B”H

Captain Shilo Rauchberger (may G-d avenge his blood) fell in battle on Simchat Torah, the first day of the war in the South. For four hours, Shilo led a fierce and determined fight; despite being severely wounded, he continued to command and fight until his very last drop of blood. Thanks to his extraordinary courage and resolve, his soldiers’ lives were saved, and the terrorists were prevented from advancing further into communities deep within Israel.

With our organization’s assistance, his parents, David and Nirit, dedicated a Torah scroll in his memory. In addition, they began establishing a memorial lookout (“Mitzpe”) in his honor, which they envision as a “Social Event Garden.” At its core, this site serves as a venue for wedding ceremonies and events for those in need, free of charge, reflecting Shilo’s selfless spirit.

To realize this vision, the site requires accessibility modifications and the installation of essential infrastructure, including electricity, water, and sewage systems.

Shilo was a man of love and deep human connection—a person who brought hearts together and added vitality wherever he went. The lookout is located in the community of Eli, overlooking the landscapes of his childhood, and is named Mitzpe Shilo.

Mitzpe Shilo will serve as a place of remembrance and an encounter with Shilo’s unique legacy for soldiers, groups, and families. Furthermore, the goal is for the lookout to become a meeting point that fosters connection between different segments of Israeli society. Shilo’s legacy will also be honored through the weddings of underprivileged couples held at the site.

Shilo did not have the chance to marry and build his own home. In his memory, his parents seek to continue growing life in his unique way—strengthening the bond of love between all parts of the nation and between husband and wife.

Shilo’s parents approached us for help in establishing the lookout, specifically regarding accessibility and infrastructure, so they may continue Shilo’s path of love and the creation of life. Because in Shilo’s way—we grow love.

In collaboration with the Charidy platform, we launched a crowdfunding campaign for this initiative. The people of Israel rallied together, and we successfully raised approximately 1 million NIS.

At a meeting held to present the first portion of the funds, we were joined by Nirit and David, Shilo’s parents, his two brothers, Rabbi Chaim Idels, Mr. David Shirel, and the undersigned. During the meeting, the parents shared that the first wedding has already taken place at the site—the groom was a lone soldier whose parents live abroad, and the bride came from an underprivileged family. Nirit and David personally took care of all the wedding arrangements. Another couple in a similar situation (the groom was one of Shilo’s soldiers) has already expressed interest in holding their wedding there.

On behalf of the family, we wish to thank everyone who contributed to the success of this campaign, the Charidy platform, and each of the 4,457 donors who took part. Thanks to you, we continue Shilo’s path—growing love.

Now that all contributions from the campaign (including those made in installments) have been received, we met again with Nirit and David to present them with the second portion of the donations, totaling 81,091.34 NIS. During this meeting, Nirit and David updated us on the progress of the construction and development of the lookout.

On behalf of Nirit and David, we wish to thank all the donors who contributed to this part of the campaign.

Attached are photos from the meeting.