One of the things I’ve learned lately is that Israel is a very difficult place to get to these days. Preparing for my upcoming trip, I’ve now had four flights canceled, and for several hours the other day and today, I thought I was going to have to cancel my trip completely. Fortunately, I was able to book another itinerary, so the trip is back on. I now plan to leave on Saturday rather than Friday as I had originally planned. Flying through London and Cyprus, I arrive in Israel late Sunday night. Things can change at any moment, though, and I won’t know for sure that I’m actually going to Israel until I get there.

But I’m trying to stay optimistic. My travel group will consist of fifteen Reform and Conservative rabbis, and our itinerary continues to develop. For security reasons, we’ve been asked not to divulge the details of that itinerary, but I can share some general information. On the first day alone, we will have a visit with wounded soldiers, another with trauma intervention professionals, and yet another with hostages’ families. The remaining days in Israel will include an excursion to communities directly attacked on October 7, meetings with leading journalists and officials, opportunities to volunteer and give blood, time with displaced Israeli families, hospital visits, and much more.

As I mentioned in my original email, my top priority in taking this trip is to bring whatever small measure of comfort I can to our Israeli brothers and sisters. Along the way, however, I hope to learn and gain insights, as well. Among the questions on my mind are:

• What kind of support do Israelis need most from us here in the Diaspora? Moral support? Money? Political advocacy? Anything else? What specific steps can we take that will be most helpful to them?
• How are Israelis thinking about the humanitarian dimension of the war? Does the suffering of Gazan civilians resonate in Israel in the same way it does for us here in Canada?
• What feelings are most prevalent in Israel now? Sadness? Anger? A desire for vengeance? Determination and resolve? I expect to find a combination of all those feelings and more, of course, but I’m eager to get a sense of it firsthand.
• In what ways, if any, do Israelis see the October 7 attacks as connected to Israel’s political upheaval and the judicial reform controversy of the past year or so?
• The Zionist dream has always envisioned Israel as a place where Jews could live in peace and safety. What is the status of the Zionist dream in Israel today?
• And to ask a question that is both vital and admittedly absurd in the face of the current situation: What of peace? Can we even envision a path to peace between Israel and its neighbors? If so, what might that path be?

Are there other Israel-related questions on your mind these days? If so, please let me know. I’d be glad to share whatever perspectives I might already have, and to keep your questions in mind during my visit next week.

On another topic, these are scary times not only in Israel but also for us here in Calgary. We watch with deep concern as we see outbreaks of antisemitism and other types of hatred throughout the world, and there have even been minor such incidents here in Calgary (that is, if any act of hate can be called “minor”). In response…

• Please know that, as your rabbi, I am working hard to build interfaith bridges at this time, particularly with the Muslim community. It’s difficult work during this time of conflict, but it continues, and I hope to it will bear some tangible fruit soon. Details coming.
• As frightening as these times are, let’s remember what a blessing it is to be Jewish. We are members of a wonderful community; we are inheritors of a sacred tradition; we are called to be a beacon of goodness and humanity in a world that desperately needs it. Amid the conflict we see around us, let’s proudly remain on that sacred path. Reach out to your Jewish friends – they need you. Reach out to your Muslim neighbors – they are hurting, too. Please don’t hide the Magen David around your neck – wear it proudly. Don’t take down your mezuzah – dust it off. Let’s show the world that being Jewish can embody being human at its finest. Only then can we each play our own small role in bringing light to the darkness.

And if you’d like to talk, I’m here until Saturday, then back again late next Friday. Please reach out whenever you’d like.

Shalom,
Rabbi Mark Glickman