I've been in the tunnel at Ford Field with the Detroit Lions, excitedly giving them high fives, waiting for them to run out onto the field. It's really cool to get the limited, behind the scenes view, and give them motivation to go do their best, and feel like you are part of the team.
And today, I felt a similar, though much more powerful and meaningful feeling. I got to lead a team of 20 volunteers at a Grilling For IDF BBQ for 120 IDF heroes between Be'eri and Gaza. Some soldiers were on their way into battle, while others had just come out.
It was fascinating to hear their stories first-hand, from the heroic ones, to the interesting medical ones, and all the way to the painful tragedy with the hostages on Friday. It was heartbreaking to see the burnt down houses in Be'eri, and the bomb shelters nearby sprayed with bullet holes. It made me jump every time we heard the biggest booms ever, only to realize that those ones were good booms each time.
But most of all, it was good to feel part of the team who is protecting us all. When we saw how these soldiers who had been through so much (these stories are mind-blowing), were so happy, thankful, and amazed that we would drive so far and to that location, just to tell and show them we love them. We brought smiles to the soldiers' faces, and the meat to their tummies.
Perhaps my favorite part were giving desserts to the trucks leaving right when we got there, who's soldiers would already be in Gaza by the time the grills were hot enough to cook on. They were incredibly grateful, and the love from Israelis will be as fresh in their mind as those delicious chocolate chip cookies (of course I had to taste one before I gave them out to make sure they were good).
What a Zchut to live in Israel, and to be players in the game, as my Daddy told a nervous 9 year old boy back in 2005 in Detroit.
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