SAN DIEGO (SDJW) — Comments continue to come into the offices of San Diego Jewish World regarding Israel’s preemptive attack June 12 on Iran’s military establishment and nuclear facilities. Here are those comments:
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Halie Soifer, CEO of the Jewish Democratic Council of America (JDCA): “We cannot permit Iran to develop a nuclear weapon. We are glad to see a clear diminishing of Iran’s nuclear program following Iran’s clear breach of IAEA obligations. When Israel struck Iranian targets last night, the Iranian regime was reportedly closer than ever before to developing a nuclear weapon, which would have posed a significant threat to American and Israeli interests in the region.
“Given ongoing Iranian counterstrikes, our thoughts are with our friends and family in Israel. We were jarred by Secretary Rubio’s initial distancing of the White House from Israel following the strikes, which demonstrated the erratic nature of Trump’s foreign policy. We insist that President Trump continue America’s long-standing support of Israel’s security and right to self-defense, especially in light of the ongoing threat posed by Iran.
“Now is the time to return to the negotiating table and put a definitive end to Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. Strong diplomacy represents the best path to countering Iran’s malign behavior, and we urge the Trump administration to work with regional partners to prevent a broader regional conflict that puts the U.S. and Israel at further risk.”
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StandWithUs — Following decades of the Iranian regime making genocidal threats to destroy the world’s only Jewish state, Israel has launched a military operation to dismantle Iran’s nuclear program. Iran’s leaders continuously call for death not only to Israel, but also the United States, the UK, and all others who oppose their reign of terror.
In recent years and months, Iran’s nuclear program has advanced rapidly in ways that have no civilian purpose and can only be used to build nuclear weapons. A May, 2025 report by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) showed that Iran has enough highly enriched uranium for nine nuclear bombs and could start building them within days if it chooses to do so.
The regime has also developed deadly ballistic missiles which are capable of reaching Israel and carrying nuclear weapons. At the same time, Iran has continued to arm and fund Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and other genocidal terrorists who seek Israel’s destruction.
Israel previously stated that it would accept a diplomatic solution that resulted in Iran’s nuclear program being dismantled. However, U.S.-Iran negotiations reportedly resulted in little to no progress. In this context, Israel has reportedly launched major strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities and military leadership.
We stand with the IDF and the Israeli people, who are now in bomb shelters amid threats of Iran’s retaliation. We hope this operation will remove the threat of a nuclear Iran, help free the Iranian people from their oppressive regime, and lead to a safer and more secure Middle East.
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U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-New Hampshire), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee: “Israel’s strikes against Iran represent an escalation that is deeply concerning and will inevitably invite counterattacks. This risks not only U.S. negotiations with Iran, but the safety of American service members, diplomats, their families and ex-pats around the region. I agree with President Trump’s instinct to distance the U.S. from Israel’s actions, but Iran and its proxies are unlikely to differentiate the U.S. from Israel. This is not the time to tie our hands by reducing our diplomatic presence and resourcing as the State Department and OMB plan to do.
“This is a dangerous moment for the region and world. The Trump Administration must quickly move to de-escalate the situation.”
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Rabbi Mendel and Dina Polichenco, Chabad of Carmel Valley: Our prayers, hearts and minds are with Israel!
I was so touched by the many women and men that came on such short notice to the Minyan tonight to pray for our Chayalim, brothers and sisters in Israel. The energy in the room was so special and I feel so proud of our Community.
Coming together in Unity is our best response, being happy and trusting in HaShem’s protection is the best attitude.
We know that Israel has Divine protection and it’s the safest place for Jews. We are so proud of Hillel and Shaindel who are currently in Israel leading a Birthright trip of Rutgers students.
Please don’t worry or hide, that is what the enemy wants. Be strong, proud and openly Jewish. Pray, study Torah and increase Tzedakah for Israel.
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Jewish Community Relations Council, (San Francisco) Bay Area: We firmly believe Israel has a right and a duty to defend itself against foreign threats – especially existential threats such as Iran’s nuclear ambitions. JCRC Bay Area and the Bay Area Jewish community have consensus strongly opposing the Islamic Republic of Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons. While the full scope of Israel’s military operation remains unknown, intelligence reports indicate that Iran has been accelerating its efforts to achieve nuclear weapons capability.
We have long called upon America and the international community to make nuclear prevention a top diplomatic priority. Iranian nuclear weapons would be more than an existential threat to Israel, they would destabilize regional and global security. Iran’s ongoing support for U.S.-designated terrorist organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas underscores this danger.
We are united in the belief that Israelis and Iranians deserve to live in peace and security, without fear. Our hearts go out to our friends, family, and colleagues sheltering in Israel today, as well as to the Iranian civilians caught in the crossfire.
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Rabbi Simcha Weiser, executive vice president, San Diego Hebrew Day School: Last night, faced with an existential threat, Israel took decisive action. For years, Iran’s leaders and their terrorist proxies have declared their goal: the destruction of Israel and the annihilation of the Jewish people.
