Back then, there were no drones. But there were similar “invaders” who, wherever they flew and landed, elicited a sense of wonder, even from the secular media. The Avner Institute presents warm memories of the Chabad Chanukah Campaign, when over 50 years the Rebbe’s army “descended” upon Israeli soldiers stationed in the Sinai, and brought with them menorahs, song, food, drink…and above all, the joy of the holiday.
In loving memory of Hadassah Lebovic A”h
Chanukah 1972. About 130 Chassidim left their homes for three days and went to bring light and the joy of Chanukah to dozens of bases and strongholds on the banks of the Suez Canal.
The campaign – including menorahs and doughnuts as well as an accompanying cameraman – was financed entirely by the Rebbe. Rabbi Lipa Kurzweil, one of the organizers, fondly recollects that campaign.
Three Days Away from Home
Today we simply go out for a few hours and return home. Back then…we didn’t see our homes for three days! Most of the people were young men with large families. We left our wives and children alone on Chanukah because the Rebbe said to light the menorah and to lay tefillin on soldiers at the borders of Eretz Yisroel.
“Mivtza Chanuka” in 5733 was done with IDF soldiers throughout the country, but the largest campaign of all took place in the Sinai Peninsula. Rabbi Nachum Cohen
(then) of Tzach—Lubavitcher Youth Organization—was the one who took charge of the campaign, liaising with the army, preparing the menorahs, candles, doughnuts, tefillin, etc.
The campaign began when about 130 men, most of them from Nachalas Har Chabad, boarded the military plane at the airport in Lod. After a short flight we landed at the military airport at the military camp in Refidim in the Sinai Peninsula. Within a short time, together with some military advisors, I had divided all the men into small groups, and they continued in military vehicles to bases and outposts scattered over a large area.
Each group had a specific route so that at the end of the campaign not one base or stronghold on the banks of the Suez Canal would remain unvisited by the
Chabadnikim. Wherever we went we distributed menorahs and candles, along with doughnuts. If we came in the daytime we helped lay tefillin on the soldiers.
A special campaign took place in which any soldier who committed to putting on tefillin received a gift: a pair of tefillin! At night we lit the menorah with the soldiers and brought lots of joy and dancing, singing, and the saying of l’chaim.
It happened more than once that when we lit the menorah and danced around it, the pirsumei nisa [publicizing the miracle] was seen across the border. The Egyptian soldiers watched, utterly incredulous. They weren’t used to such sights.
The IDF helped us in every way. They took us from place to place and supplied us with vegetables, which was our main diet for three days. The soldiers were very happy that we came, and nobody refused to lay tefillin or light the menorah.
Each evening, each group ran an “Evening with Chabad” with Chabad melodies, discussion about the significance of the holiday, etc. When the opportunity presented itself, several “Evenings with Chabad” were done on one night.
The soldiers’ joy was indescribable. They were away from home for months, in the middle of nowhere, and they were thinking about Chanukah at home with their families when suddenly in came a group of Chassidim who brought with them the joy of Chanukah. The funds for this campaign—from start to finish, including peripheral expenses (such as a photographer)—came from the Rebbe!
Hijacked
“The Lubavitchers hijacked a plane with Mivtza Chanuka.”
That is how the newspaper Maariv began its report on Mivtza Chanuka 5733. The article went on to read:
Two planes of the Arkia Airline that flew a domestic flight (within Israel) were “hijacked” this past weekend by Chabad Chassidim. The planes, with dozens of soldiers on board, were taken to their posts by the Chabad Chassidim after an original “hijacking” operation.
One of the Chassidim announced over the plane’s loudspeaker: “Dear passengers, the plane has been hijacked. We ask you to sit quietly and please listen to orders given by the hijackers.”
The hijackers also managed, despite heavy airport security, to smuggle in “explosive” material in the form of tefillin and bottles of vodka. During the flight the Chassidim spoke about Chanuka and sang Chanuka songs and Chabad melodies.
When the plane arrived in Refidim, it was returned to the army. When the passengers left the plane, they were swept up in a Chassidic dance at the airport, to the amazement of all those waiting to return with the plane to Lod.
Invasion
The leftist paper Davar described Mivtza Chanuka 5733 in a special report on Wednesday, 1 Teves: “Chanuka invasion of Chabad Chassidim on the military
strongholds along the ceasefire lines.”
The article continued:
Accompanied by planes, an armored vehicle, halftracks and other combat vehicles the Chabad Chassidim invaded the Suez Canal, Golan Heights, and Jordan Valley yesterday and two days ago. The Chassidim brought lots of ammunition with them, including 4000 “doughnut bombs,” and 300 “Molotov cocktails” full of vodka. They were also equipped with “secret weapons” – dozens of pairs of tefillin for the soldiers for Chanuka.
Chabad Chassidim set out on their invasion in the three sectors according to specific orders by the Lubavitcher Rebbe to visit IDF soldiers on Chanuka. Preparations for the campaign were made carefully and efficiently, and each soldier received a doughnut and a small cup of vodka. The amount prepared sufficed for the thousands of soldiers whom the Lubavitchers visited.
The great privilege of invading the Golan Heights fell this year to the Chabad Chassidim of Kfar Chabad, who left the Kfar at dawn with three large forces. When they arrived at the Golan Heights, they were divided into 12 units which dispersed the length of the border and visited every single outpost.
The Chassidim stayed at the outposts throughout the day and taught the soldiers how to lay tefillin and served them doughnuts, liquor, and other treats. In addition, there were seven “Evenings with Chabad” at various units in which the menorah was lit and a talk delivered about the significance of the holiday. The Chabad emissaries sang and danced together with the soldiers and the atmosphere was uplifting.
The Chassidim of Nachalas Har Chabad in Kiryat Malachi went to the Sinai on a special plane that was provided for them by the army. This group also dispersed into small squads that went to every outpost and camp. Thus, the soldiers of the Sinai also put on tefillin and had doughnuts and vodka.
Forty Lubavitchers from Jerusalem went to the Jordan Valley and dispersed to outposts and did similar work. In addition, groups of Lubavitchers visited army bases in the center of the country upon explicit orders from the Lubavitcher Rebbe. Chabad women worked hard for days to prepare the doughnuts and other treats and joyfully accompanied their husbands, who went to bring joy to the soldiers as per the Rebbe’s command.
The Chanukah invasion was organized by a special committee that was formed in Kfar Chabad. The soldiers welcomed the Chassidim joyfully and gratefully and asked them to convey thanks to the Rebbe. Tzach left a gift at every outpost: a picture of an Israeli soldier putting on tefillin.
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