Click here to pledge online. 

Dear friend,

As you know, last year, the Chabad Jewish Community Center in conjunction with UJA Aspen Valley and Challenge Aspen, hosted a group of disabled Israeli war veterans for a week of therapeutic, recreational and inspirational activities in our community. The program was one of the most heartwarming and meaningful we have ever undertaken, which is why when my friend, Rabbi Menachem Kutner, Director of Victims of Terror Support Group in Israel, called and asked if we’d be willing to host another group this year, I couldn’t say “yes!” fast enough.

I invite you to join me in performing this most incredible and rewarding mitzvah again this year.

From February 16 - 23, we will be hosting a group of heroes from Israel, providing them lodging in our center, three meals a day and coordinating a full schedule of programs and activities including a beautiful “Welcoming Reception & Shabbat Experience” with our spirited and hospitable community, and five days of skiing with the dedicated staff and volunteers of Challenge Aspen.

Challenge Aspen makes skiing a possibility for all disabilities. By providing patient direction and assistance, and utilizing adaptive ski equipment, they enable the physically impaired to go beyond their limitations and see all that still exists in their new and challenging lives. Physically, spiritually, mentally and emotionally, they enjoy a level of renewed confidence, serenity and exhilaration that few other experiences provide.

We are all citizens of Israel. These are our brothers. The sacrifices they made – the bullets they took, the shrapnel they absorbed, the loss of limb and mobility they suffered – they made on behalf of us all. Giving them back an experience like this is one of the most gratifying actions we, as a community, can take. I hope you will see the value of joining me in this effort.

The cost to us – including airfare, food, accommodations, special care and entertainment – is approximately $4,000 per visitor. Enclosed please find a form outlining various levels of support you can undertake – from $300 to sponsor a visitor for one half day to $4,000 to sponsor a visitor for the entire week. Whichever level you choose, I assure you that the joy you derive from this gift will warm your heart and touch your soul in a very deep and lasting way.

I also hope that you will mark your calendar for the “Welcoming Reception and Shabbat Experience” with our special guests on Friday night, February 19th. Last year, the uplifting singing, sharing and storytelling continued well into the night. You won’t want to miss it.

Looking forward to your partnership and participation in this beautiful endeavor, I remain,

Click here to pledge online. Or to Donate via mail, please mail check to:

Chabad Jewish Center - Israel Vets project, 435 W. Main Street, Aspen, CO 81611

Sincerely,

Rabbi Mendel Mintz
Director - Chabad Jewish Community Center

Rob Leavitt
President, UJA Aspen Valley