Since the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip began after the terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, more than 12,000 members of the Israel Defense Forces have been wounded and in need of extra care and financial support. Dror for the Wounded Foundation, a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, was founded in 2008, with the mission of helping these brave individuals with extra medical care, job training, small construction projects and general financial aid.
The foundation allocates funding on a case-by-case basis and aims to “never leave a soldier behind.” The war has left many soldiers seeking extra assistance, and Dror for the Wounded wants to provide for them. To that end, an ongoing charity auction with unique items and historical treasures related to Jewish valor and the State of Israel is being sourced by Curio Auctions.
Supporters and collectors can bid on items like a 1952 “Independence Haggadah” published by the IDF or an Israeli paper flag signed by Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir from 1973. Additional items that would make for great gifts or keepsakes include an early handcrafted Israeli flag and an anti-Nazi Jewish soldier board game from 1942.
An item that stands out is a War of Independence Fallen Soldier parchment hand-signed by David Ben-Gurion. The first prime minister of the State of Israel took it upon himself to personally sign a hand-scribed, animal-skin parchment memorial letter to the families of every soldier lost during the war. They were written in the traditional style of a sefer Torah. The letter being auctioned honors Eliyahu Tortzky, who served in the Alexandroni Division and fell in Latrun, on May 26, 1948.
Another treasure that symbolizes the strength of the Jewish spirit and liberation is a collection of Israeli Air Force air-strip plans. This auction lot includes the original papers, photographs, and most notably, the signed and dated architectural plan of the IDF’s first airstrips in the north. These documents of the founding of the IAF in the 1948 War of Independence allow a rare glimpse into the early days of aviation in the Land of Israel, as well as into the life and Zionist activities of a man who was involved with every fiber of his being in the security of Israel, whose work was often shrouded in mystery, that allowed the establishment of Israel in its first fragile years.
The charity collection has something for every IDF supporter and Israel enthusiast. Historical maps, signed speeches and posters by key political figures, and more. Visit the auction page and take a look at an inspiring collection that tells the story of the Jewish people. Dror for the Wounded Foundation aims to raise $1 million by auctioning off these Jewish treasures to bring much-needed support to wounded IDF warriors.
To learn more about the collection or to make a bid on an item, see: www.curioauctions.com/dror. For the Wounded Foundation, see DrorFoundation.org or contact sheeri@drorfoundation.org.
