Bruria Efune addressing the crowd

Dr. Bob Wishnoff, Rabbi Zalman Simon and Dr. Brad Gornstein

By Dr. SUSIE ROSENBERG

ALBANY–Bethlehem Chabad recently hosted Israeli journalist, a Chabad rebbetzin and activist Bruria Efune. Seventy people registered to hear Efune’s story of the role she and her family played in the Israeli response to the events of October 7, 2023.  Her presentation entitled,  “The War in My Backyard,” told of both her response and her family’s response to the events of Oct. 7.

Efune and her family live in Beersheva, Israel, which lies approximately 25 miles from the Gaza border. Rockets, sirens and runs to the bomb shelters are part of her family’s lives on a regular basis. “But on Oct. 7, the sirens didn’t stop,” she told her audience at Bethlehem Chabad, “and we said, ‘this isn’t normal.’”

Quick Response

Efune understood the scale and impact and immediately went to work ascertaining need and finding ways to help.

She reached out and asked an acquaintance in the IDF what the young soldiers most needed and wanted, and she was told “green Army tzitzit (ritual fringes), Leatherman switchblade knives, and black socks.” Thus she began a campaign to raise funds, make dozens of phone calls to locate the requested items, and then the journey to deliver the goods to the army bases through roads that were still being attacked by rockets. On that first trip, the Efune family delivered 600 army green tzitzit to the soldiers, who all clamored to wear them into battle. Efune related that the soldiers said, “We are Jewish soldiers, defending the Jewish nation, and we are going into battle with tzitzit.”

The Efune’s success with that initial procurement of goods led to Efune becoming a critical part of the Israeli military response to what was happening in Gaza. From obtaining drones that explore the terror tunnels of Gaza and drones that protect the flanks of Israeli military units to raising funds for basic equipment, Efune became a central link in procuring the items most needed by the IDF.

Story of Miracles

In addition, the rebbitzen became an unofficial “voice of Israel” for the wider world, posting daily, and sometimes hourly, updates from Beersheva and of Gaza to a growing social media following that was hungry for accurate, on-the-ground reports on events in and around Gaza. Her journalism became a source of calm, realistic reporting to the wider Jewish world. She shared many miracles that she witnessed including a miraculous sudden sandstorm.

On a Friday afternoon, the playgrounds were full of kids. There hadn’t been a siren in Be’er Sheva in a while, so no one was concerned.
Very suddenly, a fierce sand storm began, blowing sand and leaves into everyone’s faces. Most kids ran home.

Ten minutes later there was a siren. Five rockets were launched at Be’er Sheva, one was intercepted, and one directly hit the playground which had moments earlier been filled with children.

The rocket caused heavy damage to the playground, and even to the building near it. But thankfully, only one woman was lightly injured.
The sand storm stopped as suddenly as it had started.

Efune concluded her powerful presentation with words of encouragement: that whenever Jewish people gather in community, regardless of political views or affiliations, we become a powerful force for good and for peace in the world.

Michael Rosenberg, a Delmar resident who attended the talk, said, “I had no idea that so much could be done by an Israeli civilian to help the Jewish soldiers. It is so moving to think of those young soldiers in their Army green tzitzit with such faith and determination.”
Efune told the audience that she intends to keep up her social media reports on conditions in Israel. She may be found at www.BruriaEfune.com.