The largest dinner gathered hundreds of lone soldiers and National Service volunteers in Jerusalem.
By World News Israel Staff
Nefesh B’Nefesh, a group which facilitates aliyah to Israel, hosted traditional Thanksgiving dinners all over Israel on Thursday evening, with hundreds of immigrants from the U.S.
The largest was held at the Nefesh B’Nefesh Aliyah campus in Jerusalem, with over 300 lone soldiers and lone national service volunteers in attendance, and included a performance by singer-songwriter Mayer Malik, as well as a live broadcast of the traditional Thanksgiving football game taking place in the U.S.
“As is the name of the holiday, the purpose of our Thanksgiving gatherings was to give thanks to all the inspiring families and individuals who left their familiar surroundings in order to make Aliyah and, in turn, either serve in the IDF, volunteer in national service, or contribute to Israel’s success,” Israel National News cited Noya Govrin, Director of the FIDF – Nefesh B’Nefesh Lone Soldiers Program, as saying. “It is an enormous privilege for us to gather everyone together and provide a taste of their old home.”
The organization also hosted dinners in Be’er Sheva, Tel Aviv, and Haifa, the latter of which was attended by the city’s mayor, Einat Kalisch-Rotem.
“As we enter our third year, it’s a tremendous achievement for us to be able to co-host with NBN hundreds of lone soldiers and lone B’not Sherut this Thanksgiving,” said Bonnie Rosenbaum Co -Director of The Michael Levin Base, which co-organized the lone soldier dinner. “We are thrilled that so many can benefit from The Michael Levin Base, proving how much The Base is an essential resource for this community. We would like to thank NBN for this opportunity to collaborate and support together our lone soldiers and lone Bnot Sherut.”
Erica Weintraub, a new Olah and future lone soldier from New York, said: “This year marks my first Thanksgiving as an Israeli citizen, and while I know I’ll miss my old family traditions, I’m excited to build new ones with the friends I have made here who have now become family.”
“With only a month away until I draft to Michve Alon, I couldn’t think of a better way to reflect on all the things I’m grateful for before stepping into this new chapter,” she said, according to INN.