Hope

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

As we come to the end of 2025, I have found myself spending a lot of time in contemplation about the year we are finishing. It’s been a very difficult year. The rise of Jew hatred around the world is overwhelming. The violence against Jews is frightening. The continued lies of Israeli genocide boil my blood. I watch as the extremes on the left and the right in the United States continue to blame Israel and the Jews for everything. There are too many on both sides to begin naming them, as I’m sure I would forget somebody.

The job market is tough. The number of friends that I have who are looking for work and getting discouraged is yet another frightening reality. Talented, qualified professionals. I speak to at least one of them almost every day, being a friend, being supportive, and helping any way that I can. One of them asked me today, “Was I bothering you asking about a job?” That upset me more than I expected it would, as I asked myself, “why would it bother me to help a friend?”. The I realized that for them, it must feel like an imposition. For them, it’s a critical need. For them, they don’t want to be a bother but also want and need all the help they can get. I replied, “No. It’s rough out there so helping when I can is meaningful.”

Years ago, I stopped making New Year’s resolutions. The last New Year’s resolution I ever made is the one that I have been able to keep the longest. It was to stop making New Year’s resolutions. I felt it was time to focus on action, not wishes. Change, not empty promises. As we approach 2026, I found myself getting depressed as things seem to be sinking deeper and deeper with no way out. No light ahead, just different paths of darkness. Change seems so unlikely to happen and there are so many roadblocks to it.

And then, as I was looking through LinkedIn today, I saw something that made me stop and pause. It was from an organization who stated that their mission was “helping to build the spiritual foundation of a loving world.” It grabbed my attention and made me look at them even more. In their vision, they state that, “We believe that social transformation must fundamentally include spiritual ways of understanding the world in addition to scientific ways of knowing. Our goal is to prove that viewing the world as inherently sacred…” It felt like jolt as I read it. What would our world look like if our leaders viewed the world as inherently sacred? We live in a time where building a spiritual foundation and desiring a loving world seems impossible. Yet if we can find a way to understand both the spiritual and the scientific, perhaps we can then view the world as inherently sacred and begin to act that way. In their FAQ section, when answering what spiritual solutions are, they write, “we believe that many of the challenges facing our world — division, disconnect, injustice — are not only political or economic, but deeply spiritual. Spiritual solutions begin by shifting how we see: from separation to connection, from fear to love, from transactional to relational, from tactical to transformational.” I began thinking of what our world might look like if we focused on spiritual solutions and began to live as connected, loving, relational and transformational people.

Figuring out where to take that awareness left me struggling a bit. As I walked my dog, listening to country music, talking to her as we walked, I realized that I needed inspiration. I needed to find something that could restore my hope, that would inspire me to continue fighting for what I believe in – a better, kinder, and more just world. I also realized I can’t do it alone. After getting home from our walk, I went to one thing that has always inspired me. I returned to watching The West Wing. It is one of my favorite all time television shows. It makes me think. It brings up important topics. It has deeply flawed characters that all want the common good. It shows struggles, decisions by the characters in the show that they regret, honor, and are passionate about. It shows patriotism, caring for others, civilized debate and discussion, and has characters that truly lead. I don’t always agree with the characters but I respect them. The last time I began watching it, I had stopped at the end of season 3, so I began watching again at the start of season 4.

There was so much that applies to today. An election that matters. Conflict in the Middle East with Israel being wrongly cast as a villian. Not enough teachers in the schools. The high cost of college and the challenges of affordable college education. Credit card debt. High college loans. A government out of touch with what is happening on the ground to regular people. A divided country. A need to come together with a challenge of how to do it and who will lead it. Rising antisemitism.

Yes, in late 2002 The West Wing was addressing the rise of antisemistism. If only we’d listen. This dialogue between Josh and Toby was brilliant and could be something we hear amongs Jews today.

Josh: “You have an inadvertent habit of putting down my Judaism by implying that you have a sharper anti-Semitism meter than I do.”

Toby: “You know the ancient Hebrews had a word for Jews from Westport; they pronounced it ‘Presbyterian.’”

As I watched show after show, my downcast spirit began to rise. How could a show about fictional leaders from 23 years ago improve my outlook from this dismal time? It reminded me that there is a better option. There are people who care more about the country than power, influence and money. For every Senator Bernie Sanders who stops children with cancer from having a chance at lifesaving treatment because he didn’t get everything he wanted in the deal, there is a Senator Howard Stackhouse on the West Wing who only runs for President only to make sure the imporant issues are discussed. For every Representative Thomas Massie or Marjorie Taylor Green, there is an Ainsley Hayes from the West Wing who puts country and the people before party.

