It has been a privilege to spend the last week and a half in Israel, first bringing members of Federation’s allocations committee to meet with a number of Israeli amutot (charitable organizations) to inform our decisions on how we help support and meet the needs of Israeli society in the coming years, and next traveling the length and breadth of the country with our community mission, bringing almost two dozen Rocklanders to show solidarity, understand the imperative of unity, find ways to help rebuild, and be inspired by Israel’s resilience.

Our allocations group met with organizations helping children with special needs and those from troubled backgrounds; we spoke with the key Israeli organization addressing food insecurity for hundreds of thousands, and with those who help the young men and women who come alone to Israel to serve, and need a place to stay, a chevra to meet, and a healthy social environment when they are not on duty; we heard the remarkable story of a center built in memory of two 10/7 victims that is devoted to counseling, therapies, research and ongoing studies to address the enormous challenge of PTSD and other manifestations of trauma among Israeli reservists, which in itself is symptomatic of Israeli society’s larger trauma that must be addressed, and from a small group using alternative therapies and already seeing uplifting responses from those reservists it is helping; We had constructive conversations with a determined organization addressing sexual violence in Israel’s north in innovative ways, and we spoke with a key research center to give us a broad picture of Israel’s social policy and changed needs in the post 10/7 environment.

Our community mission visited Israel's diverse communities, including Ethiopian, Druze, Israeli Arab, and Charedi, to learn what brings them together and what challenges need to be overcome to do so. We learned up close at first hand of the remarkable work of the IDF’s unit 669 search and rescue operations, and what they have done since 10/7 to save lives every day, and we joined a small unit on the Gaza border to provide an evening of song and good food to the young men and women stationed there.

We visited children from the developing world in Holon, who are receiving cardiac care and operations from Israeli doctors, and we sorted thousands of pounds of fruit and vegetables for distribution to needy Israeli families. We mourned the killing of 12 pure souls with the Mayor of the grieving city of Majd Al Shams, who lost his teenage nephew to a Hezbollah rocket, and we learned of the challenges faced by Israeli communities in the north from the deputy governor of the Golan region.

Our group had a challenging and deeply meaningful day in the south, in Sderot, Tekuma, Nir Oz and at the Nova site, hearing the pain of the survivors and the stories of the rescuers.

Each day we encountered the most resilient, heroic, and at the same time deeply scarred people who strive every day to strengthen Israeli society and ensure its future. The women we met, both those who confronted terrorists face to face and those who heroically carried the family and the homefront through tragedy and two years of war, were a source of great hope and inspiration.

We had incredible knowledge and context conveyed by great guides and experts, and we were blessed to have two of our community’s rabbis with us to provide spiritual context to everything we did.

As ambitious and challenging as our itinerary was, we also had fun, with a culinary experience at Jerusalem’s shuk making our own delicious dinner, and truly sensational food throughout. And, for those who have joined us for campaign openers the last two years, singer Omri Goren joined us to bring joy to the unit we visited near Gaza, and he sends his love to our community. (all of this and more in FOUR days!)

We return strengthened by our visit, encouraged by Israel’s remarkable resilience, in awe of her young people-the generation of victory, rebuilding and redemption-and perhaps with some lessons learned about how to bridge real divides to make our own community more united.

I look out across the Jerusalem skyline this morning, seeing the clouds bearing the first rains of the season here, and I see construction cranes across the city, like we’ve seen across the country, which is experiencing a building boom. I see innovation, motivation, and a realism in the face of Israel’s challenges that is clearer than ever. This is a country with fewer illusions and no more preconceptions. It knows its own strength AND its vulnerabilities.

I will come home filled with a new optimism that even with all of its divisions and challenges, with all of those who strive to harm and destroy, this nation is healing, strengthening, and finding ways to overcome deep division and bind itself together more closely.

May all of our sisters and brothers continue with abundant blessings and courage to confront every challenge with strength and compassion. And let’s start planning our next community mission - with even more of you joining, bringing unforgettable experiences and important lessons home once more.

Shabbat Shalom