Israel Trip Update #5: Visiting Kibbutzim
Shalom Everyone,
Having been in Israel for a few days now, I am finding my experience here to be horrible, comforting, and inspirational all in equal measure. As I mentioned in previous emails, please join me on Zoom, at 7:00 PM, Monday, November 20 for a full report and reflections.
Our day began with a visit to Natal, an organization providing various kinds of trauma therapy to people throughout Israel. We heard about the amazing work they are doing in response to the recent violence.
From there, we went to Shefayim, a kibbutz and resort hotel North of Tel Aviv. After October 7, this kibbutz took in hundreds of evacuees from Kfar Azza, another kibbutz near the Gaza Strip that suffered horribly from the Hamas attacks. The evacuees still remain at Shefayim, and we met with several of them today. In vivid detail, they shared stories of what they experienced on that horrible day. Hearing what they endured brought tears to our eyes; hearing their commitment to rebuilding their lives and their community was nothing short of inspirational.
Then, we drove south to Kfar Azza itself. Before arriving, we stopped at another nearby kibbutz, Sa’ad, where we met IDF liaisons who outfitted us with helmets and flak jackets.
And then we went to Kfar Azza. It was utterly horrific. I’ll share the details on Monday about what we saw. Here, suffice it to say that, of Kfar Azza’s 960 residents, 62 were killed on October 7, and 18 were kidnapped (of whom seven were children). We saw their destroyed homes; we went into the safe rooms where they cowered for days as the terrorists rampaged through their community; we met with more survivors. And through it all, we heard deafening booms of outgoing mortars and saw smoke rising above Gaza City in the distance.
The day ended more joyfully, as we went to a small army base called Magen Alumim, where 150 or so soldiers are stationed. We schmoozed with them, they told us their stories, and we had the opportunity to treat them to a wonderful barbecue dinner. They were so grateful. We ended the evening by putting our arms around their shoulders to share a prayer and a rousing chorus of Hatikvah. At that moment, at least for me, the tears flowed once again.
Tomorrow is my final day in Israel, and I’ll try to get another update to you before my plane leaves late at night. For now, I’ll just conclude by saying that ALL of the Israelis we’ve met seem genuinely grateful that we are here – soldiers, survivors, care workers, and all the rest. It’s been an honor to spend time with them and to share wishes for comfort and strength on my behalf, and on your behalf, too.
Shalom,
Rabbi Mark Glickman