Jerusalem, Israel - Nov. 28, 2017 - Thanksgiving is considered by most to be an American holiday weekend, celebrated at family gatherings with large turkey dinners, followed perhaps by watching football and Black Friday shopping.
In Israel, Thanksgiving dinners sponsored by the Lone Soldier Center in memory of Michael Levin (LSC) have grown over the years. Lone soldiers are young men and women, who join the Israel Defense Forces, but have no families in Israel to support them. Close to a thousand lone soldiers, past and present, were hosted this year at the LSC meal on Thursday evening in Tel Aviv. Dozens of volunteers helped to make and serve the food, which included 40 turkeys, pounds of sweet potatoes and green beans, cranberry sauce, and beer.
Not only Americans come to this annual event. Every year lone soldiers who can get leave from their bases attend, from Mexico, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Europe, Ukraine, and more.
This year Education Minister Naftali Bennett came by to speak at the Thanksgiving dinner and give thanks to the young people for serving in the IDF. Bennett stopped to pose for a group photo. MK Michael Oren, who is a former lone soldier, often attends LSC events. Oren recounted his experience, stopped to talk with young people, and also posed for photos.
Besides the Thanksgiving holiday dinner meal, Caleb celebrated his bar mitvah and a lone soldier couple held sheva brachos.
Josh Flaster, director of LSC, and Tziki Aud, senior adviser, were present, as were many post military service volunteers, including Moshe Kwiat, originally from Silver Spring. Yehudis Schramroth, an olah from Baltimore, was one of the dedicated LSC volunteers who prepared and served food.
Maryland and D.C. connections in photo essay include soldiers in and out of uniform, volunteers and invited guests, Dr. Leonard and Saradona Lefkowitz.
