From Israel: the work continues
A dispatch from Cheryl in Israel: a BBQ for lone soldiers at the Michael Levin base, Shabbat conversations with authors and activists, the Golan under rocket fire, and a year-end ask to fund tomorrow's BBQ for soldiers in Judea and Samaria.
In this issue: A dispatch from Cheryl in Israel: a BBQ for lone soldiers at the Michael Levin base, Shabbat conversations with authors and activists, the Golan under rocket fire, and a year-end ask to fund tomorrow's BBQ for soldiers in Judea and Samaria.
Another quick update from Israel. The pace has not slowed, and that's a good thing. We're sharing this briefly because our time here is spent doing the work, not documenting it — but we want you to feel connected to what your support makes possible.
If you'd like to see more photos and short videos from along the way, we're posting them on the Atlanta Israel Coalition Facebook page, where it's easiest to share in real time.
— Cheryl Dorchinsky, Executive Director
Notes from the road: lone soldiers, Shabbat, and the Golan
Lone soldiers: presence matters
We hosted a BBQ for lone soldiers at the Michael Levin base in honor of Rose Lubin z”l. “Hosted” might be too strong a word — they didn't let us do much cooking. But that turned out to be the point.
We provided the food and supplies and then helped where we could, but mostly we spent time. We shared meals, listened, and passed along the support of this community. That mattered — to seasoned special forces and medics, and to brand-new lone soldiers who were getting their buzz cuts on the spot before reporting for training. Seeing them about to step into service, without family nearby, made clear why we were there.
Your support was felt. Quietly. Directly.
Community, dialogue, and Shabbat
The following day, we visited the peace village and Abu Ghosh, then prepared for Shabbat.
We spent Shabbat with Tal Hartuv and Alon Penzel, an author whose writing grapples honestly with the barbaric attack of October 7. These weren't formal meetings. They were conversations — the kind that shape programming worth bringing back to Atlanta.
The Golan: industry, security, and reality
Today took us north to the Golan Heights. We toured the Naot factory at Kibbutz Neot Mordechai and learned how local industry continues even under rocket fire. From there, we visited a Druze village on Mount Hermon, met with the mayor, toured the community, and explored possibilities for partnership and programming.
We also visited the Golan Regional Council, where the deputy mayor walked us through the region's security realities and emergency operations center. It was direct, practical, and unsentimental.
The day ended with a visit to a Golan-based paratrooper and drone reservist unit. We delivered sweatshirts to help with the cold, shared a meal, toured parts of the base, and received a briefing on their operations.
What's next — and how you can help
Tomorrow we shift our base from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, then head out to host another BBQ with Binyamin's BBQ Brigade on an IDF base in Judea and Samaria. The soldiers there are doing daily security operations to protect the heartland. This BBQ, like the last, is funded by this community.
This is where I'll be direct. Atlanta Israel Coalition is entirely volunteer-run. We are covering our own costs to be here. Every dollar donated goes directly to supporting Israelis — food, supplies, presence, and programming — not to us.
If you are able, we would be grateful if you would consider making a year-end donation to support tomorrow's BBQ, our ongoing work here, and the programs we are building to bring back to you in Atlanta. We have met extraordinary people on this trip — leaders, thinkers, and practitioners — and we want to bring them to our community. Let's make that happen together.
Thank you for staying with us, for trusting us, and for standing with Israel in practical, meaningful ways. We'll keep sharing as we're able, and once we're home, we promise to slow down and tell the full story.
MITZVAHS THAT FLOAT
A hidden duck at Magen David Adom
A kosher duck hidden for someone to find at Magen David Adom in Tel Aviv — joy tucked in where the work is hardest. From city parks to first-responder stations, the ducks keep popping up.