By COLlive reporter
Photos: Aharon Gellis/COLlive
A crowd of Crown Heights residents from many different Shuls came together on Thursday evening for an event to support IDF soldiers on the front lines in Israel.
The event, hosted at the home of Menachem and Dini Gurevitch and by Dovid and Maggie Rogatsky, Moshe and Chani Pinson and Shmuly and Devoree Axelrod, was held in support of the Ezer L’Chayal organization.
Ezer L’Chayal, led by Rabbi Eliyahu and Nechama Gutman, concentrates on projects of giving, assisting, and strengthening the morale of the fighters and soldiers throughout the year as well as on Israeli holidays, with programs, events and assistance at army bases throughout Israel.
During the event, Eliyahu Gutman spoke about the work of the organization, and IDF soldier Mordechay Shenvald told of his miraculous survival from an injury he sustained during the current war with Hamas.
Shenvald was in the IDF’s Artillery Corps Unit 402 in Gaza on November 2nd. He was injured by Hamas fire as he was trying to repair his tank, which had been immobilized.
A terrorist aimed at the tank and hit his chest, breaking 11 ribs. After his comrades managed to move him to a safer location and laid him on a stretcher, they were again targeted by the enemy and eventually killed. He was evacuated to a hospital for surgery. He survived, recovered, and now continues to play his violin and share his story to inspire others to never give up, no matter what challenges they face.
The event raised over $40,000 for the work of Ezer L’Chayal.
Shenvald will be telling his incredible story at Bais Shmuel Chabad this Shabbos, at the Jewish Children’s Museum in Crown Heights, following Shacharis.
Click here to donate to Ezer L’Chayal: https://ezerlachayal.org.il/contribution/
