Our Soldier

I can not tell you how helpless I have felt watching my beloved Israel at war from across the ocean. Knowing my friends are living each day in harms way under the threat of rocket attacks and infiltration by Hamas (ימח שמו) terrorists. My heart aches each time another new name is added to the list of our brave fallen soldiers. Just this morning during a cease fire Hamas kidnapped a young solider named Nadav a truly heartbreaking turn of events. What can we do? How can we help? Is there anything we can do we found ourselves saying.

    I was so happy to come across the Shmira Project. The Hebrew word "shmira" (pronounced shmeerah) means "guarding" or "protecting". In modern Hebrew, shmira also means guard duty. The Shmira Project is an ongoing, grassroots program that pairs IDF combat soldiers with Jews around the world who do acts of kindness, prayer or Torah learning to increase the soldier’s spiritual merit and protection.  They assigned our family a solider named David who's mother is Shira Devorah. We know nothing else about him and more then likely we will never meet him but davening (praying) for him and doing mitzvot (good deeds) in his honor has become a part of our daily life. He has become "our" soldier. Ever since Abby was born I have said Shema with her before bed we have now added a special prayer for the Israeli Forces into our routine as well as saying a Perek or verse of Tehillim (Psalms) for our solider David. The Psalm we chose and  say each night for David is Psalm 121 part of which reminds us "Behold, He that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleep."

Today Abby and I made Challah a powerful mitzvah entrusted to women and girls which women have been doing since the time of Sarah in the Bible. It connects the mundane act of food preparation to G-d, by reminding us that He is the true source of all we do. It's a very hands on mitzvah that incorporates both patience and love. We did this mitzvah for our solider David. Abby then helped me deliver the Challah we made to our dear friend Lynn which helped to grow the light of the mitzvah even more. The thoughts and prayers of our entire family is with the brave men and women of the I.D.F. and all our brothers and sisters in Israel. As Abby and I light our Shabbat candles tonight we will pray for a speedy end to this conflict and peace for Israel and the entire region. To learn more about the Shmira Project and how you can help please visit www.shmiraproject.com.