JUNE 20 • 2024 | 17
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Volunteer Organizations

Ryan Dembs was articulate, witty and brilliant,
but what truly set him apart was his propensity
for action. He walked through life constantly
asking how he could help, and he always
followed through. In his memory, Partners
Detroit participants were able to ask the same
question and, more importantly, take the next
step toward action.

Here are a few of the organizations they were
able to visit and help:
Jen Airley spoke to the group about her son
who was killed in Gaza in November. Jen is an
unbelievably strong woman, an eloquent speaker
and an inspiration to all mothers. In his honor, the
family is creating a spiritual place for soldiers for
therapeutic recovery called Beit Binyamin in Tzfat
near Binyamin’s school, the Hesder Tzfat Yeshiva.
https://causematch.com/BeitBinyamin/437872

Moshe Rothchild guided the group with a radio
announcer voice, a Harvard professor’s mind
and the kindness of a father of a son serving his
country in Gaza. Moshe and his wife created an
organization, Widows of Warriors, to care for
widows and widowers of Oct. 7 and the ensuing
war. He is a humble man, doing incredible work
for these families, providing whatever they need
on an individual basis with utmost care and
compassion.
www.war-in-israel.org/widows-of-warriors

The group spent a heart-warming morning at
the brand-new Shalva National Center for
individuals with disabilities and their families. It is
Israel’s beacon of inclusion and an international
leader of innovative programs and research.
Shalva empowers and supports families to
raise their children with disabilities within the
family framework, regardless of religion, ethnic
background or financial capability.
https://shalva.net/donation

United Hatzalah of Israel is a fully volunteer
emergency medical service (EMS) organization
that provides the fastest emergency medical
service throughout Israel. Committed to providing
the fastest response to medical emergencies
across Israel even prior to the arrival of
ambulances and completely free of charge,
they need to fully equip 7,000 volunteers on the
front lines with protective vests and helmets,
oxygen tanks, defibrillators, trauma bandages and
tourniquets so they have everything they need to
respond to the ongoing attacks.
https://israelrescue.org/donate

Rita Lifshitz, daughter-in-law of
84-year-old hostage Oded Lifshitz,
guides participants through the
decimated Kibbutz Nir Oz.

Mission participants at
Michaeli Organic Farm

Mission participants with Israeli
soldiers at the Car Graveyard