On November 18, 2023, Binyamin Meir Airley, 21, was killed in battle in northern Gaza. He was a paratrooper in the IDF Unit 101.
Now his mother, Jen Airley, has founded Beit Binyamin, a very special retreat center located in Tzfat, to perpetuate the memory of her oldest son, a fallen hero in the Israel-Hamas war.
“The Airley family’s dearest initiative is opening Beit Binyamin, a retreat center in Tzfat to provide respite and recovery to those directly affected by this war,” said Jen. “Our family was always connected to Tzfat. We would rent a vacation Airbnb annually to spend a Shabbat there. Binyamin attended Hesder yeshiva in Tzfat, and that became his personal spiritual home as well. Two years ago, an opportunity came about for us to purchase a dilapidated home in the Old City of Tzfat, which we planned to convert into four vacation rentals. Construction was halted when war broke out on Simchat Torah.
“Five weeks later Binyamin was killed in Gaza. The house just sat there until a few months later an idea evolved to turn the home into a retreat center to help others in pain. Beit Binyamin has since become an essential and thriving center of healing and inspiration, giving a new lease on life to those who have and are still fighting for our country. Just last week, a soldier came to join a weekend retreat with his family. Yair left the battlefield in Gaza Thursday morning after not seeing his wife and six children for weeks straight. He lost a few of his friends in an incident the previous week and has been selflessly defending our country for many long months. By Thursday evening they were in Tzfat, in a beautiful apartment, and spent the weekend enjoying each other while being completely looked after and uplifted.
“Beit Binyamin holds retreats for soldiers, Zaka members, wives of soldiers, Nova party survivors and more,” Jen continued. “We offer many therapies, relaxation, spa treatments, tours of the area, pampering accommodations, plentiful food, live music and Torah classes. We have been fundraising for Beit Binyamin to be able to continue to support the mental, physical and spiritual well-being of our brothers and sisters who have put their own lives on the line for us.
“From day one, from that fateful Shabbat afternoon on November 18 when the Israeli Army soldiers knocked on our door to tell us of Binyamin’s death while fighting in Gaza, we have never asked “Why?” Not why Binyamin nor why our family, but rather, ‘What can we do with this difficult and painful situation?’ We will never understand God’s ways or reasons in this world. We can only try to be his loyal children to trust the process, to trust He knows best,” Jen shared.
“Since the fifth of Kislev, our lives are forever changed and charged. Airley family members share Binyamin’s story as much as possible. We speak of his passionate love for Israel and the nation, his selfless and supernatural bravery in defending the land and its people, eschewing all materialism yet notoriously fun-loving and nature-focused. We describe his magnetic personality and ability to connect to Jews of all backgrounds, origins and observance levels. We share how difficult it was to raise a boy who couldn’t sit still for more than a few minutes, attended more schools than almost all our five other children combined, and how his impulsiveness got him into trouble over and over again, but he was my dependable right-hand man and the most solid pillar in our family.
“Personally, he was my buddy, my running buddy, my beer buddy, my sunrise hiking buddy,” Jen added. “He kept other people’s secrets sacred. Binyamin was skillful, creative, hard working and strove for greatness. He was a deep thinker, spiritual, intuitive and wanted to be a therapist for troubled teens using nature as a medium for healing.”
On Wednesday, September 25, Jen Airley will be the guest speaker at Chabad Briarcliff-Ossining, 15 Campwoods Road, Ossining, New York. She will speak at the Chabad Jewish Women’s Circle, sharing her incredible story of strength, faith, healing, resilience and hope, helping participants lift spirits and step into 5785 with words of positivity and encouragement. Participants will also leave with beautiful challah for their Rosh Hashanah tables.
“Jen’s positivity and faith in the face of tragedy is truly remarkable,” Rebbetzin Miriam Labkowski, the Chabad’s co-director, said. Rabbi Dovid Labkowski, the Chabad’s director, commented, “Jen’s choice to turn her grief into action and to open a treatment center to help those suffering is such a powerful lesson for us all to emulate.”
“Back in July, Miriam sent me a message about speaking to the community ahead of Rosh Hashanah,” Jen Airley told The Jewish Link. “I responded that I would not be leaving Israel so close to Yom Tov. Two hours later, after some contemplation, I wrote back saying that if they were still interested, I would fly in from Israel to speak and it would be my honor to come meet the community.”
Jen noted: “Hashem has an interesting way of making shidduchim and I try to follow His lead. What seems so ‘random’ and happenstance is Hashem’s way of sending messages. This is how we, the Airley family, function: God is in charge. He calls the shots. … Truth be told, due to Miriam’s initiative, many other doors of engagement opportunities have opened for my few days in America. Beit Binyamin and I are incredibly grateful.
“In Binyamin’s spirit, our daughter Sarah organized a dance party before Purim attended by hundreds of women who came to gather strength and rekindle their inner flame through music, dance and connection. … As a family, we have attended weekend retreats where we all, including our younger children, speak to others to give strength and encouragement to continue living life with intention and meaning. A music room has been built and dedicated in Binyamin’s high school; a new shul on a farm where he volunteered is being built; orchards and vineyards have been planted around the country; hiking paths have been paved; kollel learning programs and character improvement WhatsApp groups are just a partial list of projects and programs inaugurated and flourishing in Binyamin’s spirit and honor.”
The list of various programs initiated in honor of Binyamin also includes Binyamin’s BBQ Brigade, plentiful and delicious barbecues prepared at army bases around the country, served with Torah thoughts, song and dance. It was started by Jen Airley’s brother Ari Averbuch, close friend LeeAt Solomon and a few others.
“While fundraising for Beit Binyamin is crucial,” said Jen, “just as vital is the message behind it: We can accept our broken heart as a way of life or choose to do something with the pain, something constructive and helpful to others. We have chosen to live. Live with meaning and intention, a life carrying both our shattered heart and a full heart all at once. We march forward with our two hearts in trying to help heal, build and unite our nation as best as we can.”
For more information and to donate to Beit Binyamin: [email protected].
Chabad Briarcliff-Ossining: https://www.chabadbriarcliff.com/; RSVP for the event: https://bit.ly/47wv1Tx
Susan R. Eisenstein is a longtime Jewish educator, passionate about creating special, innovative activities for her students. She is also passionate about writing about Jewish topics and about Israel. She has two master’s degrees and a doctorate in education from Columbia University.
