Editor, The Smithfield Times:

Volpe Boykin is my new personal hero! 

His account last week (“Volunteer reflects on time with Israel Defense Forces”) of his volunteer adventures in Israel set an example for us all. He did what many of us just dream of doing, taking an extreme personal risk for a cause that is just and noble. 

Christians know from John’s gospel that “greater love hath no man than he lay down his life for his friends.” And, as historical fact, this New Testament challenge would not be possible without the inspiration of the Hebrew Old Testament. 

We all know the very existence of the world’s only Jewish state is now under assault by their sworn enemies who vow a second Holocaust. The first established Jewish nation, the Land of Israel (Eretz Israel), was destroyed 2,000 years ago, causing the worldwide Diaspora. But Jews now once again have a homeland since 1948 for those who wish to live there. Israel is also the only Western-style democracy in the entire Middle East. 

These are causes worth risking all for, and Volpe Boykin has shown us what real commitment is!

 

Albert P. Burckard Jr.

Carrollton