For decades, the Iranian regime has fueled global antisemitism. It has supported terror groups from Gaza to Lebanon, Yemen to Iraq, and incited attacks on Jewish communities around the world — from Buenos Aires to Columbia University to UCSD right here in San Diego. And on top of it all, the regime was inching far too close to acquiring nuclear weapons.
Last night, the Jewish people said: enough.
At San Diego Hebrew Day School, we teach our children to stand tall in their Jewish identity, to love the State of Israel, and to never cower in the face of hate. Moments like this remind us why that education matters so deeply — because pride, courage, and clarity must begin in the classroom. At this time, our 8th grade class is in Israel with our head of school, Rabbi Benjamin Geiger. I am glad to report the students are safe and in good spirits and plan to continue their time in Israel, experiencing firsthand what it means to be a proud Jew.
We pray that the almighty will grant us peace and safety while we fight and pray for total victory — because only total victory for Israel will make the world a safer place for the Jewish people and all mankind.
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The Religious Zionists of America-Mizrachi (RZA), representing American Jews deeply committed to the security, sovereignty, and Jewish character of the State of Israel, expresses unwavering support for the State of Israel’s military action targeting Iran’s nuclear and military infrastructure.
In the face of repeated and escalating threats from the Iranian regime – including direct calls for Israel’s annihilation and the continuous arming of terror proxies across the region – the Israeli government has taken a necessary and courageous step to defend its citizens and ensure the long-term survival of the Jewish state. These strikes are not acts of aggression but of self-preservation, carried out with moral clarity and strategic precision.
Stephen M. Flatow, President of the RZA, stated: “Israel has both the right and the obligation to protect itself against existential threats. The Iranian regime has shown time and again that it will stop at nothing to develop nuclear weapons and destabilize the region. Israel’s action was not only justified – it was imperative. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our brothers and sisters in Israel during this critical hour.”
The RZA calls upon Jewish communities throughout the United States and around the world to unite in prayer on behalf of the State of Israel, the members of the Israel Defense Forces, and all civilians under threat.
We encourage synagogues, yeshivot, day schools, and individuals to recite Tehillim (Psalms), particularly chapters 121, 130, and 142, and to include the Misheberach L’Chayalei Tzahal (prayer for the safety of IDF soldiers) in daily services.
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The Lawfare Project: Israel’s military operation against Iran was not a war of choice, but an act of urgent self-defense. On June 12, 2025, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors formally declared that the Iranian regime was in violation of its nuclear safeguards obligations. Within hours, Iran announced the activation of a third uranium enrichment site. According to IAEA data and intelligence reports, Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile has surged by 50% in recent weeks, with enrichment levels reaching 60% purity—just below weapons-grade. Civilian nuclear energy programs typically require enrichment levels of only 3% to 6%. There is no longer any plausible civilian justification for Iran’s nuclear activities.
The Islamic Republic of Iran now possesses enough fissile material to construct a nuclear weapon and could feasibly assemble a weapon within days. The existential threat this poses to Israel—and to global security—cannot be overstated. Iranian leaders have long and repeatedly declared “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” while funding, directing, and enabling a vast international terror apparatus.
According to Israeli military intelligence reports, Iran has developed a comprehensive strategy to destroy the State of Israel through coordinated missile and drone barrages, coupled with a multi-front ground assault modeled after the horrors of October 7—on a dramatically larger scale. This plan reportedly includes efforts to destabilize neighboring regimes in Jordan and Egypt, adding to the threat against regional peace and security.
In the past year alone, Iran has twice launched direct attacks against Israel: a massive drone and missile strike in April 2024, and a major ballistic missile barrage in October 2024. These were the first overt, state-on-state attacks launched directly from Iranian territory against Israeli soil, marking an unprecedented escalation.
In response to this clear and growing danger, Israel acted with surgical precision, targeting senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) leaders and infrastructure. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) took extensive measures to avoid civilian casualties, demonstrating that this operation is not a war against the Iranian people. The targeted strike on a senior IRGC general—carried out in a residential apartment with minimal collateral damage—underscores the operation’s limited and disciplined nature.
The international community must recognize the broader reality: Iran is the primary driver of global terrorism—arming and funding Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and other proxy forces from Yemen to Iraq. Iran is also widely reported to have been the chief sponsor behind the atrocities of October 7. Israel’s preemptive action was not only justified—it was necessary to prevent mass bloodshed and uphold the principles of civilization, security, and law.
This is not only a matter of strategic necessity but also of legal and moral clarity. Under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, every nation has the inherent right to self-defense in response to an armed attack. International law further recognizes a right of anticipatory self-defense where the threat is imminent, overwhelming, and leaves no choice of means or moment for deliberation. Iran’s accelerating nuclear breakout, its persistent threats of annihilation, its direct attacks on Israeli soil, and its operational readiness to build a nuclear weapon within days all meet and exceed these thresholds. Israel’s strike was a lawful act of anticipatory self-defense in response to an imminent existential threat—a response consistent with both customary international law and the moral obligation to protect innocent life.
The Lawfare Project stands firmly with democratic allies who defend their people against tyranny, terrorism, and annihilation. Let freedom and justice prevail in the Middle East.
