By: Karen Lieberman, Florida's Gulf Coast
I recently had the privilege of traveling to Israel with a Jewish Agency partnership group that includes the Southeast United States, the Czech Republic, and the Hadera-Eiron Region of Israel. We were there to spend time with our sister city participants and also to bear witness to the atrocities of Oct 7th.
Our trip started in Jerusalem with two jam-packed days, beginning in the Old City, where we visited both the Christian quarter and the Jewish quarter, culminating in time at the Wailing Wall. After leaving a note in a crevice, I sat remembering my first time at the Wall, 55 years earlier, when I broke down in tears. I didn’t understand what was happening; it took me years to comprehend what is today called generational trauma. I have been to Israel four times, and each time my experience at the Wall is different. This time, I prayed for the hostages, especially for the children. We all know how that worked out. But, that first day came to an uplifting end with a visit to the historic building of the Jewish Agency for Israel. There we had a lovely dinner and enjoyed a discussion with Adi Rubinstein, co-editor of Israel Hayaom.
The next day we drove to the Western Negev stopping first at World ORT Kfar Silver Youth Village, which is eight miles from the Gaza border. The village was attacked on Oct 7th, but held at bay by the director, Lt. Col. (res.) Amos Gofer and others. Bullet holes and broken windows were evident as we toured the facility. Over 1,000 students are enrolled at the village; 25 percent are boarders. The majority of boarding students struggle emotionally and academically. However, 95 percent of Kfar Silver students pass the Bagrut, the Israeli matriculation exam, exceeding the national average. Our group presented Amos with 30 mezuzot crafted from recycled plastic by the student group Tikkun Hayam, Repair the Sea, at Eckerd College.
From there, we continued along the Gaza border, stopping at Kibbutz Nir Oz where more than 25 percent of the residents were either kidnapped or murdered. I stopped in front of the Bibas house. Through the blown-out window, I saw a watercolor of Shiri Bibas holding her two toddler boys. Throughout these past 500+ days, people everywhere hoped and prayed to see this little family alive. Our hopes were dashed on February 20th when we learned they had been brutally murdered in captivity by Hamas barbarians. Death and destruction were visible everywhere, with blood splatter, bullet holes, and broken glass.
Next, we stopped at the “car graveyard” near Moshav Tkuma where 800+ damaged cars from the Oct 7th massacre are kept as a memorial.
Following the car graveyard, we spent time wandering through the Nova Music Festival site where pictures of murdered victims stood alongside hostage victims' pictures. I stopped by a group singing Hebrew prayers. I was overcome with grief and sadness thinking about the Hebrew prayer, “For, not only one arose and tried to destroy us, rather in every generation they try to destroy us” wondering ‘When is it going to stop?’ At the close of the visit, our group recited Kaddish for the 364 partygoers who were brutally murdered on Oct. 7th.
On Day 3, we had a guided tour of Yad Vashem, Israel’s deeply intense and thought-provoking Jewish memorial to the Shoah.
Next, we drove to the Knesset, where we witnessed a very important vote: whether or not to have an investigation into why proper attention was not given to the young female soldiers who reported Hamas trainings and movements along the border previous to Oct. 7th. The investigation was voted down, and I found that disturbing and incredibly sad. We need to know what went wrong to prevent another instance of ignorance or willful ignorance. And we need to understand why an needed investigation was voted down.
Following the vote, we had a discussion with Knesset member Matan Kahana. Although he is an Independent member of the National Unity Party, a segment of the rightwing in the parliament, he voted in favor of the investigation, which only lost by one vote.
The Hadera-Eiron Region
After the Knesset discussion, we drove to Hadera, the Partnership2gether Region. We met with Betzavta teens, members of the Jewish youth leadership program; they study the Global Jewish World.
Our discussion centered on their thoughts on what it takes to be a good Israeli and a good Jew. They asked us about ourselves and I mentioned that I had recently discovered I had a personal connection to Hadera. I told them the following story:
Three days before the trip, I learned that I may have a family connection to Hadera. My maternal grandmother was born in Gomel. Many Zionists from Gomel left Russia and participated in the building of Hadera. In the summer of 1903, there was a pogrom in Gomel; eight Jews were killed, many were wounded, and Jewish property was looted. My grandmother’s family split up – aunts, uncles, cousins, etc., and went in many different directions over the next many years. We know of those who came to the States – also several to London. Some undoubtedly to Hadera. I found Alievskys and Aleevskys in and around Hadera.
After the 1903 pogrom, a self-defense group was organized. Subsequently, 36 of its members were prosecuted. My cousin Sarah had just found a police report for my grandmother’s brother, Feivel. My understanding from my grandmother was that her brother had been killed in a pogrom. I believe it was 1907 or thereabout. She had found a bloody knife hidden among his shirts and knew he had been fighting the Cossacks. I wrote to a few Alievskys in and near Hadera but did not hear back.
The teens enjoyed the story, and afterwards, one young woman approached me with very helpful information. Her great grandparents were among the founders of the city and there is a garden in Hadera dedicated to the founders. They have records on the early Zionists and others who built the city. I will follow up.
