Photo Friday (Vol. XXV) [Yom Ha'Atzmaut edition]

Today's edition of Photo Friday will be short on the verbiage and long on the images.  It's not that I have nothing to say, but rather that the pictures speak volumes. 

Just like last year, we spent our Yom Ha'atzmaut (Israel Independence day) volunteering at the local Pina Chama. 

'Pina Chama' literally translates as 'warm corner', but is actually a small canteen where any soldier can stop in year 'round and have a cold/hot drink, homemade cake & cookies, popcorn, etc.  The building, and everything in it, were donated by people who care deeply about the welfare of soldiers... and all of the food and drink is prepared and donated by local families (or sponsors living abroad).  The Pina Chama is staffed full time by local volunteer 'dodim v'dodot' (aunts & uncles) who make sure there is always a friendly face waiting to greet the tired, dirty soldiers who come in from the field to relax for a few minutes.

Every Independence day, there is a big all-day mangel (BBQ) for the soldiers, and hundreds of them stop in for a little 'home hospitality'.  Many of them take packaged meals back to soldiers in the field who are not able to get to the Pina Chama.

Gilad carried the fresh meat out to the grill and brought the cooked burgers, hot dogs, sausages, kabobs, chicken wings and chicken schnitzels in to the serving tables for the soldiers to eat.

Ariella worked in the kitchen making sure the cakes, cookies and pastries were cut up and arranged nicely on trays for the soldiers to eat... and offering cold drinks to everyone who came in.

Zahava spent the day running after Yonah!  (OK, so maybe not everyone had fun!)

My job was to work the grill throughout the day.

Here are a couple of officers relaxing:

These guys arrived before the food was fully prepared so they waited patiently... just like good soldiers! :

Inside the Pina Chama one of the more popular attractions is the cold drink machine.  It was a full-time job keeping these dispensers (there are three of them) filled with lemonade and fruit punch.  Note the unit flags behind and above the soldier.  The ceiling and walls of the Pina chama are covered with flags (with inscriptions of thanks) from the soldiers who come in:

Here is another view inside the Pina Hama (flags, flags everywhere!).  For some reason most of the soldiers who came in for the mangel were paratroopers (they are the only ones who wear the red boots).  I suppose that different units rotate through various areas:

Here is a happy group waiting to be served:

Another bunch enjoying their meals (note: the soldier with the long hair on the right is a girl):

Which is not to say that long hair was confined to the women soldiers.  It wasn't hard to spot the reservists who were spending the holiday away from friends and family:

Another view (just in case the hair wasn't clear in the last picture):

Although we had a nice selection of food, I was shocked to see soldiers coming back for seconds and thirds of the hot dogs.  Israel has a space program, a world class scientific community, and is a leader in a wide range of technical fields.  But for some reason they can't produce a decent hot dog!  Oh well, there's no accounting for taste:

Even the tablecloths were made festive for the occasion:

Every few minutes another jeep, ambulance or transport truck would pull up with hungry soldiers:

They just kept coming...:

And coming...:

And coming:

When they had finished... many soldiers took meals back to their friends in the field:

We were there from about 10:30 in the morning until after 4:00 in the afternoon.  During most of that time I was so enveloped by smoke that I should have been earning Marlboro Miles' (no, I don't smoke!):

When we got home we were all bone tired, dirty and suffering from mild sunstroke... but I can't think of a better (or more meaningful) way to have spent the holiday.

If any of you would like to support the Pina Chama (either as individuals or through an organization) your checks will go a long way towards making sure there is always a comfortable, welcoming place for Israel's soldiers to come for a few minutes and enjoy some home hospitality.

Here is the info:

The Pina Chama
8/2 Rechov Haziporen
Efrat, 90435
ISRAEL

The soldiers who come to the Pina Chama throughout the year come from every segment of Israeli society; Religious, non-religious, right wing, left wing, big city and tiny settlements, etc.  They are kids away from home who are doing their national service and deserve our respect and thanks for the hardships they endure on behalf of their country.

I hope everyone who celebrated Yom Ha'atzmaut had as much fun as we did!

Shabbat Shalom!