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Georgia Jewish community lends help to Israel
In metro Atlanta, members of the Jewish community are feeling the impacts of the devastating Hamas' attacks against Israel. FOX 5 spoke to leaders and members who say they're gearing up to help the country prepare for war.
ATLANTA - From members of the Jewish community in Georgia to high-ranking members of the Israeli consulate, FOX 5 spoke to many who said there are simply no words that can describe the horror of Hamas' attack on Israel. They said they are now gearing up to help the country for war.
"To use the word horrified or horrific, it minimizes what we feel," said Alan Wolk, the Board Vice President of the Jewish National Fund. "This is 9/11 and Pearl Harbor all over again in Israel."
Tensions between Israel and Palestine reached a breaking point Saturday with a brutal terrorist attack that left hundreds of Israeli civilians dead and thousands more injured.
"We have confirmed at this point over 250 civilians who’ve been murdered, we have many more injured," said Israel Consul General Anat Sulthan-Dadon. "We have Israelis who have been taken captive and abducted."
The Israeli military said the Hamas terrorist organization launched about 2,200 rockets from the Gaza Strip into Israel as armed groups infiltrated the country by land, sea and air in paragliders.
"It has been a very, very difficult day," said Sulthan-Dadon. "One of the most difficult in Israel’s history and it is still not over."
The attack comes just months after the country celebrated 75 years of independence.
"Palestinian leadership, Palestinian terror groups, there is still a refusal to recognize our right to exist," said Sulthan-Dadon.
With Israel’s prime minister now declaring war, U.S. based organizations like the Jewish National Fund are trying to find ways to support Israel.
Wolk said the group is also funding resiliency centers where Israeli civilians can receive treatment for PTSD.
"What JNF is doing is organizing to support with temporary housing, to help evacuating communities, providing activities for school children since schools are going to be shut throughout the entire region, and maybe throughout Israel," said Wolk.
The group is collecting donations to help fund those centers to work overtime.
Governor Kemp, Senators Ossoff and Warnock and Georgia's representatives have issued statements in response to the attack, condemning acts of terrorism.
The Israeli consul general said he is grateful to know that they have the support of U.S. leaders in the midst of this escalating conflict.