Nobody Heals Alone
This week, 200 courageous injured fighters, men and women, traveled deep into the desert for a BFL retreat focused on integrating newly injured soldiers. Soldiers injured in this war connected with our BFL members injured in previous wars. They connected, shared, and found their inner resilience. Our tradition teaches that the reason why the Torah was given in the desert is that it’s a place of openness where one can receive something new. This is exactly what happened this week—take a look at the 90-second video below.
Since 10/7, we have been laser-focused on the absorption and integration of what will be thousands of newly injured soldiers into BFL. Absorption starts at the hospital and, in many ways, is easier than what actually changes the lives of our members—integrating them into our progressive programs that take them through the healing journey back to life.
Itay, Sagi, and Afik, pictured below, are a perfect example of this. The three close friends served together in the elite Sayeret Nahal Brigade. On the morning of October 7th, they ran to Keren Shalom Kibbutz, which was attacked by Hamas, and fought to save as many lives as possible. They all came back unhurt, and their unit went into Gaza to fight not long after.
During a special mission, an anti-tank missile hit their unit, and a large piece of shrapnel tore immediately through Itay’s neck. Shrapnel also penetrated his shoulder and took his nose. Miraculously, the doctor was able to save his life, and until today, Itay is in daily rehabilitation. Sagi was hit badly in the leg, and his leg and life were saved at the same time as Itay’s. They flew together by helicopter to the hospital. Afik continued to fight and was later injured by shrapnel as well.
Itay explained that BFL met them in the hospital and gave him power and hope. They were accepted into BFL but were not yet integrated into our programs and community. The three understandably didn’t feel ready to deal with their injuries. I want to share that this is common for many newly injured soldiers, including myself. The last thing I wanted to do was talk about my injury, the most painful thing in my life. As we say in BFL, when you feel like you went from “hero to zero,” you do everything possible to avoid revisiting that feeling.
This retreat changed everything for Itay, Sagi, and Afik. There is something powerful in sharing with others who have faced the same pain and know exactly what you are dealing with. Suddenly, you see yourself in another soldier who is on the other side of his injury. It’s amazing. You get to experience the true power of BFL—that nobody heals alone.
These three brothers will not only heal—they will go on to help newly injured soldiers transform their lives as well.
Shabbat Shalom from Israel,
Yaniv