Standing Together’s mission is to give the worldwide community an opportunity to show our appreciation to the young men and women of the Israel Defense Forces. Standing Together, run almost entirely by volunteers, includes as many people as possible in expressing gratitude to the soldiers who risk their lives everyday for the safety of the people, visitors and holy places of Israel. With our truck and Hospitality Trailer, Standing Together volunteers visit IDF soldiers regularly to offer support, gratitude, treats, hot and cold drinks and smiles. This encourages the soldiers to keep up their hard work. Standing Together is constantly looking for new ways to make a difference in the lives of those who make a difference in Israel.

This year’s Rosh Hashana card project was very successful. All of the volunteers who distributed the cards to our soldiers really felt the difference that they were making in the lives of the young men and women who spent much of the holiday season protecting our homeland instead of celebrating with family and friends.

In addition to the cards that Standing Together collected from our website, the soldiers received handmade cards from many different sources. Tamara Kahn from Florida sent in about 150 cards that her friends and family made at her Bat Mitzvah party. Several schools from different places in the US. Third graders from Maimonides School and Seniors from Hebrew SeniorLife in Massachusetts also made cards and sent them.

Our volunteers are always amazed at how proud our soldiers are to receive the cards. Most people expect that making or writing the cards is symbolic of lending your support but that it doesn’t actually have a profound effect on our soldiers. In fact, the opposite is true. The soldiers quickly hang up the cards in whatever little guard booth or trailer they are spending their time. IDF soldiers are proud to know that they are important to people all over the world.

A special thank you to Chava Shoshan of Orli Print in Neve Daniel, Israel for donating the printing of our email cards in honor of the safe return of her daughter, Bracha Ortal.