Moving to Israel brings many opportunities for religious growth and personal fulfillment. Those of us who grew up in the West and made aliyah often see how our sense of community and chesed—giving for the sake of giving—are lacking here. We often find vacuums in Israeli society; we fill in where the state falls short.
Elliot Auerbacher, a real estate financier who made aliyah from Englewood to Modiin in 2015, and Dave Kaplan, who made aliyah in 2009 from Toronto and lives in Modiin, are perfect examples of olim making a difference, through the GrillingForIDF program they started together in 2000.
“It’s not just about the barbecues that GrillingForIDF provides—it’s much more than that,” said Auerbacher. “Through our barbecues, the soldiers feel a sense of connectedness and belonging. They get a real feeling that we respect and care about them. These barbecues really lift their morale and spirits and make a real difference in their lives.”
Kaplan said: “GrillingForIDF started approximately two years ago. During the Tzuk Eitan Operation, my son Yoni served on mobile ‘shipping container’ bases in strategic fields across the south on Iron Dome batteries. Yoni would frequently call us to say how hungry he was in the field. The food on some of these bases can be scarce and in some cases not edible. Throughout my other son’s service, I was disheartened to see how poor some of our boys eat during their national service.
“For me, it was no-brainer to offer our barbecuing know-how with a volunteering spirit to go out when and where we could to try and feed our men and women serving out in the field an amazing barbecue,” Kaplan continued. “Our first barbecue was on a forwarding base in Halamish manned by a miluim unit that puts their lives on the line just about every evening. We brought with us a half dozen volunteers, steaks, hamburgers, barbecues, side dishes, drinks, desserts. The soldiers were in disbelief. They had never seen a barbecue like this served to them before. It was a symbiotic experience for all the volunteers and all the soldiers.
“On our side, we all felt a deep sense of gratitude to these men and women putting their lives on the line for us. And on the soldiers’ side, they felt our gratitude and it gave them a renewed passion to know there are people in our country willing to give up their time and resources to come out and support them. The first barbecue was so special, we couldn’t wait to do it again. All our volunteers chomp at the bit to come out and there are many units waiting in the wings for us to get to them. We serve the IDF through their stomachs.”
“Our organization has served thousands of soldiers and the IDF has become a better unit as a whole since we started,” Kaplan concluded.
The Jewish Link spoke with Lisa Baron from Teaneck, who is currently spending a pre-aliyah pilot year in Modiin. She tells a moving story about how she actually was reunited with a student of hers from Teaneck, who was a lone soldier, through a GrillingForIDF barbecue she volunteered for.
“The most incredible privilege of living in Eretz Yisrael this year are the opportunities I’ve had to show hakarat hatov to groups that protect and support the lives of Israelis every day,” Baron said. “I have volunteered to visit hospitals, I have done COVID testing for MDA, and I was privileged to be introduced to an amazing organization called Grilling for IDF.
“On January 12, 2022 I was picked up by friends from Modiin, where we have been living this year, and we headed out to barbecue for a group of soldiers,” Baron recalled. “As we pulled into the woods near Latrun, I was very skeptical. How in the world did these volunteers get their barbecue onto a truck and drive it into the woods? How would we all be able to barbecue in total darkness, by the light of some car lights and headlamps? How would all of this food get unpacked, seasoned, cooked and plated in the dark, cold woods? I could not have possibly imagined the way that everything was accomplished.
“It was flawless! Jobs were divided, and we each had a role to play in the preparation of this incredible meal for 50 soldiers of the IDF. Every time we brought the soldiers more food, they broke out into song and thanks. Every time they thanked us, we thanked them more. When the soldiers’ stomachs were full, leaving no more room for any more food or home-baked desserts, Elliot, the head of GrillingForIDF, gave a beautiful dvar Torah.
“As we volunteers were starting to pack up the barbecue equipment, Elliot came to our area with a soldier by his side. He asked the volunteers, ‘Anyone here from Teaneck? This guy is from Teaneck!’
“As I turned to the soldier to tell him that I am from Teaneck, he called out with a burst of excitement and laughter, ‘She’s my teacher! She’s my teacher! What are you doing here, Mrs. Baron?’
“I couldn’t believe my ears or eyes! It was my student from eighth grade in RYNJ. I hadn’t seen Yonah in years and didn’t know that he had recently joined the IDF, and he didn’t know that I was living in Israel. It was such a surprise for us both.
“It had been so dark in the woods, and the volunteers had all been wearing masks when serving the soldiers, that we never would have seen each other had he not asked to talk to people from Teaneck.
“Of course, we sent pictures to his mother and I told her how happy he is and how great he looks. He told me about how incredibly grateful the soldiers were for this surprise barbecue, and how much it means to them to know we love them and will always take care of them. “
“It was min hashamayim that I was at this particular barbecue in the middle of the woods on this chilly January night,” Baron said. “I am so lucky to be in Eretz Yisrael and so lucky to be able to volunteer for this organization that shows soldiers, in just one small way, how much we care about and appreciate them.”
Our Israeli soldiers are on the front line, defending our country and allowing us to live and visit here in Israel in safety. Through this fantastic (and delicious!) program, we are showing our soldiers how much we admire, respect and care about them.
To learn more, visit www.GrillingForIDF.com.
By Benjy Singer
