At the Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly, I’ve interviewed countless leaders and innovators. But every so often, someone sits down across from you whose story hits differently — raw, unfiltered, and deeply human.

That was my conversation with  Dr. Adi Vaxman, founder of Operation Israel, a grassroots volunteer organization that has already saved lives on the front lines.

What began with a moment of helplessness on October 7 became one of the most effective volunteer operations protecting IDF soldiers today.

“It was the first moment in my life that I felt actually helpless.”

On the morning of October 7, Adi and her family were in their New Jersey living room watching the unfolding massacre.

“We came across the first video of the white pickup truck filled with terrorists in the streets of Sderot,” she said. “And it was the first moment in my life that I felt actually helpless.”

A few hours later, everything changed.

A friend called. His son — a lone soldier in Givati — reported massive shortages.

“Ceramic vests, helmets, basic gear,” Adi recalled. “I asked myself, where do I buy ceramic vests that are approved by the IDF?”

She called former Ministry of Defense procurement contacts, waited until 2 a.m., and then did something extraordinary:

“I bought their entire inventory on my personal and company credit cards. It was........

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)