United with Israel’s annual Passover effort to express thanks and support to IDF soldiers was a huge success this year.
Once again, United with Israel’s Passover Partners project has enabled Israel supporters around the world to express gratitude to hundreds of IDF soldiers, not only with essential supplies for the Passover holiday, but also with emotional support and love.
Working in cooperation with Standing Together, UWI members helped to make this project an even bigger success in 2015.
This year, nearly 1000 Passover packages, including staples such as matzoh, wine, grape juice, coffee, tea, cakes, chocolate, fruit and more, were distributed to IDF soldiers and their families. The soldiers were also provided with Haggadahs (Passover Seder recital books) and traditional Seder plates.
Many young IDF soldiers spend the holidays with their families, and some are in need of financial assistance. While dealing with such challenges at home, these courageous young men and women continue to defend the Jewish state day and night. The security of the State of Israel truly depends on them.
While IDF provides each soldier with his or her essential needs, it cannot provide for their families. This is why becoming Passover Partners with these families is so important.
Messages of Support Greatly Appreciated by Israeli Soldiers
However, the purpose of the ‘Passover Partners’ project goes beyond providing food packages…
It is equally important to boost the morale of these young soldiers who have no idea that people around the world pray for their well-being and appreciate what they do. When the soldiers receive their gifts, including personal notes of support and encouragement, they are deeply moved.
The outpouring of affection and concern motivates them even further to continue in their heroic task of defending the State of Israel.
“We can hardly believe that so many people around the world really care about us,” said one soldier, upon receiving his package.
“Thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts,” said another.
Providing Essentials while Maintaining Dignity
Each army unit includes a social worker, who assesses their families’ needs. These professionals let us know exactly what is required. Therefore, it is the soldiers whose families are in the greatest need that receive the assistance first.
The soldiers themselves were assigned the task of distributing the packages to families throughout the country. In order to avoid embarrassment, groups were assigned to deliver to families of soldiers from different units, thus allowing these brave fighters on the receiving end to maintain their dignity.
Click here to learn more about the Passover Partners project.
For those who participated in this important project, the soldiers say ‘THANK YOU’ from the bottom of their hearts. Given the current climate of rising anti-Israel sentiment and delegitimization of Israel and the IDF, friends like you are greatly cherished!