As I listened to President Bartlett give his speech during the Red Mass service, after terrorists killed 44 people on a college campus, I thought about October 7, 2023 and what happened in Israel. I thought about what leadership could have looked like at that moment. The message that could have been sent by American leaders and leaders around the world and the message that was actually sent. The civilians and people in reserves who ran into the fight with Hamas terrorists. Imagine if world leaders had said something like what President Bartlett said, “The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels tonight. They’re our students and our teachers and our parents and our friends. The streets of heaven are too crowded with angels, but every time we think we have measured our capacity to meet a challenge, we look up and we’re reminded that that capacity may well be limitless. this is a time for American heroes. We will do what is hard We will achieve what is great. This is a time for American heroes and we reach for the stars.”

The West Wing is a reminder of what leadership CAN be. It’s a reminder that we bear responsibilty to elect the leaders that will inspire us, that will work for the betterment of all, that won’t be stuck on ego, power, and money. That’s on us. We, the people, have allowed our Congress not to work for decades. We, the people, have continued to nominate and elect those in power. It’s time we stop trying to blame others and take personal responsibility.

In the beginning of season 4 of the West Wing, Toby and Josh meet a man bringing his daughter to visit colleges. She is excited. He is excited. Yet he left her in the hotel room to go to the hotel bar because he’s worried about how he will be able to pay for it. The interaction had a profound impact on Toby and Josh. When back in Washington, they work to find a solution. Their excitement as they think they have found a way is infectious. They convince others that this is something they can accomplish. That it’s not just something we should do but find a way to fund it. When President Bartlett gives his speech about education after the shooting on campus, he starts with a line from scripture. “Joy cometh in the morning.” It’s an exceptional speech that reminds us how we find the spiritual solutions to economic and social problems. The West Wing, 23 years ago, was teaching us the lesson we need to learn today. There are things we can’t do anything about and we can’t worry about them. There are things we can do something about and it is our obligation to take action and do something. To make a difference. To change the world.

Taking the inspiration from the West Wing and the different way to look at things through a spiritual solution focus highlighted by this organization, they outline a few important things as to how effective spiritual solutions often follow a simple but powerful pattern. Their model is:

  1. Diagnose the Problem Differently: Instead of only seeking and exploring what’s broken, we ask “What’s sacred?” This reframes the issue from one of scarcity and division to connection and potential.
  2. Center the Sacred: Whether through relationship-building, contemplative practices, ritual, or cultivating shared meaning, spiritual solutions reconnect people to what matters most — Spirit and the full community of life.
  3. Shift the Culture: When hearts and imaginations are engaged, systems can begin to evolve. Policy, practice, and even data become tools for deeper, more compassionate outcomes.
  4. Nurture Ongoing Transformation: Spiritual solutions are not one-time interventions. They are ongoing commitments that require sustained reflection, humility, courage, and love over time.

It’s time we stop hating the political party that isn’t ours. It’s time we stop hating those on the opposite political spectrum. It’s time to focus on love and communication, on kindness and faith. It’s time to roll up our sleeves and do the work required together with those who have different opinions.

As we move into 2026, my goal is to use their model, continue my Jewish learning to understand more of how Judaism encourages us to look at the world, and further build relationships so that I can do my part. I did my part today, following the lead of Hillel Fuld who ‘meets with the CEO’ every morning. I made sure to start today by meeting with the CEO just like Hillel does.

Little things matter. Having a spiritual connection matters. Building relationships with others matter. If we want to live in a world filled with hope, have leaders who work towards building a better world, and care about others, there is a path.

The West Wing reminded me of that path. We don’t all have to be Jed Bartlett. We can be Toby or Josh. We can be Sam, CJ or Donna. There are many different roles that bring us hope and watching The West Wing brought me back to hope. Hope alone is just the beginning. Now it requires action. 2026 is going to be an action packed year for me. How about you?

Approaching the end of a quarter century

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

There is just over a week left in 2025. It’s hard to believe we are a quarter of the way through the century. 1985 seems like yesterday. Y2K seems like it was just a thing. Time is flying by and yet, each day seems to be a struggle with the rise of Jew hatred.

I’ve found myself reading a lot and listening to a lot of music lately. There are a number of things I’ve read and heard in song lyrics that have spoken to me, so I thought I’d use them as some inspiration as we not only prepare to end the year but also the first quarter of the century.