Rabbi Moishe Leider, Chabad of University City: As events continue to unfold in Israel, our hearts are once again filled with emotion — pride, gratitude, and unshakable solidarity. The daring operation last night, code-named Operation Rising Lion, fills us with awe at the heroism of the IDF, the brilliance of Israeli intelligence, and the unmistakable hand of Divine Providence. We express our profound gratitude to Hashem for the miraculous success of last night’s daring operation.It’s no coincidence that today’s Torah reading begins with the familiar verse we sing whenever the Holy Ark is opened in shul: “When the Ark set out, Moses said: Arise, O God! May Your enemies be scattered, and may those who hate You flee from before You….”. Similarly, Tuesday’s Torah portion speaks of war, declaring: “When you go to war in your land against an enemy who oppresses you, you shall sound a blast on the trumpets. You will be remembered before Hashem, your God, and be saved from your enemies.”In a powerful way, today’s Psalms (as they are apportioned for the days of the month) seem to speak directly to our moment. Chapter 83 reads: “..Your enemies have raised their heads. They plot deviously against your nation…They say, ‘Come let us sever them from nationhood and the name of Israel will be remembered no more’. My G-d make them like whirling chaff, like straw before the wind. As a fire consumes the forest, and a flame sets the mountains ablaze, so pursue them with your tempest and terrify them with your storm…And they will know that You, whose Name is the Lord, are alone, Most High over all the earth.”
As we feel the warmth of Hashem’s embrace, let us all strive to draw closer to Him. Whether through putting on Tefillin, lighting Shabbat candles before 7:40 PM, reciting Psalm 20 for the safety and success of the Jewish people, or dedicating more time to Torah study, each act brings us closer to Hashem and elicits more of His blessings.
We continue to pray for the safety, security, and protection of all our brothers and sisters in the Holy Land and around the world and our hostages. May the Jewish People and all good people of conscience, continue to rise with strength, pride, and unity, and may we soon merit lasting peace and redemption with the coming of Moshiach, now—before Shabbat!
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Rabbi Hanan Leberman, Tifereth Israel Synagogue: “Behold, a nation rises like a lion cub and lifts itself up like a lion.”
As a people, we know all too well that threats of annihilation must never be taken lightly. For as long as I can remember, Iran has made its intentions toward our people abundantly clear. On October 7, 2023, it became evident that Israel was not only fighting Hamas — it was also confronting Iran.
The war that Iran and its proxies launched had not reached Iranian soil — until last night, when Israel made a fateful decision: to act now, lest the future of our nation face grave consequences.
With the verse above as its mantra, our small nation rose up like King David before Goliath — striking, then rising again to strike once more. Once again, our people demonstrated unparalleled bravery in the face of evil. Through the courage of our pilots, Mossad agents, and intelligence warriors, we showed the world that though we may be few in number, we are lions when confronting darkness.
This week, as we read Parashat Beha’alotcha, which speaks of raising the light of the Menorah, we are reminded of our individual and collective power to be sources of light. We, too, must rise up and bring light into a world overshadowed by darkness.
Even though we may feel powerless to help our people in Israel from so far away, we must come together in prayer — with full intention — as a community. Let us ask God to protect our people, bring all the hostages home, grant success and safety to those defending our homeland, bless our nation with peace, and continue to give us the strength and courage to be lions in the face of darkness.
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Rabbi Rafi Andrusier, Chabad of East County: Just in the last year or so incredible miracles have happened to the Jewish people. It’s easy to forget: when was the last time you heard mention of the beepers?
For a moment, let’s talk about the last 18 hours – understanding that what we know is very preliminary:
Our pilots were able to fly over Syria and then Iraq and Iran, because Israel had managed to debilitate their anti-aircraft capacity. That all the pilots were safe and accomplished their mission is a standalone miracle of Biblical proportions.
The precision with which they were able to take out the monsters without harming those near — and most importantly — without risking our men, is simply astounding.
100 drones were set against the Jewish people and 100 drones were intercepted at a safe distance from the country and the population centers.
For me the story coming out, that the Prime Minister and the cabinet split between them the 150 chapters of King David’s songs as a prayer, is touching beyond words.
I read that in 1981 when the pilots went to bomb the nuclear reactor at Osirak the then Prime Minister Menachem Begin, was pacing his office from takeoff till landing. This time the power of the entire cabinet makes it that much more touching.
We are not out of the woods, when are we? But the trees in this forest tell an uplifting story. If Jerusalem and Tel Aviv cannot walk to Services to express as a community their thanks for the heretofore and the prayer for the future, then we have to be their feet.
Tomorrow at 11 AM, as we do every week, we will open the Ark for the reading of the Torah. As we do every week, we will sing the moving melody which tells of the Ark in the desert. But unlike every week, this is the week that we read of it in the Torah! And those very special verses speak of how God protects us from our enemies.
It is incumbent on us to give our communal Thanksgiving. It is incumbent on us to celebrate the blessings. It is incumbent on us to connect with each other. And it is incumbent on us to build our courage for the Jewish future, which will be even more glorious than the Jewish past.
In short, it is time for us to love our G-d, love His Torah and love the Jewish people.
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Compiled by SDJW staff