A Reflection on Matkon Im Zikaron

Written by Uriel Lin, Federation’s Community Shlicha (Israel Emissary) to B’nai Israel Congregation

I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful Matkon Im Zikaron (A Recipe for Remembrance) cooking kits project we ran at B’nai Israel Congregation, in collaboration with the “Taste of Memories” initiative and Friends of the IDF (FIDF). It was truly a remarkable experience, and I am grateful to have had the opportunity to work with everyone to bring this project to life.

The project was particularly meaningful as it aimed to commemorate the memory of fallen soldiers and victims of terror through their favorite recipes – Corporal Hadar Cohen, First Sergeant Major Ohad Shemesh, and Kim Levengrond-Yehezkel. It was heartwarming to see how these recipes and stories brought people from all walks of life together, creating a sense of community and shared experience.

In addition to the impact the project had on the recipients, I am thrilled to share that we were able to fundraise $450 by selling 35 cooking kits. We decided to donate this money to lone soldiers through FIDF, further honoring the memory of those who have served and sacrificed for our country and emphasizing the strong connection between Israel and Jewish communities abroad.

This project was unique and demanded a lot! we had to do a lot of coordination and planning to make this project a success. We purchased bulk produce, designed a guidance sheet, and printed the story of the fallen soldiers. It was a lot of work, but it was all worth it when we saw the impact it had on those who received the cooking kits.

In total, we were able to reach approximately 140 people, of all ages and backgrounds. It was truly moving to see how much the project meant to them, and how much they appreciated the effort we put into it.