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Why we opened this campaign
October 7 is a date Israel will never forget. Two years have passed since that terrible tragedy, but the pain remains. The world we knew collapsed. Soldiers stood up to defend our country, and many of them still carry this heavy burden—not only on their shoulders, but in their hearts.
And here is what matters most.
There are Russian-speaking lone soldiers.
In Israel, they don’t have a mom to make them soup or a dad to drive them to base. They come back from service to army dorm rooms—and no one is waiting for them. Exhaustion, anxiety, post-trauma—they have to cope with everything on their own.
Several community organizations and NGOs (Michael Levin Base, Nefesh B’Nefesh, Ah Gadol, Giburei Al, Mehinat Harel, RIZE) have joined forces to hold the first Russian-speaking Shabbaton in Israel on October 17–18 for the young people who help keep our lives safe. This is a huge opportunity for all of us to say to these young men and women: “Thank you—for your lives, and for ours.”
The program includes: rest at a closed retreat site in the Jerusalem Forest; shared meals; important lectures on adapting to life in Israel—financial, psychological, and social—from leading Russian-speaking experts; networking in closed groups with experienced madrichim; sports and intellectual activities; evening gatherings with guitar and board games; and gifts for participants. Everything to help them exhale, feel cared for, and regain strength.
Expenses:
- Meals (welcoming Shabbat, Saturday lunch and dinner): ₪13,790
- Snacks, Friday lunch, and miscellaneous: ₪6,000
- Accommodation (20 cabins at ₪247.5 each): ₪4,950
- Gifts for the soldiers: ₪9,000
- Bus (round trip): ₪4,000
- Guide for 2 days: ₪2,500
- National park entrance fees: ₪1,050
- Rental of rooms for on-site activities: ₪1,760
- Security: ₪700
Total: ₪47,500.
At the moment, part of the budget—₪20,000—has been raised. We still need to find ₪27,500, and we need your help. Every shekel you invest in this Shabbaton is support for soldiers who are going through the hardest trials right now. Thanks to you, they will not only get through this time, but also preserve their strength for a peaceful future.
Your participation is a message: “You are not alone. We are here. We are with you.”
And this sense of closeness is exactly what all of us need today.
