In the turbulent wake of the October 7th genocidal Hamas pogrom against the Jewish homeland and the Jewish people, I recently (mid-February) went to Israel to be involved in supporting, loving, helping and standing with our Israeli brothers and sisters, the nation, its leaders, and its various defense and security forces.
While I had heard of many ‘mission’ groups going to Israel to show their solidarity, I decided to take a different approach – to go by myself, with no preplanned itinerary, scheduled briefings or photo-ops, and no security detail. I went as an individual, with the intent of finding ways to informally touch base with people, and to personally help comfort, encourage and even uplift our magnificent – while woefully beleaguered – nation and people of Israel.
I have lived in Israel in the past and have also visited many times, and some of these have been during difficult and challenging periods for Israel. But there was, and is, something different about now. Today Israel is not only under ruthless and unrelenting widespread attack by many foes (and, as it turns out, even by some fair-weather friends), but the pernicious worldwide malady of Jew-hatred – often labeled as Israel-hatred – is cancerously growing and making the situation there and everywhere ever more dangerous.
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Rabbi Jonathan Pearl at Todah L’Tzahal (‘Thanks to the Israel Defense Forces’) headquarters in Jerusalem
(Photo: Courtesy)
As a lifelong ardent Zionist, as one who proudly lives a thoroughly Jewish life, and as a wholly unequivocal lover and supporter of Israel (and as a non-Orthodox rabbi, at that), I count myself among those who see clearly which is the side of right, morality, goodness, light and justice, as opposed to the darkness and malevolence of the enemy and its supporters who wish to destroy us.
With all this in mind and heart, I landed in Israel and set out to accomplish my own ‘mission.’ By doing a bit of research and asking some people in the country (including family and friends whom I briefly got to see), I managed to put together a day-by-day, piece-by-piece plan that would help achieve my intended goals.
It turned out to be a full, deeply intense and impactful journey. Over the six days I visited Kikar Hachatufim (Hostage Square) in Tel Aviv and sat and spoke with various people there (and also played Hatikvah on the piano that is permanently placed there for visitors to play); drove south to visit the Benjo family who were in the midst of sitting shiva for their daughter and sister, fallen IDF soldier Omer Sarah Benjo, z"l; drove to G'deirot military cemetery to be part of the jam-packed funeral of fallen IDF soldier Rotem Sahar Hadar z”l; traveled to Israel’s and the Jewish people’s eternal capital city Jerusalem for Shabbat and went to the kotel for Kabbalat Shabbat where it was bursting with so many people and so much emotion, attended Shabbat morning services at Beit Knesset Hagadol where prayers for Israel and the IDF were beautifully sung, and went back to the kotel for havdalah where I ‘zoomed’ live with my congregation (the “Ashreynu” congregation in Astoria, NY); volunteered for an organization called Todah L’Tzahal (‘Thanks to the Israel Defense Forces’) for whom I drove boxes of equipment for soldiers to the Magav (Israel Border Police) base in Atarot; journeyed down to Beersheba to the Soroka Medical Center where I visited many wounded soldiers, and gave each of them hand-drawn cards I brought with me that were made lovingly by the children of our school back at Ashreynu; spent some time there with the superintendent of the Sderot Police who had been severely injured on Oct 7, and met with a family who was making decisions about their wounded IDF son who was on life-support; from there I drove to and walked around the site of the Nova Music Festival, a place screaming out in pain while swathed by an eerily piercing silence; went to visit one of the Gaza envelope kibbutzim that was attacked on Oct 7 – the head of security there welcomed me and spent an hour driving me in his RV around the entire kibbutz and relating all that happened there; drove to Sderot to see the destroyed police station, and from there continued further south to the Kerem Shalom crossing; made one more delivery of equipment for soldiers through Todah L’Tzahal, this one to Nof Ayalon; and before heading back to NY, I went to the rehab center at Sheba Medical Center in Tel Hashomer to visit more wounded soldiers, and gave them the rest of the beautiful cards from the children at Ashreynu.
The feelings and expressions I encountered and experienced from so many people and in so many different settings were heartfelt and far ranging, including pride, frustration, determination, anger, sadness, confidence, strength, gratitude, grief and even joy. I found it moving, humbling and even a bit embarrassing to be thanked so profusely by so many Israelis for my coming to visit, support and be with them. I kept reminding them of how it is they who are the ones to be thanked and admired for all they do for the Jewish people and the Jewish homeland – living in Israel, and at all times putting their very lives on the line for us all.
Sitting on the El Al plane flying westward and contemplating my six days in Israel, I was struck by how much this trip reinforced and heightened my already thorough love for Israel – our people and land, our God and our history, our beliefs and practices, our traditions and creativity, our portion and inheritance and destiny. And my thoughts then were preoccupied with the hope to return to live somewhere in our diminutive-in-size while gargantuan-in-greatness Jewish homeland – whether in its heart of Jerusalem, the towns of Judea and Samaria, or the cities of the north or south.
In my Jewish worldview, it is not possible to be wholly and meaningfully Jewish without being wholeheartedly Zionist. This includes always and unequivocally standing with Israel – perhaps especially during her most challenging moments and circumstances.
This now is such a moment.
It is a moment that should remind everyone to never set aside, universalize, minimize or excuse the horrors and perpetrators of the October 7th pogrom – the mass murders, rapes, torture and kidnappings (and hostages that are still being held captive in Gaza). It is a moment that should ensure that we never abandon Israel; defy or manipulate the eternal truth of Israel as the Jewish homeland; ignore or negate the justness and morality of her cause; sap Israel’s strength or undermine her path to victory; or let anyone get away with slandering and smearing this very good nation (Israel) and very good people (the Jewish people).
Having treasured this out-of-the-ordinary encounter with Israel, I urge you to consider a trip as well: if there is any way you can go to Israel to demonstrate your unshakable love and support for the Jewish homeland and people, please go! I truly believe it will do them, and you, much good.
Jonathan Pearl is founding rabbi of Ashreynu in Astoria, NY, a passionately Jewish kehillah offering traditional and creative educational, cultural and spiritual opportunities for Jews of all ages and backgrounds to elevate and enhance their Jewish lives