In recent days, a group of smiling and beaming young Israelis could be found on the sunny beaches of Florida. To the unfamiliar eye, one might think they were just Israelis arriving to enjoy Miami. But theirs is a very different story. Behind those smiles and surrounding joy lie heroic Israeli tales – of IDF soldiers wounded in the ongoing war in Gaza and terror attacks, who have witnessed evil up close, their bodies and souls etched with the story of Israel, a story of bravery and courage that saved many Israeli lives.
As part of their journey to return to the life they had before the injury, they came to the US for a brief respite from the difficult routine in Israel, and the smiles on their faces attest that they made the right choice.
"This visit to the US has made me happy for the first time since Oct. 7, without feeling guilty for being alive. I'm returning to Israel in a better state of mind, I'm sure what I went through here will help me improve mentally. Here I learned that it's possible to be joyful after what I experienced," Maayan Nachmani (21) from Ramat Gan, a paratroop commander injured on Oct. 7 while battling terrorists in Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, shares. Despite being hit by gunfire, he continued fighting, killing the Hamas terrorists who had infiltrated the kibbutz and saving many lives. Nachmani is part of a delegation of 10 wounded IDF soldiers who came to Miami, an initiative of the Belev Echad (in Hebrew: "in one heart" ) organization.
The organization, headed by Rabbi Uriel Vigler and his wife Shevy, assists in the rehabilitation of wounded IDF and Border Police officers, accompanying them through the complex process of mental and physical recovery. In the wake of the Israel-Gaza war, the organization has expanded its activities and assisted over 1,500 wounded through various activities and treatments in Israel and the US.
Daniel Varach (20) from Petach Tikva, who served in the Golani Brigade, was injured at Kibbutz Nir Am on the day of the deadly surprise attack. "While we were inside the armored vehicle, the terrorists threw three grenades inside, and my best friend Matan Avergil, may his memory be a blessing, saved all of us when he jumped on a grenade. In the last minutes of his life, he told me he wanted to protect us and the people of Israel. After going through something like that, you get sucked into staying at home and getting trapped in thoughts, just thinking about what you went through and whether what you did was right or not. You don't want to leave the house and look at people, you're afraid of every little thing."
Varach claims the organization "released his fear" and greatly assisted in the rehabilitation process when he met other wounded who had gone through similar incidents during their service. "When I joined this delegation, I let go of all the fears and bad feelings I had in Israel. This trip gave me a break from everything I went through, and simply allowed me to enjoy and have fun. I became the Daniel before the injury. I don't need to return to Israel to feel the change, it has already begun. Everything we received here is so far from being taken for granted."
Varach asked to thank the organization's donors, saying "they are doing an amazing thing, they are saving people. We were reborn in this delegation."
Since 2009, Belev Echad has been working to assist wounded IDF soldiers by providing advanced medical treatment, psychological support, and guidance on various issues. When Rabbi Vigler and his wife Shevy established the organization, they succeeded in rallying American Jews to donate for the journey of wounded soldiers. During their visit to the US, the delegation toured many sites in Florida, with the soldiers attending a Miami Heat game, enjoying water activities, shopping, and a performance by Israeli singer Hanan Ben Ari. They spent the Shabbat with the Jewish community in greater Miami. According to the organization's staff, they see improvement in how the soldiers behave with each passing day of their visit, which aids them in the long recovery process from injuries that have become part of their lives.
Binyamin Haimov (20) from Tel Aviv, who also served in the Golani Brigade, was injured in a clash with terrorists at the Alumim Base. "Two weeks after the injury, I was just preoccupied with thoughts and hearing about my friends who were killed, and then the organization approached me, explained their activities, and invited me to their center in Israel. At first, I rejected their requests, but eventually, I went to their center and immediately received warmth and love, like family."
Video: Congressman Brian Mast speaks as Belev Echad hosts wounded IDF soldiers // Courtesy
Haimov also came on the visit to the US that aided his rehabilitation process. "I feel relaxed and at ease here. I came in a certain state, but I will return to Israel as a different person. It warms our hearts to know there are people who want to help us see the good."
At the delegation's concluding event, the soldiers were hosted at the Chabad House in Palm Beach Gardens, where they met a former US soldier who lost both legs in Afghanistan. That soldier later became Republican Congressman Brian Mast. Mast told Israel Hayom, "This meeting took me back to military service and what they went through. You come out of the war, and you think to yourself, why was I hurt, and you must find a way out of those thoughts because there is life outside of war." The event was organized Chabad of Palm Beach Garden Rabbi Dovid and Chana Vigler.
Mast emphasized in his speech that the US stands by Israel and will not allow anyone to blame Israel for what happened on Oct. 7.
At the concluding event, the soldiers confidently took the stage and openly, inspiringly shared their personal stories. Their faces beamed with excitement and gratitude for the journey they took in America. The audience struggled to hold back tears hearing the painful tales, cheering for the soldiers for long minutes. Some said the time had come to return to Israel with the experiences gained in the US and continue the rehabilitation journey together with the organization's staff.
"The goal is to bring the love from the US and create continuity for the wounded in Israel. It doesn't end with just a one-time delegation to the US," Paz, who was injured in 2009 during Operation Cast Lead and today heads the organization's Israeli branch, which opened in 2018, says. "Initially, we opened a day center in Israel, which allowed the wounded to breathe freely, get out of their homes, and enjoy themselves. Afterward, we also opened the treatment center in Kiryat Ono that enables soldiers to receive medical and mental care from Israel's top experts. Our goal is to return the wounded to the cycle of life as quickly as possible, otherwise, time will cause them to sink into depression and crises from which it will be hard to pull them out. That's why we enlist the wounded to volunteer with us in the ongoing work, and in this way create a community. We approach soldiers who were wounded and we identify with their injury because we were in the same place. We also provide the wounded with the information they need, allow them to speak with others who went through the same trauma, and that way enable them to go through the process better. Our goal is one – to reach every soldier and save their soul."
The organization's founder, Rabbi Vigler, told Israel Hayom, "When you see the soldiers who gave their lives for the people of Israel and know that you can help them and change their lives – it's very fulfilling. Before Oct. 7 we were an organization that helped wounded IDF soldiers, afterwards, we became an organization whose purpose was to preserve their lives. They come here to the US, form a connection with each other, become brothers in a way, and smile for the first time."
The rabbi added, "I always tell the soldiers that the Lubavitcher Rebbe forbade calling wounded IDF soldiers 'handicapped' as if there is something wrong with them. He said to call them the 'Exceptional Ones of the IDF' because that is what they are – special and unique. We want to show them that they will never be alone because their pain is our pain. We are together, which is why we called the organization Belev Echad. When Hanan Ben Ari invited them to the stage and called them 'World Champions', he was saying what we all think – that they are the world champions of the Jewish people."
