Hi guys,

Most of you know me as someone who'd drive a golfcart for the rest of my life rather than walking, not to mention doing anything faster with my feet, like running, for instense (unless i'm being chased, but then again, who would chase ME?), right? Well, stay seated, cause you're about to be shocked! Next week I'm going to participate the Tel Aviv marathon and run my first 10 km since I crashed my knee 6 years ago (you really thought I was just lazy, didn't you?) and I'm going to be doing that for a very important purpose.

There's an obviouse, non spoken covenant, between me and every soldier that served and is surving with me at the IDF. This covenant says, that if god forbid something happens to one of us, we will be there for his or her family, taking care of them in the best possible way. We're all grown soldiers now meeting once a year for reserved duty, and though we hope the rest of our service will be peaceful, we know that there's a chance that reality will strike and that covenant is what keeps us strong and united, in ways words cannot express.

Two years ago I was honored to act in this spirit and volunteered to lead a group of 40 13 years old bar mitzvah kids that have lost a parent during their service in the Israeli Defence Forces. This amazing group of kids, that in one clear day had to mature into the new reality, reacted in an unbelivable way to the opportunity to be together with peers who have experienced similar life stories, support each other and enjoy each other's company. I led another trip the following summer and by the end of it I knew for sure that we have to make this a year round program, allowing them to be together throughout the year. And we came up with the idea of Otzma Camps that we've started last Hanukkah.

The idea is simple: we provide the settings and the support for these kids to leave their day to day lives back at home and simply act and have fun as kids should be doing. We introduce them to the finest , Israeli volunteering counselors to be positive role models, mentors and sholder to lean on. We also give their moms some very needed time for themselves, time that is a rare resource for a single mom who heads the family now, but also deals with her own grief. Starting this year we are doing this every Hanukkah, Pesach, Summer and Sukkot breaks from school. I am proud, honored and definitely feel priviledged to invest most my time now for this project, and I want to call you, friends in Israel and abroad, to help me making this possible.

The cost for each participant at the Passover camp that will take place this coming April is $300. I'll be running those 10 km to reach a goal of $1200 that will enable 4 teenagers, sons and daughters of IDF fallen soldiers, participating this project.

I hope that either the thought of me running, but mostly your kind and loving hearts to these kids will make you want to help us with, of course, any amount you find right to give.

Yours,
Shloms