On Shabbat, May 3, 12 of our community shuls will unite to observe Shabbat Chayal, an annual community-wide Shabbat in support of an organization connected to Tzahal. This year, as part of our relationship with our sister town in Kerem Shalom, we will be honoring the heroic members of the Kitat Konninut of Kerem Shalom, and welcome seven members of Kerem Shalom to our community who will speak throughout many different shuls that Shabbat. Shabbat Chayal was established by Reva and Dr. Aaron Tokayer in memory of their beloved son, Ilan, who served Am Yisrael with distinction as a soldier in Tzahal.
We look forward to, God willing, raising $100,000 over the weekend, culminating in a communal breakfast at Congregation Bnai Yeshurun on Sunday, May 4, at 9:30 a.m. This Shabbat Chayal is done in partnership with Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon’s Sulamot organization, BC Lev Echad, and Bergen B’Yachad.
On Sunday morning, in addition to raising the funds for Kerem Shalom, we look forward to acknowledging an exceptional group of individuals from our community who have, among others, risen to the occasion and stood in the breach in the greatest crisis Am Yisrael has faced since the Shoah, by supporting soldiers, hostages, fighting antisemitism, and helping the displaced communities. It is our honor to recognize, in this context, the exceptional work of Fran Berg, Pearl Rawson, Chana Shields, and BC Lev Echad.
Our community has sent three missions to Kerem Shalom over the last 15 months, and this coming mission will be the third in return. It is the leading relationship of its kind between any community in North America and one of the impacted communities of Oct. 7.
As a testament to the generosity of the members of our community, we have already raised $1 million for the medical and physical rehabilitation of Kerem Shalom from the brutal attacks of Oct. 7, including for an armored ambulance and first aid medical facility, a new children’s playground and sports complex, direct assistance to families of the killed and wounded on Oct. 7, and a memorial garden for the kedoshim.
On account of its location as the southern and western most community in the Gaza envelope, Kerem Shalom is uniquely strategic and uniquely vulnerable. For this reason, the members of Kerem Shalom are among the last of the displaced residents who have not been able to return to their homes, as it is merely meters from Rafah. The defense of Kerem Shalom is a partnership between the kitat konninut, security team, and the army, which is stretched across the entire area. While many improvements have been made since Oct. 7, the security team is still the primary vehicle for defense of the kibbutz against terror attacks and infiltrations across the border. While none of us hoped this would be the case, Hamas is still right across the fence.
To ensure a safe return of all of the residents of Kerem Shalom over the coming months, we have the opportunity to do our part in this milchemet mitzvah, a war which obligates all of us in the national defense, by securing Kerem Shalom as a strategic location, by providing the Kitat Konninut with all that it needs to defend the community. There could be no greater victory, God forbid, for Hamas than making sure this town remains judenrein, and we can ensure that this never happens.
This Shabbat Chayal, we look forward to welcoming Shira Raziel and Talia Weitzen, two incredibly brave women from Kerem Shalom whose husbands, Yedidya and Amichai, gave their lives to save the kibbutz, and Tal Barzilai, whose brother Yair was severely wounded in the battle for Kerem Shalom. We will also welcome the deputy commander of the security team, Eli Ben Dor, who fought off terrorists heroically for many hours on Oct. 7, as well as the head of Kibbutz Kerem Shalom, Yigal Moskovich. Finally, we look forward to welcoming the heroic medic of Oct. 7, Roni Kissin, and her husband, Ofer, the former head of the security squad at Kerem Shalom.
Speakers will appear throughout Shabbat at Congregation Beth Aaron, Bnai Yeshurun, Jewish Center of Teaneck, Keter Torah, Netivot Shalom, Ohr Saadya, and Young Israel of Teaneck. We look forward to sharing information on the exact timing and location of each of the speakers immediately following Pesach.
We thank the incredible Shabbat Chayal committee, Mordy Ungar, Jeff Nechama and Steve Pudell, Binyamin Schmutter, Jeff Neugroschl, and Ari Wartelsky, for making sure our community is at the forefront of supporting those who are on the front lines for Am Yisrael.
For any questions regarding Shabbat Chayal and supporting Kerem Shalom, please be in touch with Rabbi Daniel Fridman at [email protected].
