Wounded Warriors of Israel Are Feted in NY

By ELIZABETH ELIZALDE

A group of wounded Israeli soldiers toured New York City, basking in  a warm welcome from the Israeli-Jewish community who honored them for their military service in the Gaza War.

The soldiers on Tuesday concluded their 10-day tour at Tiberias Restaurant in Manhattan where theyhad a private breakfast with former mayor Rudy Giuliani, a strong supporter of Israel.

Giuliani told Brooklyn News Service that he’s proud of the soldiers’ efforts to protect their homeland and the United States against terrorism.

“They’re fighting for us and not just for the state of Israel, “ he said. “We’re fighting a common enemy, the Hamas and extremist terrorists that want to destroy Israel and want to destroy America.”

New Yorkers and Giuliani experienced terrorism first hand in the 9/11 attacks and said he said he recognized the sacrifices soldiers made to protect their country.

“You gentlemen are heroes,” Giuliani added. “We very much appreciate what you’re doing.”

The soldiers sustained serious injuries from explosives on the war front and in underground tunnels built by Hamas to invade Israeli territory.

The kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers last July triggered the 50-day conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Naftali Fraenkel, 16, one of the teens, was an American citizen who often traveled from Israel to Brooklyn to visit family. He was walking home from school with his friends Gilad Shaar, also 16, and Eyal Yifrach, 19, when Hamas abducted them, an act Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned.

But Netanyahu received a better message on Tuesday, a group picture of Giuliani posing with the soldiers.

Rabbi Uriel Vigler, director of Chabad Israel Center, helped compose the text and captioned the photo with #BelevEchadWoundedIDFSoldiers,“special soldiers, not handicapped,” while the technically-challenged Giuliani only had to press send.

“The idea is to take them out of their element, to take them out of their surgery and pain for ten days and you bring them here, it’s pure therapy,” Uriel-Vigler said.

A Hamas explosive heavily injured Nir Hayon, 21, a wounded soldier who served in the military last summer as a sniper cover-up. The attack almost broke his right hand and shoulder, while fragments penetrated his neck and lower back.

Eight surgeries later, Hayon is in the final stages of rehabilitation. He will have to go through a bone transplant soon.

But amid medical treatments and rehabilitations, Hayon called the tour of New York “an amazing experience,” especially the helicopter ride he shared with his fellow soldiers over Manhattan.

“It’s good to smell some fresh air and not the hospital smells from Israel,” Hayon said.

Amir Roey, 21, served two years in the military and was let go because of an injury. He stepped on a bomb placed by Hamas, suffering fractures in his left leg and right ankle.

“I’m impressed with the warm welcome we had from the Israel-Jewish community,” Roey said. The dinners, recognition and support from people all over New York City, showed him how much the care for the soldiers.

Roey starts college in October and plans to study engineering.

“The trip is one time, but the support is forever,” said Belev Echad member Yaara Bank-Plotkin. “They can go back and continue their treatments with more strength.”