On November 20th, the BETC Brotherhood, with the help of BETC Sunday school students, assembled almost 200 Chanukah packages for Jewish members of our military who are stationed overseas. These packages contained a menorah, candles, dreidels, gelt, kippot (some of which were hand knitted by congregation members), a music CD with Chanukah songs, a letter from the Brotherhood and Sisterhood and a personalized card written by the students. These packages were sent to soldiers in Iraq, Afghanistan, Korea, Djibouti, Kuwait, Turkey and to soldiers on the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln, so that they might enjoy the warmth of celebrating the holiday even while so far from home and family.  This project has become a yearly tradition for the Brotherhood and is a way of saying "thank you" for all of the sacrifices that these men and women have made in order to protect our freedom.

Below is a thank you note received from Chaplain Souter in Kuwait, less than a week after the packages were mailed.

The Brotherhood, Sisterhood, Clergy, and Congregation of Beth El Temple Center,

Thank you for your gracious gifts for our Jewish Soldiers in Kuwait. With the holiday season upon us, your package arrived today. Staff Sergeant (SSG) Amy Justice, my Chaplain Assistant is excited to receive this opportunity to share with her congregation and other Jewish Soldiers in Kuwait. She attends the Friday evening Kabbalat Shabbat.

The contents are awesome. I don't think I have ever had this much support for any previous Jewish Soldier in my over 25 years of Army chaplaincy. Of course, CH Travis is the first Jewish Chaplain I have known to be so active in taking care of his Soldiers, regardless of unit or country.

We ensure that your heartfelt gifts will be shared in Kuwait, Afghanistan, and as many other countries as Jewish Soldiers, Airmen, Sailors, Marines, and Coast Guardsman are serving. The rich heritage that this approaching Hanukkah season celebrates [reminds us] that freedom must always be remembered and defended from those who seek to steal it away.

May your congregation celebrate this season in full measure.

Grace and Peace,

Rick

D. Richard Souter
CH (MAJ)
Brigade Chaplain
595th Transportation Brigade SDDC

Thank you to all who participated in this mitzvah, with special acknowledgement to Len Abram, David Kramer, David Alper and Arleen Hardiman and her Kitah Bet Sunday school students.