Shabbat Shalom!
I recently returned from a 9-day trip to Israel, and I want to share some thoughts about my experience.
Half of my siblings live in Israel. I have been missing them terribly since Oct 7, and I have been missing being in Israel, and have wanted to contribute in some way. With the help of my sister, I arranged to volunteer at a biomedical device startup for a few days and help with some image analysis software. The rest of my trip was spent visiting with family.
If you have been to Israel in the past, you will see some very noticeable changes;
I arrived to a very empty Ben Gurion airport, with prominent signs indicating the nearest sheltered area.
Israel flags are everywhere, huge ones covering the sides of office towers, flying from overpasses, and cranes, everywhere you look.
Signs that read ‘Beyachad NeNatzeach’, together we will win.
Signs that say ‘Am Yisrael Chai’.
Signs that say ‘Lech’, imploring Netanyahu to leave.
Signs of the hostages.
Reservists and soldiers out and about, carrying their army-issued M16s.
Many Israelis are carrying their personal firearms so as to be able to defend themselves from attacks. Four of my family members now do so whenever they leave the house.
The prayer for the IDF is being recited on the radio.
Everyone seems to be within one degree of separation to someone killed on Oct 7 or have fallen since. Everyone has been affected.
There are so many sources of inspiration.
My brother Netzach serving in Miluim in Gaza as a combat driver for a medic rescue unit.
My brother-in-law serving in patrols to help protect their moshav.
My sister’s neighbor is taking care of his murdered girlfriend’s dog that survived being shot by Hamas.
I met a 60-year-old engineer who had returned from two months of volunteer duty with his unit in Gaza.
All of our soldiers protecting and fighting for all of us.
I love seeing the devotion to religious life, soldiers bringing with them tefillin and sifrei torah to Gaza so that they can daven and dance together. You can see that it is a huge source of strength for them.
My sister gave me a tour of her office, which is a medical device company called Innovalve that is located in the Sheba Medical center. Their product is a replacement heart valve that is installed via a catheter through the femoral vein that is undergoing clinical trials. Amazing.
I arrived a few hours after Hamas’ New Year celebratory rocket barrage that had caused my sister’s family to have to shelter. I experienced one Tzevah Adom rocket alert while eating a Shawarma at a food court in a Rehovot mall on Monday Jan 8. Suddenly there was a commotion, I quickly understood what was happening, picked up my food tray and went to the stairwell that serves as the shelter, and continued munching while feeling my heart pounding in my chest. A man was hugging a woman who was having a hard time, but most seemed to shrug it off, and things went back to normal a few minutes later. When I returned home, my brother-in-law said that the windows shook from the explosions overhead as the Iron Dome interceptors did their thing.
With all of that, I felt so safe being in Israel. The safety of being protected by our brothers and sisters in the IDF. The safety that comes from the knowledge that there is no question that the people that you are with agree that Israel is our home and that we have a right to be alive. The safety of being part of a family.
I am someone who feels Jewish in my core, but am also someone who was not overly aware of my neshama. This part of me has become very activated since Oct 7. I feel its connection to Klal Yisrael, its pain, love and pride.
My neshama is inflated with pride; pride that I take in Israel’s growth, pride in our people, and pride in their bravery. Our soldiers and reservists are undertaking a terrifying and dangerous task with such bravery, purpose of mission, and unity. All of the reservists that I spoke with were leaving behind family, jobs, education and life in order to fight for all of us.
Visiting Israel now is to be able to see in person one of the inflection points in our history.
Visiting Israel now is showing our brothers and sisters in Israel that they are not alone. The Israelis that I met were genuinely happy when they discovered that I was visiting. My brother described the visit as a mutual hug. Even his coworkers were lifted by the knowledge of my visit.
I encourage you to sign up for the Ottawa Solidarity Mission to Israel led by Rabbi Adina who will spend 4 filled days in Israel next month. The country is hurting, there are so many ways that you can help with your presence. Volunteer opportunities abound. You will find it among the most meaningful Jewish experiences of your life. You will come back strengthened and changed.
Beyahad Nenatzeach