Dear Families,
The words below are from our dear brother Arale Wattenstein who was injured on this night. Let us think about him and of our other injured soldiers as we light our menorahs.
It was a cold night in December. This night, the third candle of Chanukah was being lit when we received a command to go to a school in Nablus and dig under a children’s sandbox because, believe it or not, that is the place where the terrorists were storing their weapons. After digging we found the weapons – what a terrible thing to find in a place where children play.
As we were driving out of the city a terrorist threw a molotov cocktail at our jeep and the cab where my driver and me we sitting instantly was engulfed in flames. I was carrying C4 explosives and I had to do something or I would become a bomb and blow up everyone in the jeep. I jumped out of the speeding jeep and when I hit the ground my spine was crushed. I didn’t feel anything, no pain at all. I just couldn’t move and I was now alone in a street filled with people who wanted to hurt me. Miraculously, another team was able to rescue me. I was told I would never walk again, but now I run, which is the second miracle.
I didn’t want to join BFL at first. I thought it was just a bunch of guys complaining about how hard their lives are since their injury. I wanted no part of that. I could not have been more wrong. The day I became a member was the day my life began to change in ways I could never imagine. This was the third miracle of my injury and it was a huge one. I was blessed to become a BFL leader and be part of the management team for 8 years. It was an amazing time. Now I am a manager in a fantastic plastics company in Israel.
Tonight when I light the menorah with my amazing wife Reut and my four incredible children, I will remember these miracles. I will remember all of my brothers and their miracles. And I will remember each one of you that I have had the privilege to call my friend. I love you all.
Chanukah Sameach!
Arale Wattenstein