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

Yeshiva Beth Yehudah Special Edition NOVEMBER 3 • 2024 | 23
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