Edan Kleiman (Courtesy Beit Halochem)
When Edan Kleiman was elected as chairman of Beit Halochem Israel four months ago, he decided to visit all its offices worldwide.
The organization, which provides aid and services to wounded veterans, couldn’t fulfill its mission without the help of its international supporters, and Kleiman wanted to recognize that. So he embarked on a worldwide trip to introduce himself and show his gratitude, which brought him to Toronto on Nov. 21.
According to Kleiman, the vast majority of Jews, whether Israeli or Diaspora, believe that the Israeli government created and maintains Beit Halochem. In fact, he said, Beit Halochem was started by Jews from all over the world, including veterans, and receives only 16 per cent of its funding from the Ministry of Defence.
Kleiman said Canada has been the strongest supporter of Beit Halochem in the world for over a decade.
“I think the Canada community should be very, very proud of itself, because a lot of people talk Zionism, but only talk about it – not do it. The Canadian community does it,” he said.
Read the full article, originally published by the Canadian Jewish News on December 12, 2019.