There are many kinds of power banks — but the strongest of all is the power of love. That’s what keeps a soldier going; it’s why an Israeli soldier never falters when he faces the enemy. He knows he’s defending his family at home. Hearing a loved one’s voice helps to remind him why he’s there. It also helps to reassure those at home that their soldier at the friend is still okay.
The Tzohar organization has come up with a way to provide the essential power bank for soldiers whose batteries need recharging.
It’s been a long few days — or even weeks — for many husbands, fathers, sons and brothers currently serving in Operation Protective Edge stationed on the front lines or in battle. For their families back home it can feel like a lifetime – with many having gone for extended periods of time without speaking with their loved ones.
But a donor-backed initiatve of Tzohar, the religious Zionist rabbinical organization in Israel, has made it easier for soldiers to call home while they’re fighting in Gaza and stationed at the border.
Although safety concerns limit many of the soldiers from making phone calls from within the combat zone, the second problem was the lack of ‘juice — their phones ran out of battery days ago. Access to charging stations is extremely limited and sometimes even those who want to call are unable to, or have to resort to a few seconds on a friend’s phone.
Late Thursday Tzohar bought out the complete stock of some 4,000 chargers after discovering the one Israeli supplier who provides fully charged cell phone stick chargers. Over the course of Friday, the chargers were delivered to soldiers on the front lines from the Golani, Nachal, Givati, Paratroppers, Tanks, Engineering and Artillery Corps, with the intent of reaching them before Shabbat.
“As an active combat reservist, I know the IDF takes full care of any and all needs of its soldiers,” said Nachman Rosenberg, Executive Vice President of Tzohar and the organizer of this operation.
“Nonetheless, we were looking for something practical that could have a meaningful impact in boosting the morale of both the soldiers and their families. We hoped that this would enable families to wish Shabbat Shalom to their sons, husbands and fathers fighting Hamas terrorists on the front lines.”
After receiving his charger, Ophir, an officer in Golani expressed his gratitude to Tzohar and all those who contributed. “Seeing the support from all over the world, we feel like we are not alone. Being able to call home to wish a Shabbat Shalom to my mother not only makes her feel better, but renews my strength in this important mission. You have no idea how much this means to us.”
