Our community is honored to host the brave members of the emergency response team from Kibbutz Shlomit and Pri Gan, civilians who stand as a testament to their courage on October 7th when they defended their homes and blocked Hamas's infiltration deeper into Israel.
The brave members of the emergency response team who fought on October 7th will be coming with their families—their partners and children. These are the very heroes who embraced their children, secured them in safe rooms, and then headed out to fight the terrorists and protect their country.
When? From November 10th until November 16th.
What? A week where our community will host them in our homes, connect with them, listen to their stories, and give them the honor they truly deserve for their incredible bravery and sacrifice. They will be staying with families in our community and participating in various community events.
Why? Given the ongoing war in Israel, the brave civilians hardly received proper acknowledgment for their unending bravery. We want to honor their courage, learn from their examples of integrity and love and assure that what happened will never be forgotten. This is exactly what Thanks4Giving is all about.
How many? A total of 10 families: 63 individuals, including men, women, and children.
Thanks4Giving Mega-Mission
The delegation of the Shlomit and Pri Gan civilian emergency teams and their families are coming to us as part of Project 24’s mega-mission initiative: Thanks4Giving. This initiative honors all the brave civilian emergency teams that fought on that horrific October 7th day. Our community is part of of a larger group of 28 other communities that are coming together to host these brave heroes and their families, and honor them in an organized week of intimate community events and large-scale gala ceremonies. Help us honor these fighters as they deserve to be honored.
Imagine this: come early November, the families of Israeli heroes will be walking the streets of our community and many others in this area.
Join us now in raising the funds to bring them here.
This is an event of connecting hearts, mutual healing, unmediated connections, and performing a mitzvah that resonates around the world.
What Happened in Shlomit and Pri Gan on October 7th?
On the morning of October 7th, the residents of Pri Gan and Shlomit woke up to the sounds of sirens and rockets. Shortly after, distress calls began pouring into Shlomit, reporting multiple infiltrations by Hamas terrorists in surrounding communities. Pri Gan was in urgent need of help, with only two members of their civilian emergency team on site and at risk of being overrun.
Despite the danger, three members of Shlomit’s civilian emergency team left their families and community virtually unprotected, except for two remaining fighters, and rushed to assist Pri Gan. After half an hour of intense combat, more fighters from Shlomit arrived to reinforce them.
The battle raged for about three hours, during which time, the defenders from both communities fought bravely, ultimately overcoming the assault. Shlomit’s civilian emergency team suffered heavy losses: three were killed, and four others were injured.
After the successful defense of Pri Gan, the fighters from Shlomit returned to their community to prepare for any potential attacks on their own homes. Today, thanks to the courage and sacrifice of the defenders from both Pri Gan and Shlomit, most residents have been able to return to their homes.
The October 7th stories of Shlomit and Pri Gan are deeply intertwined. With great honor, our community will host both communities’ civilian emergency teams and their respective families, and join them on this path of healing, connection and togetherness.
How You Can Help: Fundraising for Success
To make this mega-mission a success, we need your support. Help us reach our financial goals for this trip.
Funding Needs:
The cost of bringing these brave members of Shlomit and Pri Gan with their families is approximately $100,000.
Your contributions will help cover the following expenses:
- Flights and Transportation. Ensuring safe and comfortable travel for the group.
- Planning and Coordination. Covering the costs associated with organizing and executing the week-long events and activities.
- Community Events and Activities. Funding for community Shabbat dinners, local experiences, and other planned events.
By working together, we can honor and support the brave members of the kibbutzim who have sacrificed so much. Your generosity will help create a meaningful and impactful experience for them and their families.
Thanks4Giving Mega Mission is brought to you by Project 24: Project 24 was launched a few days following October 7th. We create tailor-made projects that connect Israeli and North American Jews
www.project24israel.org
Learn more about T4G
