AP: US Rabbi Spearheads Care Package Campaign For Israeli Troops

by CBS News, AP

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

(AP) Troops won't have to dry their underwear on tank carriers thanks to a New York rabbi who raised more than $100,000 in two days to buy care packages for soldiers involved in Israel's offensive against Gaza militants.

Samuel Klibanoff, the rabbi of Long Island's Jewish Center of Atlantic Beach, collected the money from congregants and Jews in other communities in New York and New Jersey. He donated the cash to the Israel-based Yad Eliezer food relief organization, which organized 5,000 packages for the troops.

Klibanoff came from the U.S. to Israel this week to personally deliver the packages together with Yad Eliezer volunteers. On Wednesday, they brought a truck filled with care packages to a base in southern Israel.

"The most important thing to me is when you see a soldier's face, right off the front line, and they say, you came from America to give this to me," said Klibanoff, who also raised some $250,000 for Israeli troops during their 2006 war against Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas. "I'm very privileged that I was in a position to be part of this."

The packages contained packets of some favorite Israeli snack foods, water, underwear, socks and baby wipes. For spiritual sustenance, there was also a copy of the Old Testament's Book of Psalms. Soldiers gathered around the truck carrying the "war booty" and seemed happy that someone out there cared, smiling and thanking their visitors.

An officer at the base told his visitors how soldiers would sometimes wash out their underwear and dry it on a tank carrier.

"I think what you're doing is simply moving," the officer said. "That people are coming, such a big group and coming from abroad, is really great. It's heart-warming."

The officer, who could not be identified in line with military guidelines, handed his visitors caps with the battalion's logo in a sign of appreciation.

Israel went to war against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip on Dec. 27 in an effort to halt rocket barrages on southern Israeli communities.