One of my favorite songs is by Tim McGraw called “Live like you are dying.” It’s the story of a man who is diagnosed with a serious illness, one that might kill him. As a result, he decides to live the type of life he always wanted to. Some of the lyrics of the chorus hit home as they remind me, as the song instructs us, that we don’t have to wait until it’s too late to live the life we want. We can do that now – we can choose to ‘live like we are dying’. Those lyrics are:

And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I watched an eagle as it was flyin’
And he said someday I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dyin’

As a Jew, I don’t need to wait to embrace the gifts of Judaism until it is too late. There are so many lessons about how to live our lives to the fullest. To be proud of who we are and what our heritage is. To celebrate the joy of holidays and the lessons they teach us. Hanukkah, which just ended, isn’t about the 8 days of presents. It isn’t Jewish Christmas. It’s a reminder that in the darkness of the world, we have the ability to bring light. Each night, as we light one additional candle, we physically bring more light into the world. Our actions can do this too. We can choose to be kind, to be polite, and to bring light into what has become a very dark world.

I recently helped lead a trip to Israel for 30-45 year olds focused entirely on leadership. Through a combination of being in Israel, working the land, volunteering to help others, text study, listening to speakers including those who lived through the horror of October 7th, we explored a deep connection to Judaism and what our role can be in terms of not just ensuring continuity but building a stronger world. L’Dvor V’Dor, from generation to generation, is not just a motto but a way to live. Picking oranges that were donated to those who were hungry and making sandwiches and giving them out to those defending Israel and the Jewish people were powerful connections not just to Jewish identity but to our history and heritage. Listen and sign along – it’s infectious.

I read a story this week about a high school kicker who missed the extra point that would have tied the state championship game with under a minute left. With only 2 time outs, he figured the game was lost. He hung his head – he cost the team the state championship and missed the last kick of his career.

All of a sudden, his teammates ran over to him, urging him to get ready. He didn’t understand. What could have happened? One of the other team’s players took off his helmet and raised it in the air after their first snap, a personal foul which stopped the clock. They used their time outs and were going to get the ball back. He went to start practicing but everything was put away. Dads of players held up the net and held the ball for him so he could practice before the kick. When he finally took the field, it was a 44 yard field goal – a yard longer than the longest he had ever made.

In his own words, he “started praying to God: Please help me forget about that. Please help me forget about that.” Before he had a chance to attempt the game winning kick, once again in his own words he thought, “I’m glad I get a chance to kick this again because otherwise that was going to be the last time I kicked a football in a game. It can’t get much worse than what just happened.“”

He made the kick, the team won, and he went from losing the state championship on an easy missed extra point to winning it on a career long kick.

This describes Judaism in a nutshell. We’re never as bad as our worst moment nor are we as good as our best. We don’t succeed on our own, we do it as a community. He needed the defense to step up. He needed a bad punt by the other team. He needed help warming up. He got it all. He was never alone. As Jews, we are never alone, we have each other. We have the Jewish community.

October 7th was one of the lowest moments in recent Jewish history. At the critical moment, we failed. 1200 people were murdered. 251 were taken hostage. Since then, the rise of antisemitism is frightening. On December 14, 2025, at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Australia, a father and son murdered 15 people for the crime of being Jewish. Many more were injured. As we learn more about what they had planned, we got lucky that their IEDs didn’t go off, that the homemade bombs they threw before opening fire didn’t explode. We weren’t alone.

I’ve been to Israel five (5) times since October 7th. I’ve witnessed what happened at Kibbutz Kfar Aza, Kibbutz Alumim, the Nova site. I’ve spent time with regular people who have spent most of the past two (2) years in reserves, defending Israel and the Jewish people. They left their jobs and their families. Their children didn’t know when, or if, they were coming home. They did it for Am Yisrael, the nation of Israel. They did it for Klal Yisrael, the entire people of Israel.

It is a reminder that we all have greatness inside of us. The question is what are we going to do with it. A quarter of the 21st century is about to be behind us. What have we done with that 25 years? Do we want to be a part of greatness? Do we want to help change the world?

The kicker said, “I didn’t get in my own head. The first thing that helped me with that was after I missed the extra point, I didn’t hear anything bad from my teammates. And when I warmed up, everyone told me: “You’re good, bro. You’ve got this. We trust you.” That helped my mindset.”

That’s also Judaism. We don’t believe in L’shan Hara, Hebrew meaning “evil tongue” or “evil speech.” This includes any negative, derogatory, or harmful talk about someone, even if true, that damages their reputation or causes pain. We believe in building each other up, not tearing each other down. In today’s world, with so much divisiveness in the Jewish community, we can take a lesson from this football team and this kicker. If we build each other up, even when angry, frustrated, or disappointed, we can have a bright future. If they had bad mouthed him, talked badly about him and his ability to kick, who knows if he would have made that game winning field goal. The Jewish people are too small to rip ourselves apart. It’s too important to build each other up. We can disagree about anything – even everything – and not engage in L’shon Hara, evil speech.

