Grills of Hope: Barbecuing for Israel’s soldiers

Six months after October 7, at an IDF base overlooking the Gaza Strip, a nonprofit organization based in Ra’anana known as Grills of Hope was wafting a different kind of smoke into the air – that of freshly grilled meat. It was the organization’s 200th BBQ for soldiers serving in the Gaza war.

In the days following October 7, after the sudden mobilization of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and reservists, the troops were not only forced to leave their regular lives, families, and friends behind but also encountered shortages of equipment and food at their military bases. 

“All the soldiers have lives outside of the army,” said Yehoshua, who was stationed at the base just a kilometer from the war zone. Pointing to his soldiers, he added: “This one works in computers; that one is in management; he is a lawyer; he is a manager in a construction firm. Each one here has a life. The war started suddenly, and all of them left their lives behind to come here and fight.”

For Rafi Sandler, co-founder and logistics coordinator of Grills of Hope, the imperative to provide for soldiers – especially good food – has become a personal mission. He recounted the organization’s inception: “It started on October 9. It was Monday, and my friends and I were going crazy. What can we do to help? So we discussed and decided to merge a few of our passions together. We are mostly South Africans who love meat and hosting people. We reached out to two IDF units. Initially, there was a lot of chaos. They were not receiving much food, mostly cold food. So we took it upon ourselves, spent our own money, bought frozen food, and organized a BBQ for these two units. It felt fulfilling. It was a win-win. We were helping – feeding the soldiers.”

In the ensuing months, the demand for their popular meat meals grew, and a steady stream of requests poured in. Grills of Hope formed a partnership with Samuels, a kosher food venue in Ra’anana which serves as both a logistical hub and a makeshift headquarters for the organization. What began as a mission to feed soldiers eventually expanded to hosting 10 to 15 BBQs a week, sometimes three or four a day. The organization has reached soldiers at virtually every non-active battle location, from the Gaza envelope up to the northern border, and even Judea and Samaria.

Reflecting on their journey, Sandler remarked, “Initially, it was about feeding the soldiers, then it became about morale. Being in active duty for so long, they haven’t seen civilian life for a while. They would often say, after a stint in battle in Gaza, ‘You remind me of my mother”; ‘You remind me of my cousin.’ We are thanking them while they are thanking us at the same time. It feels rewarding, knowing we are making a difference where it counts.”

While the initial BBQs were sponsored from the personal funds of volunteers, as demand and networking expanded most are now largely sponsored by outside groups. This 200th BBQ was sponsored by the Mizrachi movement of South Africa, which also sent a team to assist in serving the soldiers.

Rabbi Hillel Van Leeuwen, head of World Mizrachi’s leadership program and head of the Religious Zionist Shlichut Center, was very excited about the role of bringing groups together to support the soldiers.

“It is truly amazing,” the rabbi said. “It is a way to connect Jews from abroad, to come and spend a few days in a very condensed fashion, a very emotional ride. Part of the itinerary is to pamper a different unit of soldiers every week, so this is just one of the amazing teams.” 

After providing for the soldiers and seeing the situation on the ground first hand, Diaspora Jews return home and become “shlichim [emissaries] in the war effort,” according to Van Leeuwen. “Many are interviewed in local media, and they are able to say, ‘Don’t tell me your lies. I was there, I saw, I met hostage families, I met bereaved families, soldiers who got wounded [while helping to transfer] humanitarian aid,’” he said. “Their mission begins here, but it’s only the beginning and continues once they go back to their home communities.”

Soon after the Grills of Hope crew arrived, the portable grills were quickly assembled. Team members, dressed in AI-designed shirts efficiently placed the kosher meat and BBQ sauces alongside bread and garlic dips and salads. Soldiers at the base passed by, smiling at what they saw. 

“It is great what you are doing for us,” said Amichai, who was in Gaza on rotation and returned just hours earlier. “We feel so grateful that you are here,” said another. “Gaza has become a war zone wasteland; we have no telephones inside and are away from our families; you make us feel closer to home.” 

