web feb 24

SHEVAT - ADAR 1 5784 / FEBRUARY 2024 21 Avram described how, during a tour in the field, the young men on the front are subjected to sporadic episodes of intense fighting followed by variable periods of calm and reflection. In the midst of fighting, the men quite literally trust their fellow team members with their lives. When the battlefield is quiet, they often discuss the life they wish and pray for beyond the war. It’s easy to see how having something positive to look forward to is critical for troop morale and is top of mind for Avram and his platoon. “That is where the people far from the bombs and the bullets can really help,” Avram urges. “We have often spoken among each other about how great it would be to take a tiyul (trip) abroad after the war to clear our minds from what we experienced in battle and help us get back to normal.” For many in our comfortable community, a relaxing vacation during winter break is seen as almost a necessity. How much more so should we regard such a request from soldiers engaged in active combat for months at a time? After sleeping on the cold, and often wet, unforgiving ground in Gaza, for the young men of Avram’s tzevet (platoon section) even the most basic youth hostel is a serious upgrade and a welcome part of the travel experience. With such modest requirements, the projected travel budget is a mere $1,500 per soldier – even for an extended, multi-city itinerary. For Avram’s tzevet , consisting of 17 commandos, the total fundraising goal is $25,500. If the initial raise is successful, the campaign will be expanded to the other combat sections. “You can’t imagine how much looking forward to such a tiyul after the war will help to keep up the spirits of these young men – myself included,” Avram adds. Contributions for this worthy cause are tax deductible and the campaign is being conducted with zero overhead. Every dollar collected will go directly to soldiers. Whether it’s a $1,500 contribution to sponsor the entire tiyul for one Civilian Subterfuge While on patrol, we saw what looked like two ordinary Gaza couples in traditional dress walking along a road controlled by the IDF. Someone in our squad detected something a bit unusual in the way the two women walked and directed our attention to the group who were approaching IDF positions. Snipers, who were part of my team, were instructed to train their rifles on each of the suspects and continued to observe their movements. Suddenly, the two women started to remove their hijabs and revealed themselves to be men deceitfully carrying Kalashnikov rifles beneath women’s clothes. Baruch Hashem , before they could even position their weapons to shoot, our snipers were ready and successfully eliminated both of them. Miracles of the 551 st