In an ongoing effort to educate the community at large about Israel and the ongoing war efforts, United Jewish Federation of Stamford, New Canaan and Darien (UJF) recently hosted two Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers. T he visit was coordinated by Eden Refaelovich, UJF’s Shlicha (Israeli emissary), in partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel. The soldiers shared personal stories and had in-depth conversations, which made an impact on the local community. From schools to police stations, the soldiers traveled around the area, giving their f irst-hand account of not just how they responded to the October 7 attacks but also what actions they took to protect Israeli citizens during that difficult period. Given IDF regulations, there was limited publicity of their visit. Throughout their four days with UJF, both Maayan and Amit met with over 500 people, including many from the non-Jewish community. The soldiers also sat down for various Q&As at community members’ homes and at the Fairfield County Celebrates Israel Festival where they were welcomed with open arms. Thank you to the extended Waldstreicher family and the Furman/Landauer Family for serving as hosts and extended family for the guests. Maayan and Amit both shared how it was so meaningful for them to see how much the Jewish community here cares about them, the hostages, and Israel. They return home with stories to share and truly feel they are not alone.