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Bridging The Gap

Religious organization inspires Jewish unity in Israeli soldiers.

Stephanie Persin I Special to the Jewish News

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from their own army units home for
Shabbat meals. Word spread and years
went on, and more and more army bud-
dies requested invitations to the Erez
home.
When the number of soldiers grew too
large for their parents' house, the Erez
brothers rented a large apartment in
Ma'alot Daphna to accommodate the then-
50 soldiers they hosted for Shabbat each
week. They created a large dining/multi-
purpose room and filled the bedrooms
with — what else? — bunk beds.
Pretty soon, army officers were asking
for Shabbat accommodations for their
entire units. It was then, at the end of
the 1982 Lebanon War, that the brothers
realized they had started something truly
extraordinary.

Spreading Judaism
By 1990, Darchei Avot had raised enough
money to buy its facility and, in 1994, it
was able to expand, adding more apart-
ments and accommodations for up to 120
male and female soldiers each week. Since
then, the organization has hosted an IDF
unit for a Shabbat weekend retreat every
week. This includes services and dancing
at the Kotel, educational programs and, of
course, delicious food.
Darchei Avot also offers weekday pro-
grams in Jerusalem and hosts classes on
more than 40 army bases around the coun-
try. Lecture topics range from "Science
and Judaism" to "The Jewish Stake in the
Land of Israel." In total, Darchei Avot orga-
nizes programs for more than 80,000 IDF
soldiers each year.
"Our continuing mission is to help
Israeli soldiers understand the importance
of what they are fighting for:' says Darchei
Avot President Shlomo Erez. "We bring
Jewish heritage to groups of young people
who have often never had the opportunity
to experience any form of Judaism —
many have never lit Shabbat candles or
heard Kiddush. Some know very little of
Jewish history and values. We endeavor to
inspire soldiers with a love for their Jewish
heritage, the Land of Israel and the Jewish
people:'
With stamps of approval from the IDF
and the Ministry of Education, Darchei
Avot's methods of delivering Jewish educa-
tion have been a huge success. Soldiers

12 June 20 • 2013

A joyous Shabbat meal for IDF soldiers at Darchei Avot

request to come back to Darchei Avot
again and again.
Every Friday night, the organization
brings more than 100 soldiers to the
Kotel to pray, sing and dance. Dressed in
uniform, the soldiers, together with men
and women — some Israeli, many tourists
from all over the world — attending the
Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel, make an
inspiring site.
"When we first brought soldiers to the
Kotel, our goal was to show them the
enormity of our history and the spiritual
aspects of the land we have fought for:'
says Shaul Erez, executive director. "What
we didn't account for was the overwhelm-
ingly positive reaction we would receive
from the religious Jews there. It was proof
of the possibility of achdut (unity) among
the Jewish people. We are thrilled to be
able to inspire this feeling each week in
anyone visiting the Kotel."
Not everyone in Israel feels this sense
of unity. The concept of bridging the gap
between secular and religious Israelis —
particularly in the IDF — is still one that
brings about serious conflict among Israeli
citizens.

At Darchei Avot, we try to break down
barriers between secular and religious
Jews:' says Shaul Erez. "There are severe
misunderstandings among different sects
of Israeli society, which have led to feelings
of animosity — even downright hatred. At
the end of our Shabbat program, soldiers
often tell me that the weekend totally
changed their perspective on religious
Jews. That is our goal — to promote
understanding between religious and secu-
lar Israelis."
Darchei Avot has its own Detroit con-
nection. Kobi Erez, executive director of
the Zionist Organization of America-
Michigan Region, is the son of Darchei
Avot founder, Shaul Erez. As a sergeant in
his unit, Kobi brought his own soldiers to
Darchei Avot programs.
"My unit always enjoyed spending
Shabbat at Darchei Avot and attending
classes on our base when we weren't out in
the field:' he says. "The army is filled with
young adults who, by nature, are becoming
independent thinkers. Hearing speakers
at Darchei Avot and participating in their
tours around Jerusalem always sparked
meaningful discussions among the group:

`Why are we here?' What does it mean
to be Jewish?' Does God exist?' Young
Jewish adults are looking for answers, and
Darchei Avot offers an educational back-
ground to help them begin their search:'
Though best known for its Shabbat
programming and classes on army bases,
Darchei Avot also has recently taken on
the additional mission of assisting at-risk
teens. Through its pre-army education
program, Darchei Avot hosts classes and
educational trips for high school students.
Darchei Avot also offers counseling servic-
es to teens in need. The program is offered
every weekday evening and provides a safe
environment for youth who struggle with
drug use, problematic home lives and the
like. Participants often go on to serve suc-
cessfully in the IDF.
Darchei Avot is a nonprofit organization
funded almost entirely through private
donations. To sponsor a Shabbat weekend
or other weekday programs, or to hear
more information, contact Shaul Erez at
ykerez@gmail.com.

❑

Stephanie Persin is a freelance writer/editor

based in Oak Park. She is married to Kobi Erez.

