100 lone soldiers prepare Mishloach Manot for wounded warriors

Yesterday evening (Wednesday), the Ministry of Immigration and Absorbtion, in collaboration with the Jewish Agency and the Mirage Fund, marked Purim in a touching manner: Around 100 lone soldier immigrants gathered at Beit Hatfutsot in Tel Aviv to celebrate Purim together as part of the "Wings" program.

During the evening, the soldiers prepared mishloach manot for their fellow immigrant soldiers who were wounded and still hospitalized, and today they will personally distribute them to hospitals.

Additionally, the soldiers were asked to dress up as superheroes and held a costume competition in memory of Ariel and Kfir Bibas (of blessed memory). The event featured orange balloons associated with the Bibas family to remind everyone that we do not forget them and the heroism that characterizes them.

One soldier who stood out in this effort was A. A was born in Argentina and grew up in Buenos Aires, where he attended high school and even completed his bachelor's degree. At age 23, driven by deep Zionist feelings, he immigrated entirely alone in July 2020, despite the COVID pandemic. Since he arrived without knowing Hebrew, he studied for 10 months in an ulpan to prepare for military service, and in August 2021, he enlisted as a combat soldier in the Paratroopers Brigade.

Because he was relatively older, he served only two years. After his discharge, he started working and planned the "big trip" like every discharged combat soldier, but just 4 months after A's release, October 7th occurred, and without hesitation, he immediately returned to his combat team.

A entered Gaza with his company in early November. After a few weeks, while he was on guard duty, an explosive device detonated on the building where the company was staying, and A received a large piece of shrapnel along his arm.

He was evacuated by helicopter from Gaza to Sheba Medical Center, underwent surgery, and was hospitalized for an entire month. With the support of the Ministry of Defense, A's parents flew halfway around the world from Argentina to Israel to be by his side during hospitalization and rehabilitation.

During his time in the hospital, A became familiar with the "Wings" program of the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration. He attended events, formed connections, made new friends, and participated in various program activities.

One example of the program's events was a trip to Cyprus for soldiers wounded in the war. The "Wings" program produced a retreat with psychologists to accompany lone immigrant soldiers after their injuries. A reports that it did him a lot of good, accelerated his recovery process, and contributed to everyone both physically and mentally. The Cyprus trip, like all "Wings" events, was primarily a discovery of care and concern from Israelis and was a source of relationships and friendships that continue to this day.

Today, A reports that his arm has returned to normal, and he has even finished physiotherapy. Moreover, he very much wants to return to the army and is trying to use connections to restore his medical profile to 97.

"My family is not here, but the friendships I made and the team I fought with give me the strength to continue wanting to stay in the country, develop it, and contribute," A explained. "They were an important part of my rehabilitation process. Today, thanks to them, I've secured a job, and I don't think I'll ever want to leave Israel."

This evening, where about 100 lone immigrant soldiers gathered together, was not just a joyous event in honor of Purim but also an opportunity for them to feel that they are soldiers but never alone. During the evening, the soldiers also prepared gift packages for immigrants who were injured during their service and are hospitalized. At the end, a surprise awaited them as they themselves received Purim gift packages for a happy holiday.