Our hearts continue to ache as we follow the events unfolding in Israel. Amidst our overwhelming feelings of sadness and fear, we affirm our solidarity with the people of Israel and our desire for peace and security in our homeland. And, now perhaps more than ever, we need our synagogue for support and guidance, affirming the enduring spirit of “Am Yisrael Chai” (The Jewish People Live!). We want to share with you how our community is responding, and some ways we all can turn our fear and sadness into compassionate action.
Solidarity Shabbat – Saturday, October 28, 9:30 a.m. (Traditional and Shir Hadash) We invite you to attend services this Saturday for Solidarity Shabbat as we join with synagogues around the world in standing with Jewish people everywhere. In the face of rising hostility toward Israel and Jews, showing up and participating in Jewish life is a powerful act of love and pride.
Safety and Security The safety of our campus and well-being of our community members, students, guests, and staff is a top priority. With every new threat that has arisen in recent years, we have developed a robust security posture that deploys multiple layers of human, technological, physical, and informational resources. If you have questions or feedback about safety and security at HEA, please contact Caryn Osterman. For Shabbat, holidays and other large gatherings, we will continue to contract with Denver Police officers to patrol the facility and support our trained Security/Greeter team.
Starting November 6, we will be working with a private security firm to provide armed security guards to patrol the building Sunday through Friday, during preschool and office hours, as well as during religious school. This is in addition to our reception staff who check in visitors and monitor our entrance and security cameras.
In an immediate response to the events of October 7th, our trained Security/Greeter team and staff went above the call of duty to provide additional staffing around the building and at the lower entrance from the main parking lot during preschool and office hours. Please thank them on Shabbat for their dedication to the well-being of our community.
We are in continuous contact with law enforcement and security experts, in coordination with JEWISHcolorado and Security Community Network, to monitor and reevaluate our security protocols and procedures to ensure we are doing all we can to keep our community safe.
These additional measures come at a considerable cost, and we are grateful to donors who have come forward in the last week to support our efforts, and we thank our members who have contributed through their annual security assessment. If you wish to contribute to the Security Fund, we've provided a link below or you can call our office. To learn more about safety and security at HEA, we will soon have a resource page on our website (currently under construction).
Supporting One Another Our rabbis and staff continue to support individuals and families who have been affected by the tragic events of the past few weeks and we will continue to respond to the needs of our community for as long as it takes. If you or someone you know has been impacted by the war, we want to know and offer our help.
In the coming weeks, we will be offering resources and programs, classes and groups, to help our community process, learn, and discuss. We will soon announce the formation of a grief support group led by trained mental health professionals. Please check back as we set up a resource page on the HEA website.
What Else You Can Do Stay informed: Find a trustworthy news site to keep abreast of the news. You can also find many helpful spiritual and practical resources on the website of United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
Be an advocate: Write an email, send a text, or make a phone call to your elected representatives or leaders of local universities. Your advocacy has a real impact. Find your elected officials HERE.
Show Up: The HEA and Denver Jewish communities are ramping up our response to the crisis with programs and events. Showing up sends a message that we will not be deterred from living proudly as Jews.
Give: There are several organizations fundraising for Israel, and we encourage you to find ways to give that match your values and priorities. JEWISHcolorado has established an Israel Emergency Fund in conjunction with Jewish Federations of North America. These funds are allocated where they are needed most and to an array of relief agencies working on the ground.
Engage in Productive Discourse: Our community is constituted by a membership with a range of political views, both in America and Israel. Now is a time to meet passion with compassion, and to hold together the many ways we express our shared desire for Israel to live at peace with its neighbors. At HEA we value productive open discourse, kindness, curiosity, and generous listening by encouraging inquiry and learning rather than debate and persuasion.
Reach out: While we cannot remove someone’s pain, the act of letting someone know that they are not alone is an important gesture. Reach out to those impacted by the war here and in Israel. Send a text or email letting them know they are in our hearts.
Pray: Prayer is how we give expression to our hopes for our world and tilt God’s will towards making those hopes a reality. Our souls need prayers now more than ever. At home, in the synagogue, wherever you are – now is the time to give expression to our feelings through prayer. We will be adding prayers to our daily and Shabbat services throughout this crisis, including the traditional prayer below, which has been recited since the Middle Ages on behalf of Jews in captivity and in crisis.
