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.