Chabad Runner

For a soldier stooped over at his post at 4:00 AM, a joyful moment of hot coffee and a charming smile are not the first thing that crosses his mind. Unless they are manning a patrol booth or watch tower in the Hebron region. For these troops, at 4:00 AM, and other odd times, it has come to be exactly what they expect!

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The Hevron Region, deeply rooted in Jewish History and lore, hosts thousands of IDF troops at any given time. A tour of duty in Hevron is different than others as it is close to home geographically but emotionally and physically can seem quite distant. But leave it to Chabad of Hevron to bring that homely feeling right back.

 

Meet the “Ratz Chabad” Corps! Devoted young men, volunteering their time in Hevron, faithfully serving hot coffee, cold drinks, tefillin and a full dosage of Jewish humor to those faithfully serving the Jewish people and protecting the land.

 

Our Ratz Chabad teams, borrowing its name from the well known “Ratz Chamal” in the army, spend part of their time studying for Rabbinical Ordination with our very own Rabbi Itzik Neymark. The rest of the time - usually including the graveyard shift - they are out and about galavanting from base to base, patrol booth to watch tower, ensuring that our young men and women feel at home. Even in a place that can see so far.

 

Armed wIth hot chicken soup (for the body and soul) on a cold Friday night, an ice cold soda on a hot summer day, fresh coffee in the midst of a Hevron snow or even sweet and salty snacks during a day shift, our Ratz Chabad volunteers cultivate relationships and friendships with some of Israel’s best and brightest.

 

Quick visits often morph into longer visits, complete with Torah Study, Tefillin sessions and deep conversations about G-d, Torah, family, the news and sometimes, even sports.

 

Ratz Chabad team - bringing the warmth of Chabad to a patrol booth near you!