When the news of the brutal Hamas massacre in Israel and Israel’s resolve to respond forcefully settled in, one couple in Highland Park launched a large communal response to support the IDF. The couple (who asked not to be identified, because this story is not about them), put out a call for a massive collection of supplies for soldiers—including 600 headlamps, 1,000 Camelbacks, 300 G-shock watches, 250 sleeping bags, mobile chargers for phones with converters and over a dozen other items. Dozens of people from Highland Park, Edison, East Brunswick, Manalapan, Marlboro, Hillside and Cherry Hill responded generously with donations and came to help pack all the supplies on two nights at Congregation Ahavas Achim in Highland Park. The couple who organized the drive put out a call on WhatsApp for help in funding the $5,000 shipping costs, and within two hours the funds were raised. It took a few days to finalize the logistics of shipping to Israel and then on Sunday, October 22, a truck arrived at the shul to pick up roughly a dozen large, shrink-wrapped duffle bags, boxes and more on pallets, to ship through El Al and directly to IDF soldiers on the front lines in Israel—a tremendous communal effort, with a response that is truly heartwarming.
Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at [email protected].
