SURFSIDE, Fla. – Two local businessmen with family fighting in Israel are rallying the community to help.
When you walk into their stocked warehouse, the first thing you see are faces of children, mothers, fathers, and young women all kidnapped by Hamas.
They are the reminders of the mission for hundreds of volunteers packing military necessities for the men and women fighting for Israel.
Eitan Zimmerman, who has brothers fighting in Israel, says that one of the items is protective eyewear to protect soldiers against shrapnel.
“We got programmable flashlights that start as low as 15 lumens and go as high as 800 lumens. These are rifle slings that help soldiers carry stuff a little bit better,” Zimmerman shows us.
The surprise attack on Israel led to reservists from all over the world to jump into action. 300,000 soldiers. “Right now, my family has funded all of this as well as David Schottenstein and his family,” says Zimmerman.
For Zimmerman, this is personal because he has two brothers fighting. The Schottensteins have a nephew in battle.
“My older brother is 45 years he’s been in reserve for fifteen years. They have had tremendous support in Israel,” said Zimmerman. “Until we don’t get those kids back to Israel this war will not be over.”
There is passion in packing items. You can also see how big the bags are: Torches, flashlights, slings, protective gear, knee pads, and it all started with one person. He used his own money and said “I need to do something” and now he is looking for the community to help out.
“The tremendous amount of reservists does leave some with limited equipment,” says Zimmerman.
So they spend the day packing, working on logistics, trying to get more donations. All the while the little faces look on — 4-year-old Raz, 9-month-old Kfir, 2-year-old Aviv and so many others as the work and the war continue.