ESRA Magazine
ESRAmagazine
ESRAmagazine categories

Gifts of Toys For Soldiers' Children

wounded A wounded soldier with toys to give each of his children HAVE SPECIAL MEANING FOR SOLDIERS' CHILDREN David with a soldier at a base after he delivered donated items A soldier

...Have Special Meaning 

A soldier about to rush home from the front is given toys for his children

From the beginning of the war, I had been collecting and delivering equipment and food on a daily basis directly to the soldiers fighting in Gaza. I received a call from the UK about a 40foot container full of toys ready to send to Israel for children affected by the war, but the donors didn't know where to send it.

Because I had been working so closely with soldiers, I knew how tough it was for the reservists who had left their wives and young children at home. And as the weeks they were away from home grew longer and longer, miluim wives and children were struggling to get through each day on their own. I wanted to do something for those children. So I joined up with a non-profit organization, and once we got the container delivered to Israel and on to a warehouse in Jerusalem, we worked out how to distribute everything we had received.

We started by delivering toys to the children of fallen soldiers. Then we gave toys to injured soldiers in many different hospitals to give to their kids when they came to visit. Because I was sending gear into active units, I asked the logistics guys in every unit to get me a list of all the children of all the soldiers, so that when they came out on leave and were rushing home they had toys to give to all their kids. Some soldiers have five or six children and in every case we made sure everything we sent was age appropriate. Soldiers – and their wives have told us how much the toys helped the whole family at just the right time.

At the moment I am still collecting and delivering on a daily basis food and equipment such as gas canisters, coffee kits, tactical uniform, boots, gun lights, tefillin, tzitzit and even drones! Basically whatever and wherever needed including into the most dangerous places. I'm also working with various hospitals getting the injured heroes the many items they need to make their rehabilitation easier. There is still so much more to do.  

David with a soldier at a base after he delivered donated items
 

Comments

No comments made yet. Be the first to submit a comment
Guest
Friday, 06 December 2024

Captcha Image

Israel

MagazineIsrael- 2019-homepage
There are pockets of coexistence
which kindle hope.
Old cities and very new cities with amazing stories
Find out about the Israeli art scene
The best tours in Israel with ESRA members