Update 10:15AM
The group met up in Efrat, about 20 minutes south of Jerusalem. Joining David as special guest hosts are his son Rami, “Dr. Jazz” Elazar Brandt, Dan Leubitz and Rabbi Ben Packer from North Carolina along with his student Jacob Avanzato. They loaded the truck in Efrat with cookies soda, drinks, deodorant, wet wipes, cakes.
Update 11:30AM
In Sderot with fresh-baked bourekas and cakes. Then they’re going to supermarket for sugar, coffee and paper goods for the soldiers. They’ll reach the soldiers by lunchtime.
Rabbi Packer: It’s great to help Sderot and help the soldiers all at the same time!
Update 12:30PM
It was a quiet trip into Sderot. Every time we come they’re excited to see us. Got there just in time for the soldiers to enjoy breakfast!
Elazar pulled out the banjo and started to play. Lots of smiles!
Update 1:45PM
Moved to another location.
Having a hard time finding parking! We’re in a field surrounded by tanks.
A photojournalist from Getty Images is trying to get in with David, because journalists aren’t being allowed on bases. Ha ha.
We’re going in with some Breslover chassidim. N-Na-Nach! Now we’re getting ready to start distributing.
Update 2:25PM
Met with Rabbi Heshy Billet and Rabbi Avi Weiss on their fact-finding mission.
Update 2:35PM
While traveling from tank base to tank base on route 232, a quasam landed IN FRONT OF THE CAR. We have a picture of the rocket! No damage, B"H to either the road or the vehicles. Moments later we heard another explosion behind us.
We’re now traveling with an reserve army colonel who is guiding us around and finding the hidden bases. Without his help we wouldn’t be able to reach half the soldiers we’re giving food out to! Making short stops every 30 minutes.
Update 2:55PM
We’re setting up at another tank base near Erez crossing.
Update 3:10PM
David: We’re handing out food here on the ground, our soldiers are charging their phones, and a helicopter hovering overhead is firing into Gaza!
Update 3:30PM
We’re on the move again. The commanders don’t want us drawing a crowd. But it was enough for most of their cell phones to be fully charged! Now planes launching rockets into Gaza right overhead.
Update 4:10PM
Dr. Jazz: Been traveling with David all day with my banjo. We’re making some happy music while the soldiers are enjoying coffee and bourekas. “Sisu et Yerushalaim” is a popular one, and soldiers like to sing along. Also What a Wonderful World from Louis Armstrong. Dancing, clapping and one even recognized me from Ben Yehuda Street in Jersalem.
At one stop the Breslover chassidim were out-playing me, so I handed out baloon swords to the soldiers instead. They got such a kick out of it.
I’m dressed in all white, but the mud is knee-deep in some places, so I guess I’m dressed in half-white.
The soldiers are really happy to see us, and the crew I’m with is doing an amazing job!
Message to Krina: Doing fine, honey. Having fun and everything’s okay!
Update 4:30PM
We’re leaving the last camp now. We hear explosions but we’re not sure where they’re coming from.
Dan Leubitz: Thousands of soldiers are waiting for their orders, but we can only get to a handful at a time. It’s important that we help and aid the brave men and women and give them strength.
The heavy feeling here is punctuated by the powerful boom of rockets exploding. While the soldiers cheer when explosions are followed by a dark plume of smoke from the Gaza side of the fence, the mood quickly turns grim as yet another Qassam rocket explodes nearby in response. But when they saw us come in with food, the tense mood in the camps relaxed, and we saw smiles on faces that had little to smile about. When you watch the face of a soldier as they enjoy the food, it transforms them. It brings them home from the battlefront, if only for a moment. They’re kids again.
Let’s Get Started on Mission #3: 1/6/09
