This week is the third annual #ShukranDruze week, when we thank the Druze community in Israel for their outstanding and essential contributions to society.
The Druze community is said to descend from the Biblical Yitro (Jethro) and the annual thanksgiving coincides with then Jews read his story in the weekly Torah portion.
The DruzeVets website summarizes how important the Druze community has been to Israel:
Valiant. Loyal. Fearless. They defend Israel daily – they deserve our thanks.The Druze of Israel are a tiny yet fiercely loyal minority who serve with pride and dignity and have sacrificed 505 of their brethren in the defense of Israel – with over 1,500 wounded. Out of a community of just 120,000 those are huge, unfortunate, and very telling numbers.Most of Israel’s friends around the globe do not know about the Druze community and its special relationship with the State of Israel. This recognition is long overdue, and it is the reason for the creation of the Global Week of Hakarat Hatov – #ShukranDruze.Since even before the modern State of Israel was established, members of the Druze community have been serving proudly alongside Jews as soldiers, as first responders, and in all of the other arms of Israel’s security establishment.In 2014, when Jews were being massacred during their prayers at a synagogue in Jerusalem’s Har Nof neighborhood, it was an off-duty Druze police officer who ran in to stop the terrorist.When Israel launched Operation Protective Edge in 2014 to curb terrorism from Gaza, a Druze commander led the ground battle.In 2017, two Israeli police officers were killed while defending tourists on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount. Both officers were Druze.Israel’s Presidential Military Liaison is Druze.The commander responsible for cross-border goodwill with Gaza is Druze.The Surgeon General of the Israel Defense Forces is Druze.Many other senior leaders in Israel’s security and judiciary infrastructure, past and present, are Druze.
Shukran means "thank you" in Arabic, the Druze language. "Hakarat HaTov" is the Jewish attribute of recognizing those who help us and to thank them.
The pro-Druze community asks you to post to social media this week, ask your rabbi to craft a sermon around this theme, request a school assembly on the theme of Hakarat HaTov with the Druze as an example, or do other simple things to show our appreciation for the Druze community in Israel that has contributed so much.
