A small synagogue in Yoram Eliyahu's hometown, Kirat-Shmona, was damaged by missile fire during Israel's second war with Lebanon. The building's structure had been severely damaged.
When Yoram heard news of this, he immediately felt compelled to help. He donated funds to assist in fixing the damage. Feeling that such an event went beyond just physical damage, however, Yoram felt that something more should be done to assist this congregation.
He also donated a new Torah to in order to boost morale and give back to his hometown. He performed the proper research and found that the Torah must be handwritten on highly selective parchment paper.
Further, Yoram also uncovered a special writer (sofer) to handle the torah assignment. Finally, he took the necessary steps to ensure that the new Torah would be safely delivered.
To this day, the rebuilt synagogue and the donated Torah are still used in Kirat-Shmona and the congregation is still thriving.
Yoram Eliyahu is actively involved with Chabad of Flushing and has been working with this organization for the past ten years. His involvement began when Yoram became aware of the many Jewish families .. read more
There were many events that influenced and inspired Yoram Eliyahu throughout his life. These events helped shape his present dedication to his community. One of Yoram's earliest inspirations came from Chabad a large Jewish movement that provides outreach and educational activities for Jews. He first encountered them during his three-year term in the Israeli army. He was impressed with how they provided food and drinks to the soldiers of his unit during holidays.. read more