On Thursday evening November 28, 2013 (Thanksgiving Day), the second night of Chanukah, American and Israeli families joined Israeli soldiers on the Chatmar Shomron Military Base to celebrate Chanukah and say “Thank You” to our beloved Israeli soldiers. This army base is just a short distance from the biblical city of Shechem, a Palestinian-run city in Samaria known in Arabic as Nablus, which has become a primary base for terrorist operations.
You can watch a highlights video of this amazing party right here:
The event will feature music, dancing, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings, Chanukah sufganiot (jelly donuts), special presentations and of-course, the “Lighting of the Menorah”. The soldiers will be lighting a very special Menorah that was created from the remains of kassam rockets that exploded in Israel. Nearly 15,000 rockets have been fired from Gaza in the last 13 years. An Israeli artist has transformed these missiles of terror into something of unique beauty and light!
The soldiers on this base are stationed in one of the most dangerous areas in all of Israel. Shechem, the biblical city in which our patriarch Abraham (the first Israeli ‘settler’) stopped when he journeyed from Haran to the Land of Israel (“And Avram passed through the land until the place of Shechem” – Genesis 12:6), has become a hotbed of ‘nationalistic’ fervor and a central breeding ground of Palestinian violence and terror. The soldiers on this base are from the Shaked battalion of the Givati Brigade, a superior fighting and counter-terrorism intelligence unit. They greatly deserve our expressions of Thanksgiving!
Shechem is home to Kever Yosef, the tomb of Joseph, whose bones were cared for by Moses and transported through the Israelites’ 40 year journey in the desert until reaching their final destination in the Land of Israel. The tomb of Joseph, one of Judaism’s holiest sites, has been repeatedly vandalized by Muslims and has seen much violence over the last two decades, including the murder of Israeli civilians and soldiers at the site. Although off-limits to Jews for most of the year, United with Israel is trying to arrange a visit to Joseph’s Tomb to pray and light Chanukah candles, under the protection of Givati soldiers, after the party has ended.
The Chatmar Shomron Military Base has a unit of plainclothes soldiers who are involved in undercover operations in some of the most dangerous Arab towns in Samaria. Their job is to infiltrate terror cells and arrest would-be terrorists before they strike. The young men and women on this military base are an integral part of Israel’s front line against terror emanating from Judea and Samaria and have prevented numerous terror attacks against Israelis.
They are outside most of the day and get very cold in the winter, just like we all do!
A special ceremony will be held in honor of the soldiers in which ‘Warm Winter’ care packages from ‘United with Israel’ supporters will be given to the soldiers. Personal letters from admirers all around the world will be presented as expressions of gratitude and unity.
If you are interested in attending, buses will be leaving from Ramat Bet Shemesh at approximately 2:00pm. The buses are ‘protected’ and will have a military escort to and from the base. Due to security concerns, private vehicles will not be allowed on the military base. The cost to attend is $18 per person (or 60 NIS) and includes transportation plus a Turkey dinner with all the trimmings. Since spaces are very limited, payment must be made at the time of reserving your spot.
For more info about the event, or to make a reservation, please contact us:
Email: idfparty@unitedwithisrael.org
After you make a reservation, you can click here to pay online.
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United with Israel, in cooperation with the IDF, will broadcast this event LIVE from the military base on Thursday Nov 28, with streaming video embedded on this page (above).
WATCH THE VIDEOS OUR 2011 AND 2012 EVENTS WHICH WERE A HUGE SUCCESS!
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.To provide “Warm Winter” packages, write a personal letter to a soldier, donate the “Sderot Menorah” or become a sponsor of the event, please visit: https://unitedwithisrael.net/soldiers
We are honored to thank the brave young Israeli soldiers who risk their lives every day to protect and defend the People of Israel. And we are very grateful to THANK ISRAELI SOLDIERS for all of the amazing work they do for the soldiers. And for making this event possible!
Please JOIN US in saying ‘THANK YOU’ to our beloved soldiers. Send a gift Today!
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