That evening had been the beginning of our time with our partner community, the Hadera-Eiron region. The next morning, day four, found us at Bein Hatlamin Farm, a non-profit farm providing a supportive environment for kids who have yet to find their way. Currently, the farm is offering its model to reserve soldiers who have returned from the war and who are struggling to mentally transition back to their normal life. Some of us helped out by picking crops. I worked on filling boxes with the crops for the farm’s community sustainable agriculture business. I left there with very muddy shoes and a can of the most delicious olive oil I have ever tasted. The farm grows its own olives, sends them out for pressing, then cans the oil for their business.
After the farm, this packed-out day took us first to the Golani Brigade Training Base and then to the Partnership’s Hineni Exhibition. The artwork is by members of the Partnership in collaboration with families of the fallen from the region.
Our next stop was the home of Hadassa Ben Ari, who produced “The Heroes of October 7th: Heroic Stories for Children.” Encompassed within the stories are descriptions of the emotional and physical strength, the resilience, and the pride of the Israeli people. The book is a compilation of very simple stories with difficult themes written to help children understand life during and after wartime. We were privileged to sit with Hadassah in her living room to hear her tale of the book’s creation. It began with her thoughts on how to discuss the war with her own children. Eventually, she found writers, editors, translators, artists, and psychologists who spent long hours with her to produce an inspiring book on heroism.
Day five was difficult. We met with Reservist families in Hadera. We heard stories of men and women who had been killed in action. There were other stories about Reservists who have been serving more months than they can physically take. And we heard what it’s like to be the one at home trying to hold the family together.
That evening was Shabbat. We had all been invited for home visits. I was fortunate. I was invited to the home of Mark Yudell, an artist extraordinaire, and his partner Misha. Mark and Misha invited another couple – all expats. We had lively discussion and delicious food. When I left that night, I felt like I was leaving old friends.
The next day, we drove along the coastal road to the Western Galilee. Our first stop was Kibbutz Hanita on the Lebanese border ̶ now deserted, but once home to 700 people. Through the bullet holes, broken glass, and unweeded gardens, I could still envision how beautiful and peaceful Hanita had once been. Evacuation was necessary because, since Oct 7th, 2023, Hezbollah has been staging non-stop daily attacks.
From Kibbutz Hanita, we travelled to Hurfeish to meet with Druze community members. We had a delicious meal and also had a discussion with former Knesset Member Colonel (res.) Mofid Marai. The Druze community is very supportive of Israel and the Jewish community. Colonel Marai is the first Druze to join the Jewish Agency Board Committees on behalf of the Jewish Federations of North America.
Our final day was spent at the ANU Museum – the largest Jewish museum in the world telling the story of the Jewish people from antiquity through the present. At our next stop, we listened to IDF Diplomatic Liaison Oriyah Goodman Solomon speak about IDF in 2025 and learned about initiatives for women in the IDF.
From there, we went to Hostage Square in Tel Aviv. I sat with a kibbutz family who had hostage members still in Gaza. I sat with them for a while, speaking in my very rusty Hebrew. Sorrow and hurt permeated the conversation. I was glad I spent time with them, but it was very difficult and challenging.
We ended that day at The Shimon Peres Center for Peace and Innovation. The innovations were tremendous. From agriculture to medical research like no other – it was amazing. They develop and implement cutting-edge programs in sports, leadership, medicine, entrepreneurship, and more. And it all made me very proud.
Visiting Israel and spending several days in Hadera, I recognized the importance (and the fun) of our partnership. This experience has been eye-opening for me in several ways. I haven’t travelled in a group in a long time. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I met interesting and exciting people, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. We were very fortunate, also, to have excellent guides and organizers throughout. Their painstaking attention to detail was obvious. I never felt uneasy or lost in any way. I was the slowest one (physically), and no one seemed to care. On day one of the trip, Ravid, one of the guides, asked me how we refer to the last one in a line, and after explaining “caboose,” I created a new word for us: “caboosot.”
Travelling through Israel, I was overwhelmed with intermittent grief and joy. I was continually anguished bearing witness to the devastation along the border. I was especially sad visiting Nir Oz knowing there had been many, many peaceniks and others living there who helped Gazans regularly. Some of their last thoughts might have been “Why? We tried so hard.” Brutality and evil came alive – full stop.
A lot of joy came at mealtimes – always too much to eat and so delicious along with entertaining and enjoyable conversation. There was joy in listening to talks and learning and studying at museums – knowing the State of Israel is resilient and moving forward was very joyful and most welcome after witnessing the aftermath of an abundance of cruelty and violence.
***
If the world only knew and understood the work our people have put into greening the desert – maybe there would be more support for Israel.
If the world studied the innovations that have been created by the Jewish people – maybe we would be encouraged instead of unfairly trashed as colonizers.
If the world explored the contributions of the Jewish people and allowed our musicians, scientists, innovators, etc., to live and work in peace instead of routinely trying to cancel us – we could create more marvels for the world.
While traveling through Israel, I continually thought: How many future scientists, innovators, mathematicians, musicians, and artists were killed on Oct. 7th?
Am Yisrael Chai.
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