Solidarity Through Song
IDF Chanukah dinner supports soldiers fighting for peace. .
KERI GUTEN COHEN
Story Development Editor
C
hanukah added a festive
touch to the annual
Michigan Chapter of
Friends of the Israeli
Defense Forces dinner
Dec. r8 at Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in
Southfield.
The IDF ensemble, a
quartet of young Israeli
soldiers traveling the
northeastern United
States, broke from their
regular routine to enter-
tain the crowd of more
than 450 with modern
Hebrew songs. The suc-
cessful plan prompted
members of the audience
Maj. Valer
— especially the large
numbers of Israelis — to
sing along from provided
song sheets and clap in time to the
rousing rhythms.
"It's great fun; the concerts are so
wonderful," said Naor Sinvani, 20, of
Even-Yehuda, the lone male in the
ensemble. "The crowd is so support-
ive, so open to you."
12/26
2003
16
The tone became more somber
when Maj. Kobi Valer, 26, of Tel Aviv,
a paratrooper company commander,
took the podium. Maj. Velar made his
'talk come alive by presenting slides
he'd taken of his company during .a
given week. The audience saw the sol-
diers exercising, training
in the field, parachuting
to .a beach near Yavne
during a practice and on
a mission in Nablus, an
Arab city with narrow
streets and crowded
buildings.
As he introduced the
men in his company,
they became more than
mere images on the
screen. One slide showed
childhood friends Gidi
and Asaf joking with
each other. Then Maj.
Valer explained that Gidi
had been killed during a
military operation.
"In this war, you win small points,
not like the Yom Kippur War," he told
the audience. "You can arrest a suicide
bomber and then hear the next day a
bomb had gone off. You just have to
keep doing what you're doing."
dren were treated to music and con-
Brig. Gen Yehiel Gozal, the new
tests directed by DJs from Star Trax.
national director of the Friends of the
The highlight was a hula-hoop contest
IDF in Anierica, explained that many
soldiers hadn't had one day of peace in that included eating latkes while -keep-
ing the hoop spinning.
three years of service.
"We are here every year to show my
"These soldiers are in a conflict that
children what our money and support
threatens our existence," he said. "But
I 'assure you we will win this war, and
goes to," said Marlene Myers of West
Bloomfield. "My father,
Israel will forever exist."
Harvey Meyer, fought in
More than $60,000
Israel's war of independ-
was raised through ticket
ence and in the Sinai
sales and sponsorships at
War and that's the main
the group's major fund-
reason we're involved.
raiser.
He has passed away —
When the ensemble
this is to support his
next took they stage, they
legacy.
invited a group of sixth-
"If we help the soldiers
graders from Hillel Day
through the Friend of
School of Metropolitan
the IDF by keeping them
Detroit, under the direc-
happy and healthy, they
tion of teacher Daphna
can do what they do —
Feldman, to join them in
keep Israel safe." El
several songs of peace..
Brig. Gen. Yehiel Gozal
"Our mission in the
army is to raise the morale
of the soldiers in the field by singing
To make donations to the
songs," Naor said. "We let them' forget
Michigan Chapter of Friends of
and rest from their hard work. We
the IDF, contact Anat
provide an hour of fun. It's very beau-
Borenstein-Tsafrir at (248) 203-
tiful."
2060.
Following the program, an Israeli-
themed dinner was served and chil-