Our boys were treated to the full New York City treatment for their second day in our iconic city, equipped with brand new GoPro cameras gifted to each soldier by the Upper East Side community. It began at a the famous Madame Tussaud’s wax museum where they good-naturedly hobnobbed with wax effigies of the rich and famous. They even engaged in a bit of Israeli dark humor when they were offered the chance to make wax replicas of their hands, quipping “$16.50? We can get fake hands at the hospital for free!” Next, they hopped over to Ripley’s Believe It or Not to explore the bizarre mysteries of our world.
Pizza lunch was hosted by Craig Nassi in a gesture of thanks for the boys’ service and sacrifice for the Holy Land.
Lunch was followed by a party bus tour with the Ride NYC, who managed to un-lame the bus tour with wannabe Broadway actors, complete with song and dance routines. They then continued on to Rockefeller Center’s The Top of the Rock, where they were stunned by the views. It was amazing, and perhaps ironic, to see our combat troops, our men-on-the-ground, juxtaposed against our city’s famed skyline.
An early dinner was held at Wolf and Lamb Steakhouse, hosted by Ruth Hirsch and her children, Randy and Debra North. The boys feasted on perfectly prepared steaks and artisanal burgers. An amazing day was matched by an evening spent with real-live Broadway stars at a viewing of the Tony Award-winning musical The Lion King.
Shay Zach of the Upper East Side took off two days from his work as partner at Epic Realty to join the trip. “As an Israeli and having serving in the IDF, this is clearly my cause. Being with these boys is like being with my friends, with my brothers.”
