There is both somber and uplifting news that I convey in this note to you.  In our beloved Israel, the end of its six-month truce with Hamas along the Gaza border has marked the beginning of a new chapter in violence.  After months of restraint, Israel on Saturday December 27th launched a full-scale military operation on Gaza. Israeli citizens have been under the threat of daily attack from Gaza for years and more so since Israel disengaged from the Gaza Strip in 2005. Only this week - hundreds of missiles and mortars shells were fired at Israeli civilian communities including the firing of 80 missiles on a single day.  No country can be expected to absorb continuous and unrelenting violence. Israel has launched a full scale military campaign to protect its citizens.  Please visit www.jewishphilly.org to read Federation's full official statement. Our thoughts and prayers are with our Israeli brothers and sisters during these deeply troubling times.

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We also express our collective sorrow and emotional support to the many Jewish and non-Jewish organizations and individuals who have been hard-hit by the devastating effects of Bernard L. Madoff Securities' alleged mishandling of their investments. The minute the news broke, our staff, in cooperation with Federation's Investments Committee immediately performed our due diligence and spoke with our investment managers. We have been assured that we do not have exposure to Madoff in any of the funds managed by and for the Federation or the Federation Endowments Corporation.

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On a much happier note, I just received some great news from our Federation CEO Ira Schwartz about the extraordinary results of the Federation staff campaign. I am pleased and humbled to report that, despite the economically challenging times we all face, 96 staff members contributed $129,746 to the 2009 annual campaign - an increase of $9,628.98 from last year.  I applaud our staff not only for the tremendous work they do every day, but also for their generosity and commitment to our global community. Let us all follow their example and make our 2009 campaign our best ever.

My best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to each and every one of us!

 

Sincerely