IDF Kiddush

Dear Friends,

On Shabbat Tazria-Metzora, May 2-3, we will hold our annual IDF kiddush weekend in commemoration of the 14th yahrzeit of our beloved son, Ilan Tokayer z”l. This event gives each of us the opportunity to join together as a community to support the IDF and also honor the 125 members of our Rinat family who have or are currently serving in Tzahal.

Like last year, this year’s kiddush feels more difficult, but also more important, than usual. We are still praying for the safe return of all hostages as well as for the many who continue to heroically fight in this tragic war. Among the hundreds of losses, we remember and mourn together the losses of Rinat family members: Nadav Knoller, David Schwartz, and Eli Moshe Zimbalist.

It feels like there still has not been a moment of respite for anyone to process the ongoing trauma that affects every level of Israeli society. Therefore, while in the past we have worked to address the physical needs of the IDF, this year we are choosing to address the ripple effects of the war on the families of our IDF soldiers. 

This year, the Rinat community will partner with Kuma, an incredible organization led by Rav Yosef Zvi Rimon. Kuma provides crucial assistance to widows and families of IDF soldiers lost during Swords of Iron. We are proud to collectively donate to this important initiative which provides financial aid, bureaucratic guidance and practical assistance, such as babysitting and household help, to the 300+ women on the front lines who have lost their husbands in this war. 

Please join us in supporting this worthy cause. Every dollar makes a difference. We sponsor the IDF Kiddush in full so that 100% of your tax deductible donation goes directly toward helping the families of fallen soldiers. To donate, visit www.rinat.org/idfkiddush

This year’s IDF kiddush weekend falls on the Hebrew dates of Yom Hazikaron and Yom Haatzmaut, which remind us of the fragile line between the heaviness of loss and the celebration of Israel’s independence. We continue to pray for the time when we will all carry the loss of today into the gift of a united and peaceful Israel where the healing can begin.

Your contribution in any way possible, toward this collective goal continues to be a reminder of your personal , communal and national support.

With heartfelt appreciation,

Reva and Aaron Tokayer 

Please note: If you have any children or grandchildren currently serving in the IDF, or have been called up for reserves, please check if their names are on our current lists. If not, please email their names directly to revatokayer@gmail.com so we may honor them this year.