JANUARY 11 • 2024 | 29

Going to Israel
During Yeshiva
Break Week?
A

merican Friends
of Yeshivot and
Ulpanot Bnei Akiva
invites Americans visiting
Israel in January to enhance
their trip for one day and
participate in a special
AFYBA Mission experience.
Scheduled for Jan.
22-23, these AFYBA
hosted one-day events will
emphasize values such as
solidarity, brotherhood
and Ahavat Yisrael. The
primary objective is to
demonstrate AFYBA’s deep
care for soldiers, Bnei Akiva
students and staff, the
wounded, hospital staff and
evacuated residents from
border cities.
Executive Director Jack
Gourdji expressed his hopes
that those who join this
mission will return to the
U.S. as personal witnesses

of Israel’s current situation,
fostering a stronger connec-
tion with the AFYBA family.
The trip is open to
all visiting Israel during
this period, whether as
individuals, families or
groups. The two available
dates will include the
following activities:
1. Visit to army bases near
the southern border.
2. Tour of towns and
villages affected by recent
events.
3. Visits to schools
converted into army bases.
4. Meetings with
representatives of hostage
families.
5. Visits to hospitals to
engage with survivors of
terrorist attacks.
To register and for more
information, contact jack@
afyba.org.

Yeshivot Bnei
Akiva alumni
praying in Gaza

Bais Chabad’ Plans
to Offer an Israel
Solidarity Mission
B

ais Chabad of
West Bloomfield is
planning a solidarity
mission to Israel from
March 3-10, led by Rabbi
Shneur Silberberg.
The mission is open to the
public.
Included in the itinerary
are visits to wounded
soldiers and families
who have lost loved ones
in the Oct. 7 attack and
the subsequent war. The
group will meet with
soldiers battling on both
the southern and northern
borders, and visit the
locations affected most by
the attack, such as Kfar Aza,
Sderot and the site of the
Nova Music Festival.
On the volunteering front,
the mission will include
assisting with packaging
food for displaced families
and working on a farm that
is understaffed due to the
war. Plans are also being

made to “host” a bat mitzvah
for a young girl whose bat
mitzvah party was canceled
due to the war.
“The goal of this trip is
to provide assistance, love
and solidarity. People who
have gone to Israel and spent
time with those that suffered
described their visits as a
‘giant hug’ for those in pain.
“At a time when many
are avoiding travel to Israel,
and Israelis feel an isolation
from the rest of the world,
showing up with gifts, with
food and with smiles will
convey the message that they
are not alone,” explained
Rabbi Silberberg.
The itinerary is tentative,
as circumstances are subject
to change over the next two
months.
Those interested in
joining or learning more
about the trip should reach
out to Rabbi Silberberg at
shneurs@gmail.com.

Rabbi Shneur and Zeesy Silberberg pose with IDF soldiers while
on a solidarity mission to Israel in 2023.