Rabbi Moshe Rothchild, the founder of the Global Israel Alliance some 10 years ago, was hopefully inspired by the large turnout on Sunday evening, September 8, at Congregation Rinat Yisrael, for his program in support of “Widows of Warriors.” Recently he has been hearing two ominous words in the 11-month aftermath of October 7—“donor fatigue.”
“Do the courageous chayalim protecting our land and Jews everywhere have the luxury of ‘soldier fatigue?’ he asked. “So too, our financial support for the many programs created to support our young warriors and their families must not waver or weaken.”
Rabbi Rothchild, a native New Jerseyan from West Orange, began his career as an educator at Ramaz and then served as a pulpit rabbi in Perth, Australia and Aventura, Florida, from where he made aliyah with his family in 2009. Upon founding the Global Israel Alliance, he focused on vulnerable populations in Israel such as Ukrainian immigrants and aging Holocaust survivors. After the horrors of October 7, he pivoted to providing essential gear for soldiers, including helmets, boots and other crucial items not sufficiently provided by the IDF. Currently, Widows for Warriors is the organization’s main focus, serving the hundreds of young widows throughout Israel who have been left grieving for their beloved, heroic spouses while carrying on the entire burden of households, many of which include infants and young children.
Widows of Warriors quickly responded with financial help tailored to each person’s needs, including assistance with food, clothing and other household essentials. In one case, they arranged for a young widow to move into a larger apartment so that her parents and in-laws could help her over Shabbatot and chagim. It also became clear early on that these brave young women were in dire need of emotional support and so the organization pivoted once again to create programs to serve these needs.
Currently supporting over 100 widows, the organization has provided over 20 volunteers assigned to be in constant touch with the women and assess their emotional needs. Small gifts are sent periodically to give them a lift and assure them that they are not alone. A key focus is providing occasions for these widows throughout the country to get together for peer support. Brunches are arranged and a special program has been implemented through which once a month, five to six families of widows and their children gather at a nine-bedroom home to spend an uplifting Shabbat together. This program has proven to be highly effective in raising their spirits and creating close connections among the bereaved families.
In bringing awareness of Widows for Warriors to communities in the United States, Rabbi Rothschild, who resides with his family in Efrat, felt that the presentation he and his wife had heard by the daughter of his neighbors the Rubacks, would draw audiences to this cause. Speaking to audiences within Israel in Hebrew and English, “Arielle’s presentation was both crushing and inspiring,” he said.
Arielle Ruback, 21, drafted in August 2022, and completed her service only one month ago. Serving in the capacity of an observer, in Hebrew a tatzpetanit, she was placed in the southern base of Kissufim, not far from the Kerem Shalom crossing. Her duties required her to be on alert for four-hour shifts, observing an area of seven kilometers, including some of the hardest-hit nearby kibbutzim including Nir Oz and Ein Hashlosha. Units of soldiers from Givati and others constantly came through her base of Kissufim, which was only a three-minute drive to Gaza. As early as April 2023, the observers noticed “funny” activity along the Gaza border and were dreading a second Yom Kippur attack.
When the skies lit up with rockets at 6:29 a.m. on October 7, there were no soldiers on the base as they were sent to the local kibbutzim and to the Nova festival. The five women on shift hid behind their computers.They called the women in the dorms to join them but they were too frightened to come outside for fear of being hit by missiles. By the end of the first day, half of the observers were burned to death and the other half were shot to death in shelters while still in their pajamas.
Throughout her presentation, Ruback projected the faces of the young “warriors” who ultimately lost their lives that day—a total of 32. Ranging in age from 18 to 22, each was described by Ruback by his/her special qualities, spirit, love of life, friendships and ultimate acts of unimaginable courage. She spoke of their last calls home to their families, the letters they wrote in advance of being called up, asking their families not to grieve or lose hope. She described the heroic attempts by the observers to stanch the flow of blood or pump the hearts of the injured soldiers for hours in the hope that they would withstand their injuries until they would be evacuated.
As the doors to the operations room were electronic, they remained open to invaders at any point. As she tended to the injured, Ruback felt that she herself would soon be a target. In anticipation, she called her brother who was also in the field and asked him to convey her love to her parents should she not come home. Miraculously, in late afternoon, the Egoz Unit came by to protect the remaining observers. Among them was a fellow Efrat neighbor who introduced himself as the nephew of the “lion-warrior” Ari Fuld. Eitan Berman, who helped her survive, was present at the program. In the words of Ruback, “Those who died that day died only once but lived every day.”
Ruback’s presentation, hard-hitting and emotionally painful, was delivered in a sincere, straightforward, confident and focused manner not commonly achieved by young speakers. She concluded by urging: “Be proud of your Jewishness! Know that you are the future of our nation.”
Rabbi Rothchild concluded the program by citing three current widows who are now benefiting from the Widows of Warriors program. Michal Lomanov, the widow of Alex Lomanov, the only hostage from Ashkelon and one of the six hostages murdered recently, gave birth to the couple’s second son in March. As Alex was the only child of elderly Russian parents, Michal has requested that Rabbi Rothchild recite Kaddish for her husband. Anat Meir from Kibbutz Be’eri lost her husband as he was being transferred to the hospital on October 7. For many months, Anat would not speak to anyone outside of her family. Today, she is actively involved in the projects of the Widows of Warriors and has spent Shabbat comforting her peers. Ahron Farash signed up for 15 years in tzevah keva, career army, despite his charedi roots. On October 7, he saved 15 lives by securing a door shut against the terrorists before he was killed. The picture of his holding on to the door has become iconic. Ahron’s wife, Sarah, mother of five sons, has been the recipient of services by the program.
Rabbi Rothschild’s parting message to the audience: “Daven and donate.”
Kudos to Elissa Yurowitz, Elyssia Stein, Galit Cohen and the Israel Action Committees of Congregations Netivot Shalom and Rinat, as well as the CFS security team for facilitating the evening.
To donate, visit the website widowsofwarriors.org
Mail checks to Global Israel Alliance, 5320 East 122nd Pl S, Bixby, OK 74008
501(c)(3): EIN#83-2231657. Checks can be made out to Congregation Rinat Yisrael, “Widows of Warriors” in the memo.
Rabbi Moshe Rothchild can be reached at [email protected]
