Thirty-three orphans just returned from a three-week b’nei mitzvah trip to the United States, which was almost canceled by the outbreak of war with Iran in mid-June. The young Israelis flew out just days after the end of the war, with a preparatory seminar held in Israeli bomb shelters as ballistic missiles rained down.
The group got an opportunity to experience an American summer vacation with highlights, including going to a New York Mets game at Citi Field, watching “The Lion King” on Broadway and spending time at the JCC Camp Chi in Wisconsin.
The annual three-week trip was coordinated by the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization. B’nei mitzvah trips abroad are commonplace among Israelis, but become much harder for families broken by war.
“These IDF orphans have come back to Israel empowered and strengthened with a feeling that they are truly not alone,” said Shlomi Nachumson, CEO of the IDF Widows and Orphans Organization.
“The experiences they’ve had together with their American and Israeli peers will stay with them forever,” he said. “The past two years have been gut-wrenching for all of us, but for those families left behind by a parent who paid the ultimate price, the pain is a daily reality. This trip allowed them to be children.”
Nachumson explained that “in October, they will meet again at the Western Wall for a festive ceremony and celebration, joined by family and friends. The 33 participants are a microcosm of modern Israel and the Israeli Defense Forces, comprised of religious and secular Jews, Druze and Muslims, all celebrating their coming of age together as one.”
