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On the cruise in New York
Were any matches made?
Festive sail
Rabbi Yosef Aharonov. 'Great emotional strength'

Injured IDF soldiers on cruise with US Jews

Troops injured in Operation Cast Lead, Second Lebanon War take part in matchmaking meeting on cruise held in their honor by members Manhattan's Jewish community

NEW YORK - Dozens of young men and women from the New York Jewish community held a cruise in honor of the IDF soldiers injured in the Second Lebanon War and Operation Cast Lead who are currently on a PR tour to Manhattan sponsored by the Chabad Youth Organization in Israel.

 

The sail, which departed from the New York harbor, included a singles meeting, aimed at possibly finding a Jewish match for the local women among the Israeli heroes.

 

The participants showered their Israeli guests with warmth and love. The evening's program included a fancy sushi dinner and dance to the sound of Mediterranean music, alongside the soldier's tales of valor and speeches by members of the local Jewish community.

 

One of the participants, Michal Harris, emphasized to the members of the Israeli delegation that, despite the geographical distance, the members of her community do a lot for the Jewish state. "I myself dedicate almost all my free time to PR and other activity in Israel's favor," she said.

 

Elad Jarbi, who was injured in battle in Bint Jbeil during the Second Lebanon War, said he was blown away with the love he received from the New York Jews. "I will be returning to Israel with a strong sense that we have the support of our brothers in the Diaspora."

 

Shevy Vigler, director of the Chabad Israel Center of the Upper East Side, told Ynet the positive energy the members of the community brought with them to the encounter with the soldiers was far greater than she had anticipated, and said the meeting came with "many tears and applause".


In Washington with military, police attachés (Photo: Benzi Sasson)

 

She explained that the purpose of the meeting, which she initiated, was to enable the young men and women to get a sense and understanding of who the IDF fighters who dedicated themselves to Israel are.

 

Ahead of the event, Vigler and her husband, Rabbi Uriel, garnered their community's support. They said the local Jews were amazingly responsive, and noted that the Turkish flotilla to Gaza was one of the main factors that led them to take part in the project.

 

Reminder at Shoa museum

But the soldiers weren't only looking for matchmaking in the United States. They also visited the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, where they were reminded of what they were fighting for.

 

As they reviewed the horror stories of Europe's Jews from last century, even the skies began to weep, after several particularly hot and humid days. Liran Hazan, who was seriously wounded during the Second Lebanon War, said, "This subject is not new to us, and we were all in Yad Vashem as well, but when you are in a place like this as part of a disabled IDF veterans' delegation, it takes on a whole different meaning."

 

Also during their visit to the US capital, the injured soldiers visited the White House, and received a special welcome by the Israeli Embassy. Military Attaché Gadi Shamni and Senior Israel Police & Public Security Attaché Uri Bar-Lev hosted the soldiers for talks, and the latter, who lost his leg in the line of duty, advised the troops on how to overcome disabilities.

 

Shamni spoke of the cooperation between the Israel Defense Forces and the American Military, and told his Israeli guests, "They don't have soldiers as good as you, and this is not because they don't have good soldiers."

 

Bar-Lev told the injured soldiers, "Use the rehabilitation period as an experience, and enjoy life," and advised them to obtain a profession that would secure their futures, despite the difficulties involved.

 

Rabbi Yosef Aharonov, chairman of the Chabad Youth Organization in Israel, said, "This project is part of an effort to strengthen Jewish communities around the world's identification with what is going on in Israel and with war casualties.

 

"Concern for others is one of the cornerstones at the basis of Chabad's operations in Israel and around the world. These soldiers have great emotional strength, and we feel proud that we were able to help them with a few days of relaxation and rehabilitation that will certainly help them on their way to getting their lives back on track."

 


פרסום ראשון: 06.16.10, 15:48
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