Now that the shooting is sort of over....

Hello from my leave of absence. I am traveling.

First of all, it's about time there was a ceasefire. It seems that in retrospect, this war was (surprise) stupid and unnecessary. Al-Jazeera says both sides claim victory. Different editorials and opinions in Haaretz say Israel lost, won, or neither. Loads of people are dead, including the son of one of Israel's most acclaimed authors and peace activists, David Grossman. Lebanon's infrastructure is bombed to pieces.

I would like you to know about how you can spend the money you might otherwise be using for booze to help people in the Middle East.

So, here is a list of organizations accepting donations, sorted by the political affiliations you may or may not have.

If you want to give to Arabs:
The Little Lebanese Toy Drive is getting toys for Lebanese kids who are stuck in Syria. It's run by a bunch of American, British and other expats who are in Amman currently.
UNICEF is collecting cash for its operations for children in Lebanon.
The International Committee of the Red Cross is pulling together funds as well.

If you want to give to Israelis:
You can give through the United Jewish Communities' Emergency Campaign. They have been contributing to bomb shelters and emergency supplies in northern Israel.
The One Family Fund helps victims of terror in Israel.

Enjoy.