October 11, 2004

Holiday Events Bring Joy to Israel’s Protectors:
OU Program Brings Hundreds of Visitors to IDF Bases to Deliver Gifts to Soldiers During the Sukkot Festival

Under the auspices of the Orthodox Union and its Seymour J. Abrams Jerusalem World Center, hundreds of tourists and local Israelis traveled to four Israel Defense Forces bases around the country to celebrate the Sukkot festival with the men and women defending Israel and to bring them gifts from American and Israeli Jews. Some of the soldiers participating in the celebration were sent on anti-terrorist missions later that day.

“At each base soldiers were awaiting the visitors. Soldiers in training, soldiers in combat units, soldiers in maintenance duties and soldiers whose jobs are too precarious to describe,” declared Menachem Persoff, Program Director of the OU Israel Center. “Women soldiers, religious soldiers, old-timers and novices, privates, corporals and lieutenant colonels – they were all there joining together in throngs of dancing circles, celebrating Simchat Yom Tov, the joy of the festival.

“To the rhythms of the Army Rabbinate Choir, to the endearing Torah messages of the army chaplains and to the greetings of the various representatives of the OU, all the soldiers were very receptive. When the visitors distributed the parcels of candies and other treats to the soldiers, it was hard to distinguish who was smiling more broadly, the soldiers or the guests,” said Mr. Persoff.

The program resulted from a two-week fundraising campaign that the OU established in both the United States and Israel to provide the gifts and transportation to the bases. The OU synagogues that contributed to the campaign are listed on the OU website, www.ou.org.

Code named VeSamachta Bechagechca – the Torah command You Should Rejoice in Your Festivals -- the program was jointly coordinated by the OU Department of Community and Synagogue Services and the Israel Center, in conjunction with the OU Israel Initiative Taskforce, chaired by OU Vice President Howard Rhine. The program was operated in conjunction with the Israel Defense Forces Rabbinate and the Agudah Lema’an Hachayal, an Israeli organization supportive of the IDF.

Two years ago, Mr. Rhine was co-creator of the OU program to sell cards containing the Prayer for the Israel Defense Forces, with the proceeds being used to assist IDF soldiers in need. Tens of thousands of dollars have already been distributed by the OU from that program to IDF members. The program is ongoing and major efforts are being made in synagogues and day schools in support of sales of the cards.

Another originator of the prayer card program, Vel Werblowsky, was present with his wife during the Sukkot festivities. They recently made aliyah to Israel. “Naomi and I went yesterday to a base outside of Ramallah,” he recalled. “The soldiers there are on the front line protecting Jerusalem and the surrounding areas from infiltrating terrorists. In fact, that same night a group of them went on a mission to capture and arrest terrorists in the Ramallah area.”

“Our first impression was how young these men and women are who are given the supreme responsibility of protecting Am Yisrael, the people of Israel,” Mr. Verblowsky said. “They may be young in age, but as pointed out by Rabbi Major Yedidya Atlas of the IDF Chaplaincy, they are Giborim, strong and dedicated young men and women. There was much dancing, singing and joy as the women soldiers danced with our women and the male soldiers danced with our men.”

“The soldiers were very appreciative of the gift baskets that were given to them,” Mr. Werblosky said. “To me personally, it was a very moving and emotional experience to see these young men and women who could possibly make the ultimate sacrifice to save me, Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel) and ultimately all of Klal Yisrael (the Jewish people).”

Another participant, Jeff Zukor from Hamilton, Ontario, said how excited he was just to meet with and talk to the soldiers in an informal setting. “Anything that can give the soldiers chizuk (moral support) is worthwhile,” he said. “The experience was very special, very meaningful.”

Sandy Kessler of Oceanside, NY commented, “The visit to the bases made me so proud to be a Jew. Just thinking about how these young soldiers are giving the best years of their lives protecting us was so meaningful to me. It was a fabulous experience.”

And from Moshe Samuel of Kensington, NY, this comment summed up the OU’s entire rationale for conducting the program: “I received more than I gave.”

Photos by Joel Fishman


Young participants in the Sukkot program bring gifts to Israeli soldiers.


Menachem Persoff (left), Program Director of the OU Israel Center, and OU Senior Vice President Harvey Wolinetz are welcomed by an IDF base commander.


OU guests sit among IDF soldiers during the formal program.

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The Orthodox Union, now in its second century of service to the Jewish community of North America and beyond, is a world leader in community and synagogue services, adult education, youth work through NCSY, political action through the IPA, and advocacy for persons with disabilities through Yachad and Our Way. Its kosher supervision label, the , is the world’s most recognized kosher symbol and can be found on over 275,000 products manufactured in 68 countries around the globe.

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