David and Limor Kleinman came from Jerusalem with their four children to serve as educational shlichim in Miami for four years.

During this time, Rabbi Kleinman became a beloved Judaic studies teacher, forming deep connections with his students.

Driven by his unwavering commitment to Israel, Rabbi Kleinman knew exactly where he needed to be on October 7th. He immediately flew to Israel to serve in the IDF and has since been called up for emergency reserve duty two more times. All three deployments were under Tzav 8 — Israel’s wartime draft.

Each time, Rabbi Kleinman left his family behind to fulfill his duty. While the Miami community offered strong emotional support, the practical realities were far more complex. The legal protections and financial benefits typically granted to Israeli reservists did not apply to families living abroad.

Despite this disparity, Rabbi Kleinman never hesitated. When called for the third time, he once again answered.

After returning, his Shlichut position had been reassigned. His visa status prevented him from seeking alternative employment in the U.S., yet returning to Israel mid-year would have caused major disruption for his children. He chose instead to volunteer as a Judaic studies teacher in a different school while the family completed the school year.

Now, the Kleinman family hopes that upon their return to Israel, they can advocate for legislative change — so that no reservist family living abroad will have to face the same legal and logistical uncertainty they experienced.

➡️ WATCH RABBI KLEINMAN ON LOCAL 10 NEWS

David’s Service:

The Impact:

During his absence for the third time, David’s position was filled in order to provide continuity for his students. Because he was serving from abroad, he was not protected by Israeli laws that guaranteed:

Full reservist compensation (matching one’s regular salary).

Job protection after reserve service — preventing dismissal or reassignment without consent.

These protections do not apply to IDF reservists who live outside Israel.

The result was a loss of over $45,000 — with no support system to fall back on.

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What We’re Asking For

We’re hoping to raise $45,000 to recover the lost income resulting from Rabbi Kleinman’s third round of reserve duty. These funds would be incredibly helpful in supporting our family through the transition period as we move back from Miami to Israel at the end of the school year.

Of the funds received, we will donate 10% (מעשר) and work to create a change.

How Will We Create Real Change?

To ensure that what happened to us never happens again — to any family answering the call of service — we are turning our personal battle into a national mission.

We are taking two concrete, systemic actions:

1. Legislative Reform in Israel:

We are advocating for an amendment to the Reserve Duty Law that will allow Israeli reservists living abroad to submit foreign pay stubs as valid proof of income. This change would finally guarantee fair compensation for their service — regardless of geography.

2. Binding Job Protection for Shlichim:

We are pushing for a mandatory policy:

All institutions that host Israeli Shlichim abroad — such as the Jewish Agency or the World Zionist Organization — must require host employers to sign a binding clause ensuring job protection and reinstatement for reservists called up to serve.

Any employer that refuses will no longer be eligible to host Israeli representatives.

Join Us. Every Gift Makes a Difference.

Together, we can ensure that no soldier is ever left behind — not in service, not in sacrifice, and not in the systems meant to protect them.

Your support helps us turn our mission into national policy.

Grab a tissue before you read the letters David's students from the Diaspora wrote to him

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