By Rabbi Yair Hoffman

I just got off of the phone with a soldier – originally from England.  He is part of a Golani unit combined with a Tzanchanim unit at the Lebanese border.  However, they are in very short supply of three things:  A] Ceramic plates for the bullet proof vests B] Bullet Proof vests and C] Ballistic helmets/

The cost is 250,000 New Israeli Shekel which is about $63000

The unit number is #### Nimchak for chatmal unit [to protect the local area] –  etzba galil the ####  area – they are switching now with the other soldiers and the border is heating up. Yesterday 4 terrorists tried crossing the border.

There are 100 men in the company – if they get enough equipment they will give it to 400 others as well.

WHY DON’T THEY HAVE THIS BASIC EQUIPMENT?

I asked this very basic question:  Why don’t they have the equipment?  He answered that although the IDF is very good in the field, they are not so good at the logistics of things when 300,000 plus people show up.  They are trying their best, but are only about 80% effective at the logistics part. He himself had to wait 2 hours for some of his things and he didn’t get much of what he needed.   They do have it somewhere, but retrieval is something that the IDF needs to work on..

This particular Golani, his wife and two kids was in Bournemouth,  England for Yontiff. In shul, he heard what had happened rachmana litzlan and that it was a very serious thing – akin to the Yom Kippur War.  He went home as quickly as possible and did not even tell his father – who was davening for the amud..

He told someone else to tell his father and family that he was leaving. He left immediately and got his passport. “R” made it to the airport with 15 other soldiers.. arrived at 4:00 PM. He got his his ticket at 9:00 PM and made it to Ben Gurion Airport at 5ooAM.  He got his Glock 19 from a gun safe.. and made it to his base by 2:00 PM.  Everyone was shocked that he had made it so quickly.

This is the vest they wish to buy.  The Israeli company is totally sold out

This author checked into it and vouches for the validity of this cause. I don’t think it is tax deductible, but this is the fastest way to get the equipment to them. If anyone is able to donate to make it so much safer for these soldiers who left their families to protect other yiddin – a paypal link is found below.  Copy it to paypal.com

[email protected]

To zelle  send to [email protected]

I am about to put $6000 on my credit card – to get the vests and the ceramic inserts to them faster. [The inserts were just donated I am told] Two soldiers r”l were killed yesterday in the north.  I trust the people involved implicitly.  [In general this is something to be wary of]

The author  can be reached at [email protected]  Tizku l’mitzvos.  The author will try to update this article throughout the day when possible