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emple Emanu-El’s Tikkun Olam Committee has organized various projects to support our troops overseas, including packaging mishloach manot baskets for Purim, writing Chanukah cards and wrapping Chanukah gifts, and sending phone cards for the High Holy Days.Following are excerpts from several notes of appreciation that we have received in response to our efforts. We are very happy to share them here…
“Thank you so much for the beautiful care packages that you sent our soldiers, sailors, airmen, foreign service officers and contractors here at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad. We had a table of these beautifully wrapped gifts at our Chanukah party, and everyone was so touched by your kindnesses.” — Elizabeth Robbins, Major, U.S. Army
“Shalom from Iraq! Here at Camp Victory/Slayer in Baghdad, there is a group of 15 to 20 of us who meet for Shabbat and holiday services, and we all have very much enjoyed the packages that you sent. They are great contributors to morale and a feeling of Klal Yisrael! P.S. While in New York for four years of college, I passed by your beautiful building many a time! — Avi Weisberg
“As you may know, it gets a bit lonely here in Iraq, and to know that someone is there [who] cares, loves and supports us is the best anyone can do (stateside) to help in this war on terrorism. As a rabbi and father of five children and citizen of the great US of A, I thank you from the depths of my heart.”
— Rabbi/Chaplain Ira Ehrenpreis, Camp Liberty, Baghdad
“Thank you very much for the Thanksgiving/Chanukah care package. It is wonderful to receive such support from the Jewish community at home. It is difficult to be away from home for the holidays, but I was able to play dreidel just like every year, thanks to your package. Again, I can’t thank you enough for your support! Chag Samei-ach. — Sgt. Dena Acevedo
“I am a member of a small Jewish congregation that meets regularly at Camp Victory [in Iraq] on Fridays for Shabbat. We are a mix of all armed services but mostly Army and Navy, along with some Defense Department civilians and contractors. We have a wonderful active duty Army Rabbi stationed nearby, but he cannot always attend because he often travels to other Forward Operating Bases throughout Iraq to visit and support other Jewish soldiers. We all try to make services as best we can, but sometimes operational requirements prevent us from doing so. I personally very much enjoy our services as they give me an opportunity to relax, give thanks, reflect and say a few blessings and prayers…especially after a tough week here.
My purpose in writing to you is to thank you very much for the phone card that I received from our Jewish lay leader after Shabbat services. I’ve already used it twice to call home: once to talk with my wife and once to extend birthday greetings to a relative. It was very thoughtful and generous of you to take time to “support the troops” in such a practical manner. I just wanted you to know that your cards reached the right folks and how much it was appreciated. … Being able to call home makes the duty here much more bearable.”
My purpose in writing to you is to thank you very much for the phone card that I received from our Jewish lay leader after Shabbat services. I’ve already used it twice to call home: once to talk with my wife and once to extend birthday greetings to a relative. It was very thoughtful and generous of you to take time to “support the troops” in such a practical manner. I just wanted you to know that your cards reached the right folks and how much it was appreciated. … Being able to call home makes the duty here much more bearable.”
— Glenn H. Goldman, Colonel, Field Artillery, U.S. Army
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