About 100 volunteers packed thousands of personal packages for IDF soldiers at the front today, in a mass volunteer campaign organized by the Thank Israeli Soldiers non-profit association and the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem.
The thousands of packages, packed with great love by teenagers studying at the neighboring Hanisui high school, yeshiva students from Jerusalem, museum employees and volunteers from the Thank Israeli Soldiers association, were sent at the end of the day to various bases and will be routed to soldiers in the coming days. Each of the personal packages includes ten essential items for soldiers such as underwear, hygiene products, energy bars and even basic first aid equipment. The volunteers also added letters to the soldiers and sent them warm and encouraging words regarding the task ahead of them.
Aba Calman, one of the founders of the Thank Israeli Soldiers association – established during the second Intifada on the understanding that not all front-line soldiers’ needs are met on an ongoing basis, especially during periods of combat when the load on the system increases significantly – said yesterday that for now the organization is concentrating on providing these initial needs. “We want to ensure that the soldiers have their basic needs met, and are ready to advance to the next stage of the campaign if the need arises for this war. We want to express our appreciation and thank you on behalf of many people, from Israel and around the world. At the same time, it’s also important for us to enable those who cannot be at the front lines or enlist in the IDF to participate in this national effort, and contribute to the defense of the homeland and the Jewish people during these difficult times.”
Pearl Koelewyn, an elementary school teacher who accompanied the students throughout the day, added: “We are here to support the war effort, and also to activate the students and make sure they are active and meaningful – it’s good for them and good for everyone. We are doing what we can and are happy about the good spirit that this situation has brought upon us. The People of Israel are alive, and the force of our soldiers and the IDF will prevail.”
Hadar Cohen, a 12th-grader at the Hanisui school who volunteered at the event, said that she and her friends came “to pack packages for the soldiers who guard us all. There’s a good atmosphere of support and love here, and I feel like I’m somehow contributing and helping the soldiers.”
Cohen, who is due to enlist for military service next year, said that these events have actually strengthened her desire to enlist. “I understand how important the army is in Israel, and how much the people love it and want to help it. We’ve all seen what happened here in the country in recent months, but fortunately, in crises we know how to unite and act together, and that’s the most beautiful thing in the world.”
The Museum of Tolerance updated that the volunteer event was held in a spacious logistics warehouse that the museum allocated especially for the operation and that thus volunteer campaign is one of a series of volunteer days that the museum is holding to facilitate a speedy return to normality.