Bet El Supermarket Opens Extra Hours Arutz Sheva News Service Monday, April 1, 2002 / Nissan 19, 5762 - Fifth Day of Pesach Michael Zucker is an owner of a supermarket in Bet El which enlisted Saturday night to help feed the more than one thousand IDF reservists who arrived in the Bet El army base as part of the IDF offensive into nearby Ramallah. Zucker told Arutz-7 today that he had gone away for Passover vacation intending to spend the week out of town. Upon hearing of the lack of food on Saturday night, he instructed workers to open the supermarket. He cancelled his vacation plans and returned home early Sunday morning: "On my way in on the Ramallah bypass road, my mobile phone started ringing, and I see these numbers coming in from Tel Aviv. I had absolutely no idea who they were... On the other end of the phone were these people from various hi-tech companies, and they wanted to donate money to help provide food for the soldiers. I received about nine phone calls from companies all over the country. They heard that both of Bet El's supermarkets had opened up extra hours, and they wanted to contribute to the war effort..." Zucker then told that a bank clerk from Tel Aviv, where the supermarket's bank account is managed, called to ask a favor: "my son is a platoon commander in the Golani Brigade, now based in Bet El. They've got absolutely no food. Please just go give him whatever he wants." Zucker filled up his car with food paid for in part by the bank clerk and in part by donations from local residents, and headed to the base to find their son. After unloading the supplies, one of the soldiers in the unit approached Zucker and said, "I've got to tell you that I used to vote for the very far left -- until Friday when I came to Bet El. The amount of love, warmth, and affection that the people of Bet El have shown me over the whole Shabbat... I'm no longer a leftist. You guys are the true Zionists, and I want to follow in your path." April 2, 2002 followup: COOKIN' FOR SOLDIERS CONTINUES While it appears that IDF reservists are no longer stranded without any food, a spontaneous movement of Jewish women in Beit El, Jerusalem, Gush Etziyon, Eli and other locations are still cooking hot meals for the soldiers to complement the meager battle rations which they have been issued. Beit El Supermarket owner Michael Zucker (+972-52-635-409) is organizing the bringing of goods to troops in Bet El. A mother of one such soldier, Tova Kersner , is distributing meals in the Shechem and Gush Etziyon area. Jerusalem Habad is in on the action too with Ken Berman (+972-55-418-423) leading the initiative.