A Nation Unites

Here are some facebook statuses written and shared by my friends.

1. From Gila:
The father of a soldier who is now in Gaza told how his son was informed on Friday that his unit will not be going home for Shabbat, which was a problem because they did not have any provisions for Shabbat. The father ran to the supermarket to buy some things, as many dips and salads as he could, then he stopped at the shwarma place in Petach Tikva. He asked for a portion to be put into an aluminium tray and explained that it was for his son who is in Gaza without food for Shabbat. The owner said to him "what do you mean for your son? How many soldiers are in his group?" The father answered "70" The shwarma place owner called all of his workers. They prepared all the shwarma they had, brought out all of their meat, fried schnitzels, prepared Moroccan salads and chips and within an hour he and all of his workers had emptied the entire restaurant and given it over to the father. The father just stood there crying and thanking him.

2. From Stanley:
We have an amazing army an an amazing people. Just came back from nearby. We are hosting a battalion who are resting and recovering after coming out of Gaza. Unbelievable, the whole kibbutz is making bbq for them, letting them shower in their homes, hosting them etc. And the soldiers are such nice guys, helpful, polite. In the whole of history having an army billeted on you was regarded as a disaster. Here they are charming guests.

3. From Susan in America:

4. From a soldier on the border
  What's happening here in the staging area [area where soldiers prepare to enter Gaza] is beyond amazing. Almost every hour a car shows up overflowing with food, snacks, cold drinks, socks, underwear, undershirts, hygiene supplies, wipes, cigarettes, backgammon and more. They're coming from the North and the Center, from manufacturers, from companies and private businesses, from Chareidim (ultra-orthodox) and Settlers, from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
  Every intersection on the way down here we get stopped, not by the police, but by residents giving out food. What is amazing is that the entire situation wasn't organized and everyone is coming on their own without any coordination.
  They're writing letters and blessings, how they're thinking of us all the time. There are those who spent hours making sandwiches, so they're as perfect and comforting as possible.
  How wonderful to belong to nation such as this. 

5. From Jerusalem:
If there are any families in the south who want to come for a Shabbat in Jerusalem to get away from it all please let me know. We have families ready to host you. 

6. From David:
We may be sending too much food...

Translation: The people of Israel spoil its soldiers. (Reading from right to left) - Before the operation, After the operation.

7. From Natan Sharansky:
Yesterday I went to Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva to visit Gabriel Bennahim, a lone soldier from France who was seriously wounded in Gaza on Sunday. As I walked through the hospital corridors, I saw that all of the soldiers' rooms were full of people – families, friends, adoptive families, and well-wishing strangers. People were roaming through the halls with boxes overflowing with gift baskets, flowers, and letters from children all over Israel thanking the soldiers for defending our home. Truly one family.

Later that evening, I joined the funeral procession of French-born soldier Jordan Bensemhoun in Ashkelon. Jordan came to Israel and joined the IDF as a lone soldier. He was struck down in battle in Gaza on Monday fighting terrorists. We were concerned that Jordan's funeral would be sparsely attended because he had little family in Israel and the public had been cautioned not to travel because of the constant threat of rocket fire. So we helped ensure that his family could come and arranged to have two buses of French speakers who wanted to pay their respects on his final journey. In the end, over 6,000 people came out of their homes and shelters to honor Jordan. Overwhelmed by the massive crowd, Jordan's father asked me, "Do all these people know my son?" That is the secret of Israel. In reality, there is no such thing as a lone soldier.