Grills of Hope BBQ provides IDF members a much-deserved break from war

An IDF captain, Eytan Fassberg Yafe, assembled his troops for a quick debriefing. Separating business from pleasure was, however, difficult for the officer, who had a glow on his face as his mood improved from the fresh aroma of BBQ. A Tampa Bay resident, he was on his post-army South East Asian tour when Hamas attacked.

“I was on Mount Everest on October 7 with a friend of mine from officers’ school, and we got the phone call only in the evening of the 7th,” he said. “After we got reception and then rescued ourselves from the mountain, we arrived here a week later, on October 15, and went straight to our units. I did not meet the unit before. It was my first time with the unit; I was not supposed to be their commander. Four days in, the commander had cold feet, and the company commander said, ‘Good luck; this is your team; you are going into Gaza with these people; you have a week to prepare.’ And that’s what happened.

“After our second round in Beit Hanun, four days inside, I and three of my soldiers got into an ambush. An IED [improvised explosive device] was triggered, [causing] a huge explosion, and the building collapsed on us. Five minutes later started the shooting, then RPGs, the whole classic ambush. While the medic and the doctor were taken care of us, we had a firefight, I got hit throughout my entire body, and parts of my body still had shrapnel.”

Yafe said the Grills of Hope BBQ is impressive not only because it brings people together but also because it marks six months into the war. “The BBQ really warms our hearts to see people six months later giving with their heart and their money. We genuinely thought this would go downhill after two months; everyone would forget and live their lives… so this is truly amazing,” he said.

After a brief speech from a Mizrachi representative, trying to connect the South African love of good meat to embracing the soldiers, the music began. A band accompanied the Grills of Hope team to lift the spirits of the soldiers, some of whom had just returned from Gaza. The band’s name comes from its first performance for soldiers serving in Gaza. One of the soldiers told them that it was the first time he had danced since Simchat Torah. The musicians were so moved by his expression of joy, that they named their band Hakafot Hashniyot.

Liron Bernstein, the lead singer, explained their motivation: “We wanted to do something, to be active. As olim, we couldn’t put on a uniform, so we got together a few guys and put together a band. We like to tell the soldiers, ‘We can’t carry weapons, so we bring up instruments of music.’ It has been an amazing journey for us. They all need different things. We had to learn all sorts of different songs. Can be different, some religious, some less. To be able to uplift them and give them strength. We want to show them that we care and love them and that we will do this as long as it takes to give them the boost they need.”

After an hour of playing, and with several types of mouthwatering meat – chicken, steak, and sausages – grilled and served to the satisfied soldiers, it was time to wind down. Several soldiers were smoking hookahs, while others chatted with the South African Mizrachi or Grills of Hope volunteers about their tales of encounters with Hamas gunmen and their experiences out in the field. Soon, three cars belonging to Grills of Hope were loaded again with portable grills and equipment for the one-hour drive back to the country’s center.

Jonathan Bloom, co-founder of Grills of Hope with Sandler, believes the BBQ demonstrated the clear impact the organization is having. “The event was awesome,” he said. “We have become really good at it. Charcoal BBQs have become very efficient. It was amazing also because of the band. The whole purpose of what we do is to show the soldiers that the people of Israel care about them. Seeing them sing and dance and wishing them success builds morale.

“We’ve done an average of one and a half BBQs per day since the war started, but as you can see in the group of 270 people, some have done two or three, others have done dozens,” Bloom said. “The South African community of Ra’anana [but not only South Africans and not only Ra’aana residents] got together and raised around NIS 2.5 million.”

Because the war is continuing, said Bloom, no one is celebrating their 200th BBQ, “but it’s a good milestone for us.” In the meantime, what matters most of all for Bloom and Sandler is that soldiers continue to be fed well and are shown the appreciation of the nation.■