The coordinated attack by Egypt and Syria against Israel began in the middle of the Yom Kippur fast, on October 6, 1973, at 1:50 PM Israel time, when most Israelis were in synagogue. No one could imagine what was about to happen. It was a total surprise and Israeli and Diaspora Jews were shocked by the intensity of the attack. Many Jews around the world found it difficult to comprehend the extent of the distress. Israel was seen as a powerhouse and everyone was certain that the IDF would quickly vanquish the Arab armies. But as the hours passed, the scale of the disaster began to become clear. Finance Minister Pinchas Sapir personally called the major Jewish donors and financial leaders and simultaneously organized emergency missions around the world together with Keren Hayesod. There was no time to prepare. Serious reports continued to arrive from the front; the fall of the strongholds along the Suez Canal, the Syrian invasion of the Golan Heights and the number of Israeli losses made it clear to all those who were in doubt that the State of Israel was once again fighting for its life. Keren Hayesod emissaries and professionals organized and coordinated the campaign in its entirety. They recruited volunteers, worked in the field and achieved amazing results. By the end of the campaign, in the course of just two months, October and November 1973, a record $273 million had been raised.
Photo: Paratroopers on the southern front, October 1973