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