World Jewish News

"Together for Seder" meeting in Jerusalem.

The "Sokhnut" Jewish agency held the "Together for Seder" meeting in Jerusalem. More than 600 young repatriates, mostly coming to Israel from the CIS countries under different programs and currently serving with the ZAKHAL, will celebrate Pesakh with Israeli host families.
Among those who have expressed a wish to host soldiers with no family in Israel, are the President Moshe Katzav, the Chief of "Sokhnut" Salay Meridor, the Education Minister Limor Livnat, the Construction Minister Efi Eithan, the chiefs of local councils, famous businesspeople. By the way, this will be the first time, when families of repatriates from the former USSR are among those willing to host soldiers.
The main event of this "Sokhnut"'s campaign was held very recently. In his residence, the President Moshe Katzav met with soldiers with no family in Israel, to whom that day the leaders of the Jewish agency made a present: the soldiers' parents had been brought to Israel.
Addressing the soldiers' parents, Moshe Katzav said, "I am grateful to you for your sons and daughters. They are not only your future, but also the future of our country, our people. Your children are our hope for happiness and prosperity of the State of Israel. Thank you for your children!"
"You know, many different events are held in this residence", said Katzav in an interview to a RUJEN reporter later. "I have not attended any that would be as moving and as affecting as this one."
Young men and women in military uniform were hugging their parents. Many of them had not seen each other for several years. Vitality had come to Israel from Dnipropetrovs'k in 2001 as a participant of "Ulpan-Kibbutz" program. He worked and to studied. Then, the army. He is a driver at a military base.
"I like Israel very much", he says trying to hold a microphone in one hand and embracing his mother with another one. "This is a fantastic country! Everything is excellent in the army, too. To be honest, I was kind of afraid at the beginning, but then I have realized that everything is beseder".
Stas is in Israel for seven years now. He had come from Birobidjan. When asked if it is hard to live alone, without a family, he is as precise as a soldier must be, "No. At the beginning, maybe. The Israeli treat people like me in a special manner. They cannot believe that it is possible to live without parent, so they always support us in every way possible. Difficulties? Yes, there are some. But name me the place where there are none." Stas's father standing near is looking with a thrifty master's eyes at the President residence. Seemingly cool: they must have better back home in Birobidjan.
Pasha from Braynsk was not going to stay in Israel. However after two years, he realized that to leave would be very difficult for him. He joined the army. To be more precise, its combat units. "You know, I have realized - this is my country".
Vika has lived in Israel for three years now. She confessed that she started forgetting her native Almaty. "I like it in the army vary much", she said," I made a lot of friends here". Helen, Vika's mother, is looking at her daughter through happy eyes, "there is only one thing I can tell: your country is a great country, and I am happy that my daughter is defending it".

Источник: rujen.org