“We couldn’t just stay in Miami…so we decided to come [to Israel]. To see the shelters for the children is overwhelming for us…to know children are living like this in Israel.”
These are the impassioned words of members of the Shul of Bal Harbor in Miami, who came to Israel accompanied by their rabbi, Rabbi Zalman Lipskar on a journey of solidarity to stand as one with the people of Israel who suffered through the Gaza War this past summer.
Chabad’s Terror Victims Project (CTVP) hosted them and accompanied them throughout the country as they visited wounded soldiers, gave comfort and support to bereaved families who had lost their loved ones in the fighting, gave gifts of appreciation to the soldiers of the IDF, and visited the children of Sderot.
Rabbis Yossi Swerdlov and Menachem Kutner of CTVP arranged their trip and accompanied them. As well they were accompanied by Channel 20 TV in Israel that filmed portions of their trip. Click here to view this moving video.
One of the highlights of the trip was when they went to a toy store to select gifts for the children of beleaguered Sderot which is in the crosshairs of rocket attacks. They bought balls and dolls and riding toys and much more.
The children were wide-eyed as they walked in carrying these wonderful gifts. They spent time with the children, distributing the gifts individually and playing with them.
It was a very emotionally moving trip. One of the participants said that they and all the Jewish people owe a great debt of gratitude to CTVP for the heroic work they did – and continue to do -- on the front lines, in the bomb shelters, and everywhere all across Israel during the war and before and after.
In the words of a participant, “We came to show support and solidarity…but they [the people of Israel] are giving us strength. Their resolve is amazing.”
