The attached photos are from Purim morning down south at a base near Be’er Sheva from where several thousand soldiers get bussed every Sunday morning to their bases in the deep south where there is no normal transportation lines. Since this year Sunday was also Purim morning, the IDF Rabbinate, Southern command, set up a tent with Megilla readers (Megilla was read 4 times) for interested soldiers who had not heard it in shul before leaving home. (The IDF High Command issued orders that anyone who was going to shul for davening and Megilla did not have to leave home before 10 AM. Hence, all the buses were re-scheduled to leave only beginning after 11 AM instead of 9 AM. In addition to the tent and Megilla reading, I was down there with a gentleman from Brooklyn by the name of Rubin Margulis who donated 2,500 bags of Mishloach Manot and we had the z’chut to hand out all 2,500 to soldiers assembled by units before leaving on their respective buses. The first photo shows a group of Golani soldiers who after receiving the unexpected Mishloach Manot began to sing Purim songs and dance.
While this was going on, a Sgt. Major who works Mitzvot with me took care of distributing Matanat L’evyonim to many dozens of needy soldiers and their families. So while I davened at a netz minyan in order to hear Megilla and leave early enough to drive down south, and did not start my personal Purim drinking until I sat down to the Seuda at home at 4 PM upon my return, I can say that I sat down to my Seuda with the satisfaction of making sure many Jewish families of soldiers would have a Chag and spreading simchat Purim to thousands of soldiers who otherwise were destined to a very dry Purim otherwise as they went off to their respective bases to protect the rest of us at home. Enjoy the photos.
Please find below the Purim sheet of the IDF Rabbinate’s “Jewish Awareness” dept. which was distributed to many tens of thousands to soldiers throughout the army. Link below:
