If someone stood watch outside your home in order to make sure you were safe, you would surely thank them. If they kept the bad guys from hurting your wife and children you would certainly appreciate them. If they were injured while doing so, or even took a bullet for you, imagine how grateful you would be. You would probably feel forever in their debt.
While we might not think of it in this way, there are people who act in this role. They stand watch, protect our families and occasionally get injured while doing so. These individuals are called soldiers. The ones who protect our people and our nation as Jews are the Israeli soldiers of the IDF. We don’t always have a chance to express our gratitude, especially to the wounded soldiers, but sometimes we get to do so in our own unique ways.
Recently, as president of the Chai Riders Motorcycle Club of NY, I had a chance to be part of an event that helps show gratitude to these Israeli wounded IDF soldiers. “Belev Echad” is a global movement dedicated to ensuring the wounded men and women of the Israeli Defense Forces receive the support they need to live productive and well-adjusted lives. Their various programs empower each soldier to thrive.
Each year, Belev Echad takes wounded IDF soldiers on a Big Apple flagship trip, giving them the experience of a lifetime. Touring New York City and experiencing the best the city has to offer, all the while showing them the love they deserve, allows them to forget their troubles, worry and pain. The trip is designed to motivate these wounded veterans through the toughest parts of their rehabilitation and to create a lifelong community to help alleviate the isolation that unfortunately many of them experience. The experiences, memories and relationships that this trip provides changes the lives of each and every participant.
As part of their trip to the New York area, these wounded soldiers get to visit traditional tourist sites, stay in the finest hotels and do fun things such as participating in helicopter rides to see the Statue of Liberty. The highlight of their week is when they get to ride as passengers on motorcycles and explore the beautiful scenery that surrounds the metropolitan area. The Chai Riders Motorcycle Club is proud to be a participating partner in this part of their week-long festivities.
A couple of Sundays ago, 43 motorcycles participated in a 125-mile ride that explored the Monksville Dam and Ringwood State Park in New Jersey, as well as the Harriman and Stony Point State Parks in upstate New York. This included a police-style motorcycle escort to ensure our safety and keep the traffic lanes clear for our convoy. The ride included a catered kosher picnic along the way and a barbecue dinner finale at a fantastic Israeli supporter’s home who made their house and pool available for the group.
Two IDF soldiers took turns riding on the back of my Honda Goldwing. They each told me their stories. The first young man, Yidal, age 26, related that he was a soldier in the Golani brigade. He had been training for hand-to-hand combat in a simulated Arab village. Unfortunately, he fell off a building and shattered his knee. He had to undergo many months of surgery and rehabilitation in order to learn to walk again. The second young man, Stav, age 25, was in an elite unit that saw combat on a clandestine mission in the Gaza strip. He injured his back and is in constant pain. What he saw and experienced while on his combat missions left emotional scars as well that still affect him years later. We discussed the concept of PTSD and how it often affects soldiers in combat. I thanked both of these soldiers for their service.
Founded in 2009 by Rabbi Uriel Vigler and his wife Shevy, Belev Echad began as an annual tour of New York City as a gesture of solidarity and support for wounded warriors of the IDF. The Chai Riders Motorcycle Club has partnered with this group, giving lengthy, enjoyable motorcycle rides in the beautiful forested areas outside New York City for the past 10 years. It is an experience that all the soldiers always remember fondly.
There is a biblical story that serves as an illustration of the virtue of gratitude. Jonathan, King Saul’s son, and David, the future king, were best of friends. They swore eternal loyalty to one another and to their future generations. Unfortunately, Jonathan was killed in the Battle of Mount Gilboa, along with his father. Jonathan had a five-year-old son named Mephiboshet. When word came that King Saul and Jonathan were killed in battle, Mephiboshet’s nurse picked him up and fled in order to save him. In the rush to flee, she dropped him. He fell and broke his legs. He was lame forever afterward and lived in the shadows to avoid persecution (2 Samuel 4:4).
Years afterward, King David remembered his pledge to Jonathan and his future offspring. He sent his aides to seek out Mephiboshet and restore the family fortune to him. He sat Mephiboshet at the king’s table and treated him like royalty from that point forward. This was all done in gratitude to his friendship with Jonathan, Mephiboshet’s father (2 Samuel 9:3).
We may not always have the opportunity to show our gratitude to wounded IDF soldiers. Yet, these are the young men and women who stand at the front lines and protect our Jewish families and nation throughout the world, no matter where we might live. We are forever in their debt. While the stereotyped image of motorcyclists are sometimes negatively portrayed, motorcycles in the hands of the right person can be used to advance Torah ideals, mitzvot and Jewish pride. In this instance, the Chai Riders were able to show gratitude and say “thank you” in a most unique manner, giving these soldiers the time of their lives they will never forget.
By Rabbi Dr. Avi Kuperberg
Rabbi Dr. Avi Kuperberg is a forensic, clinical psychologist in private practice. He is president of the Chai Riders Motorcycle Club of NY/NJ. He leads the Summit Avenue Shabbos Gemara shiur and minyan in Fair Lawn, NJ, and is a member of the International Rabbinical Society. He can be reached at [email protected].
