West Hempstead BBQ raises cash for One Israeli

There’s no better way to get people together than a barbeque, which is what Alan Schulman did last Wednesday in his West Hempstead home. This barbeque, however, had a higher purpose: to help raise money and awareness for One Israel Fund, an organization dedicated to providing aid and assistance to the Israeli people of Judea and Samaria.

“We need to make sure that all communities that exist in Israel continue to grow, thrive and remain safe,” said Scott Feltman, One Israel Fund’s Executive Vice President. “It’s extremely important to be able to give the families living there the tools they need to live normal and safe lives.”

According to Feltman, the night was nothing less than a success. “It was phenomenal. There were over 150 people and we raised over $22,000,” he said.

Shulman, a longtime supporter and donor of One Israel Fund, had the idea to host the barbeque fundraiser while having sushi with some friends. He and his friends advertised the event on social media expecting to only have a couple of friends attend.

“He was so touched by the outpouring of support,” said Feltman, “to have over 150 people there was way beyond his wildest dreams.”

People gathered in Shulman’s backyard and enjoyed an upscale barbeque with food donated by Mauzone’s Catering, which is co-owned by Schulman.

“This was a night where everyone could come out and enjoy themselves with a purpose,” said Feltman.

One of the event’s guest speakers, Mickey Zivan, was a former roommate of Eyal Yifrach Hy’d, one of the three Israeli boys that was kidnapped and killed in June. Zivan spoke about Eyal Yifrach Hy’d and his experiences with him at Yeshiva Shaavei Hebron in Israel. 

After Zivan spoke, a short informative video about what is going on in Israel was shown. The video was followed by a speech by Feltman, which included a brief description about One Israel Fund and its various goals and projects.

What makes One Israel Fund unique, according to Feltman, is that it concentrates its efforts completely on the communities along the Gaza border.

“We focus on getting the civilian security teams additional security equipment and medical equipment to be able to deal with the current crisis in Israel and the potential crises that may occur,” he said.

Thanks to everyone’s generous donations, the organization was able to buy every item on its list, including thermal surveillance camera systems, emergency medical equipment, high-powered lighting systems and communication equipment.

“People who are not regular donors are contacting us and saying ‘we want to do something, tell us what we can do,’” said Feltman.

For more information about the One Israel Fund, visit oneisraelfund.org