Nourishing the Hearts of Heroes: Support Shabbat Meals for Israeli Soldiers!
GCI Hoffman
GCI Hoffman
Here's an update:
It's hard to believe this war is still going on, and we are STILL COOKING and sending Shabbat food to our reserve soldiers in the North. I remember at the beginning of the war thinking, "What will we do for Pesach?" and then easily dismissing that thought. "Of COURSE we won't be cooking for Pesach!" Well... Pesach has come and gone, and we are now creeping up to the High Holidays, approaching a year since October 7th.
Yes, the army has thankfully managed to cover the soldiers' basic food needs. People ask, why are we still sending Shabbat food to the soldiers? Here's why: the army is feeding them, but an airplane meal or an extra schnitzel sandwich isn't proper Shabbat food. These brave soldiers are sacrificing their homes, comfortable beds, wives, children, and jobs to protect us. The least we can do is send them delicious, home-cooked, healthy meals so they can feel a touch of normalcy. They need to know we still care and that they are not forgotten by those of us who have resumed our daily routines.
It's hard to keep going. It's exhausting. It would be so much easier to just stop and let them manage without this. (Most other groups sending food, doing BBQs, etc. have stopped). But then, I overheard my 5-year-old son telling someone, "It's our job to send the soldiers food for Shabbat. If they're still fighting, then we're still going to cook." That gave me the boost I needed to keep going.
Our numbers are climbing again. Over the past few months, we sent two Shabbat meals to 100-200 soldiers. Now, we are sending to 200-400 soldiers. It costs us around $25 per soldier/Shabbat. We are all volunteers, with no one taking a salary. However, food costs are substantial, and our finances are running low. (I haven't even bought myself the commercial oven I desperately need!)
We urgently need your support to continue this vital mission. Please donate and help us keep sending Shabbat meals to our soldiers.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Yehudis & Nachman Hoffman and the Community of Tzvat
Original Post:
At the onset of the war, we embarked on a mission close to our hearts—ensuring that soldiers on reserve duty, who had been living on a steady diet of tuna, could savor the warmth of home-cooked Shabbat meals. What began as a modest effort to provide mehadrin food has blossomed into a passionate initiative led by Yehudis and a group of women in Tzfat.
Now, every week, we lovingly prepare nearly 1,000 meals for our Chayalim, our soldiers, making sure that the joy of Shabbat reaches them, whether they follow a kosher diet or not.
We need YOUR financial help, to sustain this heartfelt project!
Every Shabbat, it costs between $7,000 and $8,000 USD, depending on the weekend and the number of soldiers on the base. Your donation, in its entirety, goes directly toward covering the essential costs of providing these nourishing meals. We volunteer our time and energy, driven by a shared commitment to bringing a taste of home to our brave soldiers. (I will be buying a commercial-sized oven so I can make cooking more efficient. We have a TINY oven, which makes cooking 40 filets of salmon and a lot of other food really hard and very time-consuming).
Imagine the scene: these soldiers, many living in tents far from home, their ability to warm food limited by the lack of electricity. That's why we strive to send them meals that are not only delicious when hot but remain tasty even when enjoyed cold. In addition to Shabbat meals, I would like to send hot soup once a week to the soldiers living in pitched tents in the forest. They need a little extra to keep them going!
Recently, we received information indicating that the soldiers are anticipating an extended stay of at least 5 more months, if not longer. In light of this, we recognize the urgent need to launch a more substantial campaign to meet the escalating demands. We invite you to be part of a deeply personal movement that feeds both body and soul. Your donation makes a profound impact, allowing our soldiers to experience Shabbat with extra joy, a sense of connection, and the knowledge that they are not alone.
Thank you, from the depths of our hearts, for joining hands with us to make this personal and meaningful experience possible. Every cent of your donation is devoted to ensuring our soldiers enjoy a warm and uplifting Shabbat.
With love and gratitude,
Nathan & Yehudis Hoffman
It's hard to believe this war is still going on, and we are STILL COOKING and sending Shabbat food to our reserve soldiers in the North. I remember at the beginning of the war thinking, "What will we do for Pesach?" and then easily dismissing that thought. "Of COURSE we won't be cooking for Pesach!" Well... Pesach has come and gone, and we are now creeping up to the High Holidays, approaching a year since October 7th.
Yes, the army has thankfully managed to cover the soldiers' basic food needs. People ask, why are we still sending Shabbat food to the soldiers? Here's why: the army is feeding them, but an airplane meal or an extra schnitzel sandwich isn't proper Shabbat food. These brave soldiers are sacrificing their homes, comfortable beds, wives, children, and jobs to protect us. The least we can do is send them delicious, home-cooked, healthy meals so they can feel a touch of normalcy. They need to know we still care and that they are not forgotten by those of us who have resumed our daily routines.
It's hard to keep going. It's exhausting. It would be so much easier to just stop and let them manage without this. (Most other groups sending food, doing BBQs, etc. have stopped). But then, I overheard my 5-year-old son telling someone, "It's our job to send the soldiers food for Shabbat. If they're still fighting, then we're still going to cook." That gave me the boost I needed to keep going.
Our numbers are climbing again. Over the past few months, we sent two Shabbat meals to 100-200 soldiers. Now, we are sending to 200-400 soldiers. It costs us around $25 per soldier/Shabbat. We are all volunteers, with no one taking a salary. However, food costs are substantial, and our finances are running low. (I haven't even bought myself the commercial oven I desperately need!)
We urgently need your support to continue this vital mission. Please donate and help us keep sending Shabbat meals to our soldiers.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Yehudis & Nachman Hoffman and the Community of Tzvat
Original Post:
At the onset of the war, we embarked on a mission close to our hearts—ensuring that soldiers on reserve duty, who had been living on a steady diet of tuna, could savor the warmth of home-cooked Shabbat meals. What began as a modest effort to provide mehadrin food has blossomed into a passionate initiative led by Yehudis and a group of women in Tzfat.
Now, every week, we lovingly prepare nearly 1,000 meals for our Chayalim, our soldiers, making sure that the joy of Shabbat reaches them, whether they follow a kosher diet or not.
We need YOUR financial help, to sustain this heartfelt project!
Every Shabbat, it costs between $7,000 and $8,000 USD, depending on the weekend and the number of soldiers on the base. Your donation, in its entirety, goes directly toward covering the essential costs of providing these nourishing meals. We volunteer our time and energy, driven by a shared commitment to bringing a taste of home to our brave soldiers. (I will be buying a commercial-sized oven so I can make cooking more efficient. We have a TINY oven, which makes cooking 40 filets of salmon and a lot of other food really hard and very time-consuming).
Imagine the scene: these soldiers, many living in tents far from home, their ability to warm food limited by the lack of electricity. That's why we strive to send them meals that are not only delicious when hot but remain tasty even when enjoyed cold. In addition to Shabbat meals, I would like to send hot soup once a week to the soldiers living in pitched tents in the forest. They need a little extra to keep them going!
Recently, we received information indicating that the soldiers are anticipating an extended stay of at least 5 more months, if not longer. In light of this, we recognize the urgent need to launch a more substantial campaign to meet the escalating demands. We invite you to be part of a deeply personal movement that feeds both body and soul. Your donation makes a profound impact, allowing our soldiers to experience Shabbat with extra joy, a sense of connection, and the knowledge that they are not alone.
Thank you, from the depths of our hearts, for joining hands with us to make this personal and meaningful experience possible. Every cent of your donation is devoted to ensuring our soldiers enjoy a warm and uplifting Shabbat.
With love and gratitude,
Nathan & Yehudis Hoffman
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