A few weeks ago, here at Camp Dora Golding, we had a special event packing boots for Israeli soldiers. It was under the auspices of a program called Boots for Israel. We were graced with a visit from Yakir Wachstock, the founder of the program.
Yakir related the story of how he became involved in this project. He is an occupational therapist by trade and works with several yeshivos in Queens where he lives. During the Covid pandemic, schools were closed and he needed to find alternative work.
He has a brother who quit dentistry to become an Amazon reseller, and his brother helped Yakir learn how to do Amazon reselling, as well.
At 2:30 a.m. on the night of October 11, 2023, just four days after the horrible carnage of October 7, Yakir received a WhatsApp phone call. The phone rang and rang until Yakir finally answered. The caller said, “This is Major Daniel Jacobs from the IDF. Can you help us get army boots?” At first Yakir told him he called the wrong number. But Jacobs persisted, “We heard you work with Amazon. We are about to go on a special mission. Maybe you can get boots for my soldiers through Amazon. We don’t know where else to turn.”
Yakir sat up in bed in a deep sweat. His mind was racing. How could he not help but what could he do? He thought about his friend Avi who sells shoes online and thought maybe Avi would have an idea. When Yakir told Avi about the situation, Avi replied that just a month earlier he came across an amazing deal on strong boots from Italy, and now he would pursue it. Avi then donated 88 pairs of boots. They were able to get the boots to Major Jacobs a day before his battalion went on their mission.
Since then, Yakir has spearheaded sending over 60,000 boots to IDF soldiers. It’s a process to remove the boots from their boxes and casing and re-tie them in a way that preserves as much space as possible.
One of the campers asked Yakir why they specifically pack boots, if there are so many other needs that soldiers require. Yakir explained that at the beginning of the war, many soldiers were wearing boots that were in terrible condition. Even if a soldier has the equipment he needs, if his boots are worn out, it can slow him down and have grave consequences. A soldier must always be able to move quickly and be able to get around with ease. There is also the added benefit that we can be involved in helping our soldiers in their vital efforts.
This week, our campers went on divisional trips: roller skating, bowling, and SkyZone. I found it interesting that all three trip locations require specific footwear. Roller skates or rollerblades are needed for roller skating, bowling shoes for bowling, and special socks must be worn to jump at SkyZone.
We often don’t think about or appreciate our shoes and/or sneakers. In fact, most of us in America have multiple pairs of shoes and sneakers. (This is even more true of the female contingent of the human race, who seem to have an endless need for more footwear.) Our feet, quite literally, carry us to wherever we need to go. If our feet aren’t adequately protected and prepared, our ability to accomplish our goals will be severely hampered. This is true for soldiers in combat, and for us in our daily lives.
One of the restrictions of Tish’ah B’Av and Yom Kippur is that we don’t wear leather shoes during those days. In light of the above, strong shoes symbolize our ability and effort to proceed and accomplish. During these two unique days, we stop our perennial quest forward in order to focus on the past. We don’t like to focus on our shortcomings or on the sad moments of life. Truthfully, it is unhealthy for a person to get mired in his past. Such focus can lead a person down the rabbit hole of depression and despair. However, when the ultimate goal is to proceed forward, periodic focusing on the past is necessary to help a person learn how to grow from past failings.
On Yom Kippur, we focus on our sins so that we can expunge them. On Tish’ah B’Av, we allow the melancholy of our suffering and anguish to envelop us. We sit on the floor physically and emotionally, allowing ourselves to confront the national and personal pain we have endured. We remove our shoes to symbolize that we aren’t running from our past or the pain it conjures up.
But an equally vital part of Tish’ah B’Av is when we rise from the floor at midday and begin to accept a modicum of comfort. We don our t’filin and recite Nacheim at Minchah and read the haftarah of a regular fast day calling for repentance. Then, when the day ends, we not only break our fast, but we also don our shoes.
As we usher in the saddest day on the Jewish calendar, we remove our shoes, symbolizing that we are about to stare in the face of all the tears and sadness that we try to bury throughout the year. But when Tish’ah B’Av ends, we place our shoes back on, symbolizing that we are ready to forge ahead – not despite our pain but because of it. We view our suffering as part of a bigger picture and that, despite it all, it is our privilege to be part of the greatest story in the history of the world.
We do not move on from the anguish of Tish’ah B’Av; we move forward!
Rabbi Dani Staum, LMSW, a rebbe at Heichal HaTorah in Teaneck, New Jersey, is a parenting consultant and maintains a private practice for adolescents and adults. He is also a member of the administration of Camp Dora Golding for over two decades. Rabbi Staum was a community rabbi for ten years, and has been involved in education as a principal, guidance counselor, and teacher in various yeshivos. Rabbi Staum is a noted author and sought-after lecturer, with hundreds of lectures posted on torahanytime.com. He has published articles and books about education, parenting, and Torah living in contemporary society. Rabbi Staum can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. His website containing archives of his writings is www.stamTorah.info.