Sometimes, the relationships made on a shul’s mission to Israel take on a life of their own.

Such is the case with Congregation Brothers of Israel in Long Branch, New Jersey, which planned and conducted its own solidarity mission to Israel in December 2023. (See “Congregation Brothers of Israel Experiences Moving Mission to Israel,” The Jewish Link, January 11, 2024).

One of the towns the group visited was Moshav Ram On, which sits next to the border of the Arab town of Jenin—well known as a hotspot of terror. One member of the shul mission, who requested anonymity, stayed in touch with Emek Sadot, the head of the Kitot Konenut (first response team) at the moshav, and learned more over the next few weeks about the security challenges facing the small town in a tough neighborhood.

As Roz Ben David, program director at Congregation Brothers of Israel, told The Jewish Link, the mission participant told her and others in the shul about an increased flow of weapons from Jordan to the Yehuda and Shomron area and how there were a growing number of incidents of Palestinians approaching the moshav’s fence and, at times, shooting into the moshav before running off. He also shared details of the specific security equipment the moshav needed to better manage the situation.

Leaders at Congregation Brothers of Israel decided to undertake a fundraising drive to enable the moshav to seriously improve its security.

In February 2024 the shul started raising money, both through messages to the shul mission’s WhatsApp group and through emails to all shul members. In the following months, the shul raised $117,000, which they transferred to Moshav Ram On’s Kitot Konenut.

In September, the shul received a letter from Sadot, listing the additions the shul members had funded to the Moshav’s security system. These included:

• Walkie talkies for all members of the Kitot Konenut.
• Three dual day/night vision camera systems (six cameras total).
• A training drone, which saves their operational drone from army frequency jamming.
• Upgrades to their operational drone.
• Arterial tourniquets for all Kitot Konenut members.
• Establishing a control room, operating 24/7, to monitor the camera.

Sadot wrote to the shul members: “We can’t thank you enough for your incredible donation. Your support means the world to us and we’re blown away by your generosity.” He wrote again in October and reported, “We are extensively using your cameras, which have proven to be the best tool we have at the moment.”

Congregation Brothers of Israel’s rav, Rabbi Nasanayl Braun, told The Jewish Link: “We met the Kitot Konenut and other members of the community on our shul mission. We were impressed with their dedication and commitment to defending Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael, and we saw firsthand the dangers they faced from their neighbors. It is both our honor and obligation to help our brothers and sisters in Israel in any way that we can. Providing the ability to better defend themselves and their border was an incredibly meaningful way for the shul to help.”

Harry Glazer is the Middlesex County editor of The Jewish Link. He can be reached at [email protected] and he welcomes reader feedback.