‘Direct aid to Israeli Masons’

    

Grand Lodge received a communique from the Grand Lodge of Israel yesterday that provides a way for Freemasons to donate funds to help, aid, and assist the brethren in Israel as they and their families cope with both the attack of October 7 and with logistical realities of a nation at war.

Today is the seventieth anniversary of the founding of the Grand Lodge of Israel, but I don’t imagine there was celebration. From this new letter and from the previous message from their Grand Master, we know Masons are distressed directly by the terrorist assault.

I believe New York Masons ought to work with our Masonic Brotherhood Fund (see here), but Masons outside the Grand Lodge of New York can give directly to the Grand Lodge of Israel. From the letter:

The horror stories are beyond belief, how a ‘human being’ can reach to such depths is incomprehensible. The documented acts of barbarity are too gruesome to begin to describe. Our hearts and prayers go out to those hostages, and their families, who are undoubtedly going through living hell! Coupled with this, there are stories of incredible heroism, of soldiers off duty, of citizens young and old—truly indicative of the spirit that prevails. The enemy will never break our spirit!

Whatever the faults may have been and however the nation was divided before this, the nation has united in a way that is totally incomprehensible, volunteering in every possible way... The Israeli Blue Craft Lodges have been amazing and are certainly playing their part in the war effort, providing meals, food, clothing, and games for the hundreds of people who were forced to flee from their homes and are staying in government sponsored housing or in private homes. They literally fled with the clothes on their backs, some, their homes burnt to nothing…tragedy after tragedy!

Special recognition should be given to Houdini Lodge, whose main purpose is to provide relief by magic shows and similar events. The brethren of this unique lodge have split into groups working seven days a week at hospitals and on Zoom to cheer up children. Masonically speaking, the Grand Lodge has allowed lodge meetings to continue by Zoom while providing lectures from the Grand Lodge twice a week to Freemasons across the country.

With all this, the list of the needs of the population never ends... The Charity Fund of the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel is funding as many of these needs within the financial constraints they face. This is in addition to the tremendous volunteering of brethren and their families... I therefore appeal to your generosity so that we too can play our part along with our sister Israeli Craft Lodges. We have Israeli tax exemption status, but unfortunately this is not the case in other countries.

Our greatest needs are in the south of the country. People are asking what are these needs? It is not an easy question to answer as the situation is so dynamic and we don't know what will happen tomorrow and the days following. Nevertheless, I have tried to categorize the immediate needs:

1. General – there is a need to help families with their daily requisites such as medicines, toiletries, diapers, food, clothing, etc… Some of these families have been sent to the center of the country and need help. In many cases, their spouses or children have been called up to serve the country.

2. Contact – Due to the situation there is a desperate need to keep contact with their friends and loved ones… for this we need more laptop computers and tablets.

3. Meals – as mentioned above, this war which is already in its second week, will take longer. As a result, we will need to make sure that we are able to help out as much as possible.

4. Counseling – Many people require psychological assistance. In Ashkelon and the South, the sirens are non-stop, people are constantly running to their shelters and for the elderly and the disabled, it is totally impossible. This counseling will continue for some time after the war ends and we would like to help where we can!

5. Rehabilitation – As I already said, each day brings its surprises and we must be prepared for the worst. Whatever happens there are hundreds of families who have to re-establish themselves, properties, equipment, cars, days of lost income and..and..and.. Naturally, we are very grateful for any assistance which our brethren can contribute. It will go to the Grand Lodge Charity Fund and be managed by them. 

To donate now to the Charity Fund of the Grand Lodge of the State of Israel [click here]… 

Unfortunately, among the casualties, there are some brethren and their families–a brother whose son was killed; a brother who survived the massacre together with his family, but whose daughter and son-in-law were taken hostage. Many of us have close family members who have been killed, wounded, missing or kidnapped. Our Past Grand Master’s grandnephew was killed. The list goes on… Israel is a small country and inevitably everyone knows of someone in distress!