Two members of the Chabad-Lubavitch community in Israel were among the 120 soldiers who received this year’s Presidential Award for Excellence during a nationally-televised ceremony Thursday morning in Jerusalem.
According to a statement from Israeli President Shimon Peres‘ office, the class of Israel Defense Force honorees included two wounded soldiers, 40 women, 17 new immigrants, 11 “lone soldiers,” 19 officers and 61 combat personnel.
Sporting long beards and the characteristic linen fringes known as tzitzit, two of the recipients, Air Force Sgt. Shneor Muzicant and Engineering Corps Lt. Yitzchak Shitrit, are products of the Chabad yeshiva school system in Israel.
Each of the awardees received a certificate presented by Peres and a tuition grant from the U.K. Friends of the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel’s Soldiers, sponsored by the Blavatnik Family Scholarship Foundation.
They also were congratulated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz.
“Israel is proud of you,” Peres said after a helicopter fly-over. “The nation sees you as outstanding members of an outstanding army. … Ahead of you is stands a world without borders, and unlimited technology. In this new situation you must deter enemies, prevent war, and emerge victorious from conflicts to strengthen the security of Israel.”
For his part, Gantz told the soldiers that they were role models for the entire country: “You must remember that after you get off the stage and return to your units … you will still continue to be watched.”
Gantz also addressed the families of the soldiers, thanking them for their dedication and support.
“You too,” he said, “deserve a lot of appreciation today for your support of these outstanding soldiers throughout their lives, for the education you gave them, and for allowing us – their generals – and the whole nation of Israel to reap from the fruits that you [planted].”
get a life and stop looking for faults
Just because you are too lazy, scared or just don’t care about your fellow Jew don’t put words in to the Rebbe’s mouth.
In case you did not know this, at certain times when the heat might be too great, as a health precaution it is ILLEGAL in the IDF to wear tzitzis. On regular uniform when you walk in the street. And both of these soldiers are not combat.
I hate to burst your bubble but there were quite a number of Lubaviycher Chassidim from prominent Chabad families that were members and officers in TZHA”L with the blessings of the Rebbe.They faught both in the seven day and Yom Kippur wars. A number of them were wounded in battle and at least one or perhaps more were R”L killed.
Is it really kidush hashem? Will it encourage kids to want to grow up and become soldiers (as in regular not tzivos hashem)? would the Rebbe agree to that? I just don’t know. I certainly would not get too excited about it.
Mazal Tov, Shneur!
מזל טוב, אחי!
מחברך בבסיס
there’s no doubt that it’s a great kidush hashem!
keep up with your great work! the jewish people should be proud of you!
i wish you to go from strength to strength!
the Tzitzis hanging out! and FULL BEARD! boruch Hashem
Kiddush Hashem and Kiddush Lubavitch
A fine example for us all indeed.
its nice to have nice news.
but last i checked the fringes of tzitzis are specifically not made of linen. (Sulchan Aruch Adha”z 9:1-2).
Tzitzit are wool nOt linen
A real kiddush hashem. (small typo, tzitzis are wool fringes not linen)
with full beards and tzizit hanging out! All those runners and bikers who say they cant wear tzizit should think again! We have a uniform no matter where or when!
This is the first Mitzvah the Jews were required to do when entering Eretz Yisroel – defend and fight for the land
Something to be proud to be Lubavitch about!!!!
They earned it! Thanks for defending Jews! A huge Mitzvah, and a huge honor, not to even mention a massive Kiddush Hashem!