This past Tuesday night, four hundred members of Chabad Israel Center of the Upper East Side’s community, joined ten IDF soldiers on a grand two hour cruise along the Hudson river. The cruise was an opportunity for the community to meet and thank ten heros of Am Yisrael in a fun, relaxing and enjoyable setting while enjoying music, great food, open bar, and a variety of entertainment booths.
The group of ten severely wounded Israeli soldiers landed in New York this past Sunday with a grand welcome, from the community, amidst singing and dancing. During their ten day stay, the soldiers will be touring New York, Washington, The Hamptons and Niagara Falls. In the past two days they have toured the length and breadth of Manhattan, including the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Maddam Tussaud’s, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Times Square and Central Park.
When asked by a local community member what he hoped to achieve on this trip, Uri, a soldier responded, “I just want ten days of forgetting about my pain and suffering. I want a break from it all.”
This is what Chabad Israel Center of the Upper East Side and Chabad Terror Victims Project’s in Israel had in mind when organizing this trip – to offer these veterans ten days of worry-free relaxation and a much needed break from endless treatment and therapy.
Rabbi Menachem Kutner from Chabad Terror victims Project arrived with the soldiers on their trip as CTVP takes care of these soldiers year round. The soldiers are being hosted by Chabad Israel Center of the Upper East Side under the auspices of Rabbi Uriel and Shevy Vigler. The trip is being co-ordinated by Rabbi Laima Barber and Rabbi Uriel Vigler.
Jewish business leaders gathered together on Monday morning to give the soldiers an official and warm welcome from the Chabad Israel Center community in a private and exclusive affair held at the Chabad Israel Center. American veterans of war were present and welcomed the group to the USA. Rabbi Krasnianski of Chabad of the Upper East Side welcomed them to the community. Shimon Shkury and Issy Hacmun, two local businessmen, welcomed the group on behalf of Chabad Israel Center.
In all probability the highlight of the entire trip so far, was when the soldiers were brought to Chabad Israel Center’s Alef Bet Preschool. The children awaited the group with songs they had prepared and cookies they had baked for our beloved soldiers. After the kids finished their songs, the soldiers started teaching the kids some of the songs that they remembered from kindergarten. Then the soldiers simply picked the kids up, hugged them, kissed them and started dancing with them. Truly an inspiration!
During the cruise, Rabbi Menachem Kutner introduced some of the soldiers to the community. The community was truly moved when the soldiers described in detail how they were injured. The climax was when Ben S, a soldier who lost one hand, and the other is paralyzed and suffered severe head injuries got up and emotionally declared to his commanding officer Ron Lichy. Thank you for saving my life in Gaza – those were all the words he could uttter…
The cruise ended when Uri R. ended his speech and thanked the entire community for their support and thanked them for bringing them to the United states and allowing them to have a wonderful vacation.
Rabbi Uriel Vigler then took the mike and corrected him. “It is not you who have to thank us. It is our pleasure and honor to be hosting these true heros of our time. We are the ones who have to thank you.”
i think i saw cheved to any way kol hakovod
to the Viglers.
You’ve inspired me with your incredible work.
I wish you much continued Hatzlacha.
GO JO!!!!!
go chayalim!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
thank you sooo much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great job Uriel and Shevy!!!!!!!!!!
~atlanta
Uriel & Shevy
Continue giving love & comfort to those in need
it is painful to see their injuries but its never presented to the public ( usualy)
at least here we can join in their pain and comfort them,they fought for us !!!!!!!!!!
, kol hakavod to all those who helped arrange this trip
Shevya nd Uriel.
Wow.
Your family in London are proud of your wonderful achievements and wish you Hatzlocha in all your endeavours.
Great job Brocha! You always help pull these things off! Your the bestest 🙂
I saw him in some of the pictures. He knows how to make everyone feel great.
Go Laima Barber!
Amazing stuff.
GO FAIGA AND ESTHER!!!
Go uncle ureil and aunt shevi!!! amazing wokr keep it up!
Shevy these pictures are incredible you guys did a outstanding job WOW!!! you make me so proud girl!
I almost cried when I saw how happy they are after what they went through. I have only love and respect for those soldiers.
Keep up the great work Viglers.
Your proud family in Reading.
אחי גבורי התהילה רבונו של עולם שמור עליהם ושלח להם רפואה שלימה מן השמים
Your children make us so proud to be Jewish.
Yasher Koach
The Schlosbergs
CHEVED, I C U!!! LUV U GUYS!!!
You are the real soldiers. SHLUCHIM with RAMAC”H Eivorim. working day and night. We africans are so proud of you!!!!!!!!!
You made not only the entire Vigler and Lew families proud – but the entire Jewish nation
Wow!!! Way to go Uriel and Shevy …. incredible incredible stuff!!!! Yasher Koaich 🙂
CHEVED!!!!!!!
theres my boat!
IT is so painful to see the Injured soldiers but amazing to see that they can leave that pain and come to NY for ten days for such an amazing Program so selflessly made by the Viglers! Thank You shevy and Uriel on behalf of all of klal Yisroel for helping our soldiers!
You pulled off an incredible event.
These pix really share the experience.
I’m inspired
the happiest pics: the israelis with the preschool kids, those pictures are precious!!!
saddest pic: that soldier hugging his commander who saved his life….. :'(
we should all go michayel el chayel… thank you israeli soldiers for all you do!! and thank you, the rebbes shluchim who do so much!!!
so heart wrenching to see our soldiers injured like this. BH we have Shluchim that creat these beautiful projects to ease their suffering. May Hashem and the Rebbe bless you all!!!
GREAT WORK LAIMA.
Very inspiring.
this is what the Rebbe wants us to do! Reach out and honor those who are protecting our land mitoch mesiras nefesh mamosh. As the Besh”t said, first take care of the gashmiyus on the yidden and then the ruchniyos will work out by iteself. Yeshar koach to the Viglers for showing the way…
It’s so sad to see Israeli soldiers so injured!
truly inspiring! now THIS is what i aspire to be like
Go Viglers and Brocha for organizing it! Btw, Mendel is missing his tutu of the day!
wow as i looked at the pictures, tears filled my eyes….. Mi Ka’amcha yisrael? are the only three words i can come up with that describe… Beautiful!
Wow! What a Kiddush Hashem you guys have made… Chabad is there for all, but behind “Chabad” are men and women, Shluchim who don’t sleep at night so they can do these type of things so we can all be so proud. Boy, do we have something to be proud of the Rebbe’s soldiers here…
Go Uriel and Shevy! What you guys did is incredible! You should continue to always inspire people with these beautiful events and programs.
All the hard long months of preparation were worth it for the smiles and hope you have brought to these special soldiers.
You are amazing in all that you do and Hashem should give you the koach and tools necessary to continue ever stronger in your fantastic work!
taaayyyy
go barbs!
People can say what they want about the Lubavitch world and system, but when you look at the work some of us do and love that we have, there’s nothing like it. You know why… because we have the greatest ideal level and when people, like this chabad center, rise to it, they do amazing things.
Just beautiful!!! true ahavas yisroel.
Great to see how chabad is there for these soldiers when they need the support most.
Ashreinu she’anu chassidim
It’s painful to see the photos of our brothers who were injured this way by the arabs…It’s comforting to see the photos and to know that the Jewish people take care of one another. Am Yisroel Chai.