I lifted my head to look at the clock. 4:30 AM. I tell myself to go back to sleep. Sadok doesn’t have to get up for another half hour. A short while later I drag myself downstairs to make sure Sadok is up. He needs to leave by six o’clock for the seven hour, 5 bus journey he must take back to base. I throw on a thick sweatshirt. We live in Maaleh Adumim, a desert, where it has never snowed in the eleven years I’ve lived here, yet in the winter I’m cold even with the heat on. I think about the North where Sadok will be headed. I’ve seen pictures of the snow and heard how brutal the cold can get there and I worry about our soldiers. They spend countless hours in the freezing cold. I don’t know how they manage.
“I’ve seen pictures of the snow and heard how brutal the cold can get there.I worry about our soldiers, they spend countless hours in the freezing cold. I don’t know how they manage.”
I see Sadok checking the bus schedules one more time before he heads out. “Ok, gotta go” he says. He’s wearing his uniform and army “jacket”. No hat, no gloves; they are not permitted while traveling as per Army rules. Hug, kiss, a blessing and he walks out of sight. I close the door with tears in my eyes and a prayer on my lips. I know there exists a very meaningful prayer for our soldiers, but I say my own twice a day.
“Please G-d watch over all our soldiers. Give them physical, psychological, emotional strength and wellbeing. Please let the little sleep they get give them the strength they need. Please let the food they eat nourish their bodies. Please let their body temperature regulate properly in the extreme weather conditions. Don’t let them get too cold or too hot. Let them have pride, friendship, joy and camaraderie while they serve. Please protect them while they protect us. Help them find and thwart any evil plans directed at our people. Allow them to feel Your presence and know that You are with them and please be with them always.”
Sadok was home for a “Regila”, a week’s vacation from army service. I tried to soak up all I could of him while he was home. I, like always, insisted to be the one to do his laundry. I consider it an honor. He doesn’t ask for much and is very considerate which hampered many of my attempts at making, baking, or buying him much of anything. He’d catch me staring at him and say “what” and I’d smile and say “nothing”. He’d never understand that I try to freeze these precious moments we have together in my memory.
It is not easy having a child in the army.
My heart breaks very time he walks out the door.
I can’t protect him or spoil him, I can only pray and hope for the best.
I, however, am not alone. We receive so much support not just from family and friends, but from Jews all over the globe. People donate time, money and display all sorts of encouragement and gratitude in many different ways that strengthens the soldiers and comforts their loved ones.
Our people are amazing!
Thank you to all my brothers and sisters who keep us standing tall and proud.
Am Yisrael Chai Vekayam!
Sadok’s Unit In The Snow (Above) The Entire Tank Platoon (Below)
Aliza Lipkin, mother of Sadok, was born in New York.
She made Aliyah to Maaleh Adumim, Israel 11 years ago with her family.
She is a mother of 6 children, a writer, a student of the Bible and an artist.
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IDF WINTER GEAR CAMPAIGN
Sadok’s platoon spent the summer in Gaza destroying terror tunnels and stopping Hamas missile fire and are now stationed on the freezing northern border of Israel, protecting us from threats coming from Syria and Hezbollah.
Aliza and her entire family are giving everything for the protection of Israel, here’s your chance to do your part!
The winter months are freezing up north and Standing Together with the help of sponsors from around the world have already given out thousands of winter gear packs to IDF soldiers. We have been getting emails and calls from IDF officers and units requesting specific winter gear for their soldiers.
A complete winter gear pack cost $100 and there are 100-120 soldiers in each platoon.
We still have over 2,000 soldiers who have sent us requests for these operational winter gear packs and they need your support.
Sponsor a soldier or a complete unit by clicking on the guys below or on the DONATE button.
We have received a request for 1,000 face masks that protect IDF soldiers from wind and snow.
Each mask cost only $10. You can sponsor one soldier or an entire platoon (120 guys)
Click on the soldiers below or on the DONATE button and specify how many face masks you would like to sponsor.
