Those who have had made the acquaintance of Yehuda Oren say that he is always the first one to volunteer when there's a call for help. In fact, they say, he doesn't even wait for the call. He makes himself available whenever he sees a chance to do good.
Oren, 74, is the past Israeli co-chair of JUF's Partnership Together (P2G) program, linking Jews in Chicago with its partnered region of Kiryat Gat-Lachish-Shafir, and is a resident of Shafir.
That's a job that Oren, who worked for many decades as a safety advisor for factory workers and heavy-machine operators, has been passionate about since P2G's inception 30 years ago. He has been tireless in his pursuit of developing cooperative ventures that create enduring ties. As the online magazine ISRAEL 21c reported in 2005, Oren was one of the catalysts of the Partnership program called Chess-Net, a virtual chess tournament, that connected Jewish youth in Chicago with those in Israel and the Ukraine. Two decades later, two of those players continue to play together.
Today, Oren is seeking additional ways to help his communities. Following the Hamas attack on Israel almost two years ago, he has been persistent in trying to re-up his service in the IDF-to no avail. But his perseverance finally paid off.
About two months ago, Oren received word that the IDF was reinstating him as an active duty reservist, a remarkably rare occurrence for someone his age. "This notice made me happier than anything I had felt in a long time," he wrote in a recent email. "I know that when I come to serve, I will carry my share of the burden. I know that in doing so, I will alleviate the burden of other soldiers, on mandatory duty and in the reserves. I know that I can do it, and I am therefore obligated to do so."
In a follow-up interview with Jewish Chicago, Oren said his recent duty entailed driving heavy trucks in the southern part of Israel. His capacity as an active-duty reservist will remain noncombatant in nature, but he will willingly perform any task asked of him.
Before his re-enlistment was approved, Oren was already assisting in the war effort. Residents of their moshav (village) Massuot Yitzhak, Oren and his wife, Henya, along with other members of his community, have been preparing food packages for soldiers. Their schnitzel, they say, has achieved some renown.
The Orens and their fellow moshav members have been offering available spaces in the moshav to reservists who need a place to sleep, shower, and rest. And one of the moshav's companies, which produces wet wipes, has been shipping out packages of the hygiene product to Israeli soldiers.
Oren said that his altruism was not born in a vacuum but, rather, was a product of his home environment as a child. "I ate it every day-breakfast, lunch, and dinner," he said of his family's generosity to others. His parents were Holocaust survivors, he said, and although "we didn't have a big house, we always had room for everyone." This meant those in need-of a meal, a bed, or a safe space-were always welcomed at the Orens' home.
A father of five, grandfather of 16, and great-grandfather of five, Oren said that his family is proud of the many ways he has served his communities. Nine immediate members of the Oren family, including Yehuda, are serving in the IDF in the current war effort.
"Yehuda is an amazing person," said Elissa Polan, JUF's Associate Vice President of Israel & Overseas Projects and Programs. "He takes the initiative, inspires others, and serves as an example of someone who serves their community selflessly."
Robert Nagler Miller is a journalist and editor who writes frequently about arts- and Jewish-related topics from his home in New York.
