeli soldiers.

Donate a gift basket to soldiers. For $18, Table to Table will pack and deliver a basket packed with sweets and other items to soldiers on the north and south front lines. You don't even have to purchase a basket to send an encouraging e-mail that the group will tuck into a basket.

Support Northern Israel communities. Table to Table is also offering assistance to families in bomb shelters by delivering necessary goods. Any donation to the Northern Relief Fund is welcome, as are messages of encouragement. Yad Ezra VeShulamit is also collecting funds for its soup kitchens to feed families that have had to flee Hezbollah rockets.

Apply for one of these job openings at Al-Jazeera. And make their coverage of Israel FAIR! (At least for the 18 hours before you get kicked to the curb.) Check 'em out.

Did we forget anything?

UPDATE: E-mail Hezbollah. A good source has passed along the reported e-mail addresses for Hezbollah's Global Islamic Crusade. Let 'em know what you think of their terrorism: sepahianemohamad@yahoo.com and mst@doulaty.net 

Comments

[Jingoistic Jon]

Is there any room in the IDF for volunteer US citizens?? Might be neat to find out. As long as they are fighting our war -- maybe someone here might like to lend a hand.

[Ronnie Schreiber]

You can also, if you have the time, volunteer with Sar-El, Volunteers For Israel.

http://www.vfi-usa.org/

They have two and three week sessions where you spend five days a week working on army bases (or in a few cases hospitals) doing logistical and support work, freeing up soldiers for more critical tasks. Room and board is provided 5 days a week.

Check out the VFI site for more details.

I'm between day jobs right now and considering going for the session that starts on Aug. 6/7. Volunteers have to cover their own travel expenses which I figure would run about $1400. Unfortunately, I only have about $700 saved. It's all I have right now, but I figure going to help the IDF is the best use of my time and resources at this point.

If anyone would like to help sponsor my trip and share in the good deed, please email me @ rokem@netzero.net.

[Ronnie Schreiber]

The IDF does accept enlistees that are not Israeli citizens. However, volunteering to fight in another country's army may put your American citizenship at risk according to some opinions, though the laws may have been changed. Generally serving for an ally hasn't been a problem but an American passport is too valuable to risk losing it.

In the past, Americans who moved to Israel have waited until they had dual citizenship and then waited to be drafted into the IDF, notifying the US Embassy that they were being drafted, not enlisted. This is no different than a college friend of mine who was 100% Greek on both sides of his family. The Greek gov't considers him Greek (though he was born in the US and his dad was *chief of counterintelligence for the CIA) so when he was of draft age he couldn't visit his relatives there or he would have been conscripted.

*At the time we knew his dad had been a station chief, but in preparing this comment I googled the name and found out that he replaced the legendary James J. Angleton.

[Lewis B. Sckolnic]

If Israel needs you bad enough you will be amazed at how laws change and time flies. This was the case in 1973 War.

[Bruce Epstein]

From someone living in Israel, thank you very much for gathering and posting this information. Your support is greatly appreciated, and I know for a fact how muxch the soldiers appreciate receiving gift packages.

[NerdMom]

Even if you aren't a soldier there are always ways to volunteer. I remember in the first gulf war that the kibbutz system was taking volunteers to help with the kids and other things that needed to be done while the parents were serving.

[Peter Jaxon]

If Israel is your terrorist State of choice, then why don't you just shut up and go there? The Republicans and the Democrats are so full of Arm Chair Generals and Chickenhawks that you fill the web with your tough talk, but I don't see or hear of a one of you do anything but talk talk talk. And who are you? An Anne Coulter wannabe? Pathetic. Remember the USS Liberty next time you wave the Israeli flag in our faces.