Tzahal Shalom of Northern Westchester welcomed seven IDF Officers to the community beginning October 19th for 10 days. They met with adults, children, teens and seniors at venues ranging from Parlor Meetings at people’s homes, public and private High School visits, Hebrew schools, Synagogue Shabbat services, study sessions, and more.
There was a High School Teen Event at Grand Prix, a Middle School Challenge, Café Joe at Temple Beth El where all seven spoke about their experiences in front of 250 people, and their annual Comedy Night where 200 people attended to raise funds to bring the program back again next year.
The Officers speak about their lives and their experiences to approximately 2,000 people while they are here.* This year, all seven participated in Protective Edge, the situation in Israel this past summer. Each officer has a host family and a buddy family in the community. These relationships are forever.
This is the eighth year that Tzahal Shalom has brought the program to our community. The Co-Chairs of the program are Anita Greenwald, Michele Kraushaar, Randi Kreisler, and Alisa Emanuel.
*Over ten synagogues in Westchester participated in hosting the IDF officers; the program is not exclusive to any one synagogue community but rather a gift to the community at large.
