Friends of Itamar

Itamar News Updates May 31st 2013

Itamar Welcomed the visit of Chanoch , Tovah, and David Messner that came to work a few days on the community. They are true lovers of the land of Israel and we bless them to make Aliyah very soon. They really worked hard on cleaning away thorns and weeds around fruit trees allowing the trees to breathe and be watered.

A special welcome to Linda SmithSchick from OKC that came to spend Shabbat on Itamar.  Linda and her husband Jack have been great friends of Itamar for many years.  We wish her a great visit and hope she comes back again soon. Linda met with Yitro, one of Itamar’s scribes, to pick up ten new Mezuzot for her new home.

Itamar welcomed a group of women tourists from Holland led by our dear friend Harriet Poot that came to visit the community this week. Leah Goldsmith addressed the group in her home.

Mazal tov to Yael and David Gutman on the birth of a daughter.

Mazal tov to Yishay and Sarit Nir on the birth of a daughter.

Mazal tov to Hadi and Yichezkel Nuemah on the birth of a son.

Mazal tov to the Ronsky family on the birth of a granddaughter.

This week’s Torah portion relates the very difficult story of the spies speaking evil about the land of Israel teaches us about its rectification as well. It is our job to follow the example of Calev and Joshua of showing our faith and trust in Hashem about inheriting the land of Israel no matter how difficult the challenge may be. Here on Itamar we are blessed in being able to live every day fulfilling this teaching. Thank G-D we are in the process of building 12 new houses and preparing the ground for a hundred more. There is no greater rectification of the sin of the spies than building and blessing the land of Israel. Watch Rabbi Goldsmith’s new lesson where he teaches about the sin the spies and focuses on its rectification.

As the summer approaches please respond kindly to our letter request!

As the world witnesses our return to Zion in accordance with the prophesies of Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel, the Jewish people living out in the heartland of Eretz Yisrael are again tilling it’s soil and building communities. There has been terrible suffering but we survive and emerge victorious. Over the last decade, with your kind help, we have been able to be strong and overcome many difficulties. With your kind assistance, the Friends of Itamar is trying its best to give a helping hand. Over the last few years FOI has built five playgrounds and a basketball and soccer park. It has furnished libraries, built two youth centers, and refurnished our high school’s computer room. It has supported workshops in a variety of areas and has provided student aid. We have a large campus including a nursery, kindergarten, elementary school for both boys and girls, a high school which dorms boys that come from all over Israel, a higher learning army age yeshiva- this is the first and foremost enterprise on our community, and it is important for us to provide the proper care for our children. This is Israel’s future! Friends of Itamar has been working very hard over the years to assist the community in a variety of building projects. Our major project over the years has been supporting the building of the permanent synagogue. We hope to be able to finish this important project in the coming year but we need another 800 thousand dollars to complete the building. In addition we have been working very hard in beautifying the community with parks and trees, adding on a significant parking lot outside our community center. Recently we helped set up picnic areas where people like you can come and enjoy with their families when they come to visit. Itamar has over eight hilltop neighborhoods which all nurse their respective resources like water electricity and other utilities from the nucleus of the community Tremendous infrastructure has been set up to maintain these very vital strongholds on Israel’s heartland. FOI has assisted in infrastructure, financial support and water lines to its most remote farms.

Unfortunately, over the last 13 years the community has suffered terrorist attacks which have left Itamar shaken and needing support, the last incident resulting in the terrible massacre of more than half of the Fogel family, HYD. It goes without saying that we have to invest great parts of the town’s budget in security. Friends of Itamar was initially started when a major security camera was set up over 12 years ago costing over a million shekels! Itamar is in need of more surveillance equipment and must constantly maintain and improve its huge security operation in order to protect its citizens!

Funding to enrich the community with cultural activities has been a forerunner for FOI, helping to sponsor throughout  the year special events like Israel Memorial Day, Israel Independence Day, and Tu’ Bishvat celebrations. Every summer FOI also helps sponsor the Itamar summer program for children, youth and adults.

The value of giving support to our charity far surpasses the standard mitzvah. Your caring about, providing for and defending those who stand like watchmen on the walls has been a solidarity that is highly appreciated here. You are our partners in these projects! As we approach the summer, we would like to ask you to try and help again in making a difference for us. We praise Hashem for the good fortune of having you as a dear friend!      To support us click here.