Weekly D'var Torah

Memorial at the Nova Music Festival Site

Four intense days of volunteering, supporting, bearing witness.  A group of Adath Shalomniks and new friends from the Atlanta Jewish community landed at Ben Gurion and got right to work-

Volunteering

Orange Harvest

Right off the plane, we headed to Nes Tziona, one of the first Moshavot (Renewed Jewish towns established back in the 1880’s) to help Rachamim Keter, a wiry 83-year-old pioneer, harvest his family farm’s citrus orchard.  For years, workers from Gaza came to work alongside Rachamim and others.  Now, following the Hamas attacks, the border is closed.  Rachamim was very appreciative of our help- he said over and over, “We don’t take you being here for granted.  Thank you very much!”  Rachamim shared that even with the help of many volunteer delegations, much of his crop would remain unpicked and would rot in the trees…

Welcome to Nes Tziona

Rachamim gets a special blessing

The amazing and delicious Tapuzim (oranges) of Nes Tziona-

Eran’s Angels

We spent a morning at an enormous warehouse located in a parking garage of a Tel Aviv convention center- Eran’s Angels, an amazing organization sending literally tons of donations of food and supplies to bereaved, impoverished and dislocated families, Holocaust survivors living alone and others.  This organization is one hundred percent volunteer organized and run.

Lenny’s One Minute Tour of Eran’s Angels in action!

Tamara, one of Eran’s Angels Directors, thanking the delegation. 

Donation Page

“Hug Station”- when people are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or sad, they come here and are immediately treated to a massive, warm and loving hug from other volunteers!

Tzrifin Army Base: Rishon L’Tzion

One of Israel’s oldest bases, we helped untangle, clean, repair and refurbish communications equipment used by IDF soldiers going into the tunnels under Gaza in search of hostages and weapons caches.

Sheila, a young American-Israeli doing her army service from Bat Yam hosting us on the base and telling us about her and others’ personal experiences on Black Shabbat.

Keeping our strength up with an unbeatable Israeli Breakfast at the David International!

Len is amazed!