Dozens of skydivers have formed a human Star of David in the sky over California in an act of solidarity with Israel intended to spread the message of being "united against hate".
The group of 51 skydivers, led by world champion turned instructor Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld, undertook the challenge last week in the city of Perris.
Brodsky-Chenfeld said he organised the challenge to highlight increasing antisemitism in the world following Hamas’s terrorist attack on the Jewish state.
He told Ynet News: “Everything became much worse, and I wanted to do something about it."
After coming up with the idea, the instructor said he reached out to 50 fellow freefall parachuting enthusiasts to discuss the challenge.
“I asked if they could come to the airport in the city of Perris in Southern California,” Brodsky-Chenfeld said.
"They had only a three-day notice, and everyone showed up, and we did it together. It was amazing."
Huge appreciation to the California skydivers for forming the Star of David. Thank you Dan Brodsky-Chenfeld for spearheading this powerful initiative.
— Consul General Idit Shamir (@ShamirIdit) November 15, 2023
“With antisemitism and hate on the rise, this group of 50 skydivers from the western US gathered at Skydive Perris to speak up… pic.twitter.com/YJP0A1dOdX
The challenge itself involved a complex jump with six connected triangles. Of the scores of skydivers who participated, five were Jewish.
Brodsky-Chenfeld continued: “All the others [who participated] are my good friends, skydivers of all ages, who love Israel and stand for humanity, against hatred and bigotry.”
Asked what the atmosphere was like among the skydivers during the challenge, he said: “Due to the challenging events in Israel, there was a mix of both uplifting and sombre vibes.
“Everyone felt a strong sense of unity and a desire to do something positive; there was a lot of motivation.”
Brodsky-Chenfeld concluded: “The last and only time I performed such a jump was in 1997 for a fundraising project for the Los Angeles Jewish community.
“We were fortunate because just a day after the scheduled jump, I had to undergo shoulder surgery, and our first jump turned out perfect, so everything worked out excellently."
For all the latest from Israel, click here to see all our coverage.
