When an IDF soldier sustains painful, difficult wounds defending us, we feel it is fitting to show our tremendous appreciation and gratitude in another concrete way. For CTVP that takes the form of a trip of a lifetime they would never otherwise be able to experience. (This is our 14th trip!)
Mid July 2015, Chabad’s Terror Victims Project (CTVP) will be joining with the leadership and members of Chabad at Flamingo to bring ten wounded Israeli soldiers and chaparones to Toronto for the trip of a lifetime.
Rabbi Mendel Kaplan a delegation from Chabad at Flamingo made a trip to Israel after the recent war 'Operation Protective Edge'. Together with Rabbis Yossi Swerdlov and Menachem Kutner of CTVP, they brought much support and solidarity to the children of Sderot, the soldiers wounded in the Gaza War, and the bereaved families who lost beloved ones in the conflict.
Now, the community is opening its arms to bring these soldiers to Toronto. We know the trip will be deeply touching and inspiring for them as it has been for every community that has hosted wounded Israeli soldiers.
We want to introduce you to the young men who will be visiting Toronto. Each is a hero whose courage and bravery are beyond measure.
Introducing: The Courageous Israel Defense Forces Soldiers Visiting Toronto July 2015
Bar:
21 years old • Bat Ayin
Bar served in the Golani Brigade in the 12th Battalion. He and his regiment were in Sg’aaih in Gaza, an area full of senior Hamas combatants, tracking down terrorists. They’d been destroying terror tunnels and were going to spend the night in an unoccupied house. Bar and some of his comrades volunteered to go to a nearby tank to transfer equipment to the house. Terrorists fired a missile and began shooting at them from all directions. Eight soldiers were wounded, among them Bar who suffered a severe leg injury and had shrapnel penetrate his entire body. He was evacuated by helicopter to Beilinson Medical Center where he remained for six weeks, undergoing three complex surgeries. He was then moved to Tel Hashomer rehabilitation for a month and a half. Bar continues to undergo daily physical therapy.
Gabi
41 years old • Modiin
Gabi served as a combat soldier in the engineering corps. He operated a D9 bulldozer used to detect weapons tunnels. Even though he was over 40, married, and had children, Gabi volunteered to continue serving in the reserves. His reserve duty began when three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped. He assisted with searching for them and then became part of the soldiers fighting the Gaza War. Gabi and his unit found and destroyed 29 weapons tunnels during weeks of continuous fighting. His unit then received information about a tunnel 40 meters deep which needed special drilling and other equipment that his unit had. As they arrived at the tunnel, an anti-tank missile was fired at them and exploded near Gabi's D9. 11 soldiers were wounded, two very seriously, one of them Gabi. 300 shrapnel pieces penetrated all over his body. He has undergone many operations and is in rehabilitation today.
Adiel
21 years old • Kiryat Ata
During the destruction of four terrorist tunnels during the Gaza War, Adiel and his unit discovered a cement plant used to manufacture concrete for the tunnels. During the demolition of the plant, a wall fell onto an electric pole that created a short circuit and a fire that struck Adiel’s D9 bulldozer, causing severe burns to his arms and hands. He was evacuated to the Israeli border and then airlifted by helicopter to the burn ward in Tel Hashomer. Adiel was in a coma for 11 days and underwent eight surgeries and skin grafts. He is still in rehabilitation and is expected to undergo a series of treatments for another two years.
Yakir
23 years old • Zichron Yaakov
After three years in the IDF, Yakir elected to continue serving as a combat engineer. When the Gaza War broke out, he was serving in Judea and Samaria. He wanted to join the fighting in Gaza and became part of an auxiliary unit of the famous Duvdivan division. During the ceasefire, suspicion arose that the terrorists were gathering bombs in a tunnel near their site. A convoy proceeded – led by a D9 followed by tanks and another D9 – to open a path so the Duvdivan unit could enter and destroy the tunnel. Yakir was the commander of the first D9 leading the operation. Out of nowhere, an RPG rocket was shot at his D9 and he took a direct hit. The soldier next to him was killed. Yakir was seriously injured but remained fully conscious. He radioed for help and, as he was being evacuated by tank, a fire fight broke out between the terrorists and the Duvdivan unit. A helicopter transported Yakir to Tel Hashomer. The missile had hit his leg, entered his stomach, and ripped his intestines. Yakir has undergone ten operations. He was hospitalized for five months – two in intensive care and three in rehab. He continues to come to the hospital several times a week for treatments as an outpatient.
Reuben
20 years old • Elkana
Reuben grew up in San Diego and he and his family immigrated to Israel. During the Gaza War, Reuven fought in Saagia for two days. Then he was sent to Deir Al Balah to locate and destroy terror tunnels. In the evening, on the way out of the area after a successful operation, they were traveling in an armored vehicle. They were just 100 meters from the Israeli border when terrorists shot a mortar rocket at them. Five soldiers were killed, 15 wounded. Reuben was injured very badly. He was evacuated by helicopter to Tel Hashomer. He has undergone four major operations and was hospitalized for four months. He was moved to the rehabilitation department where he remains today.
Elad
21 years old • Rosh Ayin
Elad’s battalion waited over a week at a gathering site along the Gaza border before they received orders to enter the hostile area. After two hours, a missile was fired at them but no one was hit. They penetrated deeper into Gaza when they were suddenly fired at from terrorists. One soldier was wounded. Then another bullet from a sniper hit Elad, entering through his left ear and exiting through his right eye. Elad was evacuated by tank to the border, and then by an armored troop carrier to a helicopter. He was flown to Beilinson Hospital in critical condition. Elad lost his right eye and now has a prosthetic eye. He also sustained internal damage and had meningitis and multiple surgeries during the two months he was hospitalized. Today he continues to go for rehabilitation regularly.
Shlomo
20 years old • Jerusalem
A large fighting battalion was in Gaza clearing the area of terrorists. On the Friday of that week, Shlomo went with several other soldiers to the command center in Gaza to bring equipment, food, and water for the combat battalion. They encountered sniper fire and Solomon was hit in the left elbow, nearly severing his hand. He was evacuated by tank to the border and from there to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. He underwent 12 complex surgeries to reattach his hand. It is reattached but he will need additional surgeries in the future. He continues to undergo rehabilitation.
Yehonatan
23 years old • Elad
Yehonatan, a commander in the Kfir Brigade Battalion, and two of his soldiers, were on patrol in a hostile village near Gush Etzion, Al Aruv. Their mission: to prevent terrorists from throwing Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles. As they came down from their security post, a terrorist with a large commercial vehicle ran over them. One soldier flew 15 meters, falling on a garbage bag that provided a soft landing. A second soldier was moderately wounded. Yehonatan flew into the air, landing on the road. One of his comrades pulled him over, saving him from the terrorist’s second attempt to run him over. He was evacuated to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center in critical condition, with multiple wounds and a severe head injury. He was unconscious for a month, hanging between life and death. In addition to his head injury, he suffered injuries in his right leg and hand and in his chest. He had multiple internal injuries, 16 broken ribs, and double fractures. After a long series of operations, he was hospitalized for two and a half more months in Tel Hashomer Hospital. Yehonatan continues to go to rehabilitation now.