Stand for Israel

As part of the 5^th anniversary of the Second Lebanon War, the Walla Website (a very popular Israeli website), has created a project to highlight eight well known Israeli personalities to share their personal recollections of this period of time. Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein was asked to share his thoughts as President of The Fellowship, which was known to be instrumental in helping needy citizens in northern Israel during this difficult time as well as providing funds to help secure the area for the citizens living there:

I have mixed feelings when I reflect on the Second Lebanon War – both some positive memories as well as negative ones. On the one hand, as an Israeli citizen, I remember the sense of concern about the ineffectiveness of the authorities in handling civilians who were stranded in shelters for weeks and cried out for help. Israel’s welfare system did not know how to adequately provide for the hundreds of needy citizens whose situation was even more acute during this emergency period. However, I remember my sense of pride and excitement in seeing hundreds of NGOs and volunteers working in the field and serving all of those people in distress, often putting their own lives at risk.
 
During the war we assisted in providing thousands of hot meals, diapers, milk for babies and basic consumer goods and other necessary equipment.  We provided for our reserve soldiers, we purchased bulletproof vests and helmets for employees of local authorities in the North, we purchased hundreds of toy boxes filled with activities for children to help pass the time for those children living in shelters.  We made sure their were air conditioners, fans and basic equipment for the shelters and extensive individual assistance to hundreds of people and families in distress. All the aid that we provided could not have been accomplished without the help of hundreds of organizations, volunteers and social workers operating in the area.
 
Another thing that I’m proud of and excited by each time I encounter it, is the recruitment of millions of Christian supporters of Israel around the world who want to help Israel and the Jewish people, especially during times of emergency and distress. The reports from Israel during the war made hundreds of thousands open their hearts and contribute all that they could to help residents of the North. Thanks to these donations we were able to provide $25 million dollars of assistance during the war as well as after the fighting.   

These contributions allowed us to assist in preparing the home front for times of emergency. Thanks to our Christian friends overseas, we renovated thousands of public and private shelters throughout the North, as well as purchased 8 modern fire-engine vehicles.

Also today, we are working in partnership with government and local authorities to strengthen and assist the treatment of civilians during an emergency.