FactsForPeace

Picture a 5-year-old waking up in intensive care. A breathing tube keeps him from making a sound. He’s in pain and scared, and he wants to call for his mother. He can’t. Now an AI tool from Israel is giving children like him a way to say it. Printed picture boards have long been used in hospitals, but they were one-size-fits-all, and making a custom one by hand could take hours. Clalit-Schneider Children’s Medical Center in Petah Tikva developed this tool with the volunteer group Code for Israel. A speech therapist enters the child’s age, language, background and medical condition, and within seconds the AI suggests the words and pictures that fit that child, from race cars to Disney characters to the family dog. The therapist adjusts it and prints it at the bedside in under five minutes. A deaf girl whose family didn’t know sign language kept refusing the food she was brought. With a board, she simply pointed to the one she wanted: burekas, a savory pastry. The gap disappeared. Israeli innovation, giving children hope and a voice. 🇮🇱💙@ClalitHealth

StandWithUs is deeply grateful to President Catherine Hicks and the Philadelphia Branch of the NAACP for issuing a powerful statement standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our community against antisemitism. Today, as anti-Israel groups attempt to stage a "Boycott Ride" targeting Jewish- and Israeli-owned businesses in Rittenhouse Square, the NAACP reminds us that our shared humanity must always come before hatred. As their official statement notes: “The civil-rights principle is simple: we cannot demand freedom from prejudice for ourselves while tolerating prejudice against someone else." Targeting small businesses and intimidating owners simply because of their Jewish identity is pure antisemitism. Doing so on the eve of the anniversary of Kristallnacht makes these actions even more egregious and dangerous. Philadelphia must remain a place where everyone can live, work, worship, and conduct business without fear. We are so inspired by the incredible, unwavering presence of Jewish community members and allies who are on the ground right now across Center City to show that hate will not define or intimidate our city, including members of the StandWithUs team. We also thank the numerous elected and city officials who have forcefully spoken out against this targeted discrimination. Let’s keep this momentum going today and far beyond. If you are in or around Philadelphia, drop by these restaurants for a meal, order takeout or catering, purchase gift cards, and leave positive online reviews after you visit for places like Huda, Schlesinger’s Deli, Dizengoff, K’far, Mac Mart, Goldie, Zahav, and so many others. If you are outside of Philadelphia, make it a point to frequent the Jewish- and Israeli-owned businesses in your own neighborhood. We also encourage everyone to contact elected officials asking them to continually speak out against targeted harassment and to advocate in schools for accurate Holocaust education that helps students recognize contemporary antisemitism. Read the full joint organizational statement from StandWithUs Mid-Atlantic, ADL Philadelphia, AJC Philadelphia/Southern New Jersey, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia here: bit.ly/4fkUjZU 💙🤍✡️ bit.ly/4fkUjZU