Benzi’s latest “Behind the Flames” column in the Shabbat weekly “Matzav HaRuach”:
The Lehava Organization’s “The Next Star” program
The famous story of the wise men of Chelm who built a hospital under a bridge, was one of the reasons for establishing the Lehava organization. Until then, we had worked with at-risk girls and with girls who had already fallen and who had been exploited by Arabs. And then we decided – no more. We – a number of known and lesser known bodies, got organized and decided to pre-empt the disease with the cure. To go to the girls before they go to the villages. To speak about the dangerous phenomenon and not to fear threats and insults. To be not “politically correct”, because we’re talking about our daughters and our sisters. To be those who cry out the truth openly, even if this truth hurts sometimes, and to explain to everyone: Don’t say “this can’t happen to me”, because it can and does happen to everyone, to all sectors, to all ethnic communities, to all types of kippot wearers.
We are really not looking to rescue, we are trying to prevent the phenomenon long before that.. If it’s needed, of course we rescue, but the main thing is the prevention and early persuasion of the girls and boys – to preserve Jewish identity. And yes, there are bigger and more important things than love, and of course, than an imaginary love, that has nothing behind it except for exploitation and harm…
In order to get as much exposure as possible and so that we can present as many good reasons as possible to avoid the slippery slope, and so that we can convince our daughters and sisters in the most effective way – we have embarked on a “Convince Her” campaign – a creative writing and video competition, which is essentially the Lehava organization’s “Next Star” program. Will you succeed in convincing Nehama’s sister, who chose to marry a Xtian gentile, or Shivat Zion’s friend, who following unrequited love found solace in Yossi, who is actually Yusuf?
The goal is to write an article or make a video that will convince an assimilating girl to put an end to her connections with a gentile and return to the Jewish people. The articles and videos will be ranked by the general public, who will vote and decide who the winners are.
We made sure to provide a series of prizes to the winners of the competition. For the first-place winner: Purchase vouchers worth NIS 2000 in choice store chains, and: The video will be posted on the (Hebrew) Arutz 7 website and the article, in a parsha-of-the-week handout. Second place: To be posted on Lehava’s website, and purchase vouchers worth NIS 500. Third place: Purchase vouchers worth NIS 250 and posted on Lehava’s website.
Articles and videos can be submitted until Rosh Chodesh Tevet.
Of course, the main prize of the competition is gaining a whole world! If, thanks to your video or article, a girl or boy will choose not to assimilate – you will have merited them and saved them and all of their children. And is there a greater prize than this?
Do you know someone who knows how to write and create? Send him/her the info. on the campaign, and together we will succeed in rescuing more Jews and in “convincing her”!
To participate, and for more details: https://www.leava.co.il/writing/
Or write to our email: o.leava@gmail.com