On our trip to Israel earlier this month, we all had a profound experience. It changed us all in various ways. The picture below, captioned by one of the participants, says it best. “The trip that changed us.” That what Judaism does – it changes us. It helps us be better people. It helps us build a better community, a better world. As we prepare for a new year and the start of the 2nd quarter of the 21st century, this each of our opportunity to make a commitment to being better people helping to build a better world.

As I walked the dog tonight, the lights of the houses across the lake and the moon in the sky were captivating. It showed me the beauty in the world, even with all the ugliness that people create. It reminded me that there is beauty in the world and we, as people, have the opportunity to appreciate and build on the beauty or create ugliness.

Near the end of Live like you are dyin’, Tim McGraw sings,

Like tomorrow was a gift and you’ve got eternity
To think about what to do with it
What did you do with it
What did I do with with it
What would I do with it

As we finish 2025 and start the 2nd quarter of the century, what will you do with the gift of tomorrow?

The Jewish Problem of people like Bernie Sanders

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

US Senator Bernie Sanders likes to use his Jewish heritage as a way to defend himself as he attacks Jews and Israel. He uses his personal hatred of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a way to batter Israel and put Jews in the US and around the world in danger. He chooses to tell half truths and outright lies in his frantic, yelling style in an attempt to make them true.

Earlier this week, on December 16, 2025, he chose not to sign onto a joint statement issued Monday December 15, 2025, by Jewish Senate Democrats condemning the Sydney attack with a weak excuse about an earlier statement about antisemitism. This is the essence of Bernie Sanders. Lie, yell, deflect, and spew hatred against those you dislike, all while becoming wealthy while pretending to be one of the people.

This week he issued a very troubling statement, criticizing Netanyahu who linked the terror attack in Sydney, Australia, to Australian PM Canberra’s recognition for a Palestinian state. In the statement, he made four critical claims that need to be addressed. I’m sharing my thoughts on each of them.

DISCLAIMER: I am not going down the rabbit hole of ‘is there a Palestine or Palestinian people’? That is not a helpful or useful dialogue as the people exist and that’s how they are choosing to identify. That debate only creates division and doesn’t move us towards any hope for a better future.

Claim number 1: “No, Mr. Netanyahu. Speaking out on behalf of the Palestinian people is not antisemitic.

Here his claim in correct. Speaking out on behalf of the Palestinian people is certainly not antisemitic. Ignoring how they are damaged by the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas while putting all the blame on Israel is 100% antisemitic. When I visited and met with leaders of Palestinian civil society in 2019, there were a number of things that were very clear. First, they had some major issues with the Israeli government and government policies. Many of their issues I agree with. Secondly, they had no use for the PA. The corruption of the PA, the lack of elections had the people I met with who were not on the PA’s payroll united that they were useless and harmful to the Palestinian people. Endorsing a Palestinian state that wants to eliminate Israel, that doesn’t hold elections, that has a government that rewards violence and the murder of Jews, is problematic. There is a very big difference between speaking out on behalf of the Palestinian people and blaming Israel for everything. Senator Sanders blames Israel for everything.

When I ran Hillel at UF, I used to publicly wonder why I was more pro-Palestinian than those in Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP). I wanted there to be a Palestinian state with free elections. A place with a thriving Palestinian economy, Palestinian universities staffed with Palestinian professors, meeting in buildings built by Palestinian construction companies. Places that turned out Palestinian doctors and nurses that worked in Palestinian hospitals that were built by those Palestinian construction companies. And most importantly, one that lived in peace with their neighbor, Israel. People like Bernie Sanders simply want no Israel. They don’t care when Hamas murders the civilians in Gaza. They don’t care when Hamas starves the people of Gaza. They only want to blame Israel. So yes, Senator Sanders, speaking out on behalf of the Palestinian people is not antisemitic but when you do so only to blame and vilify Israel, it certainly is.

Claim Number 2: Opposing the disgraceful policies of your extremist government is not antisemitic.

Senator Sanders claims that opposing the policies of a government is not antisemitic. He is 100% correct. There is nothing wrong with opposing the policies of a government. Even in thinking and staying that they are ‘disgraceful’ or calling the government ‘extremist’. That’s the beauty of a democracy. The protests in Israel against the current government have been massive. I was able to watch one outside my hotel in Jerusalem last year. It was amazing to see. The protests were non-violent. There is absolutely nothing wrong with opposing the policies of a duly elected, democratic government. The problem is that Senator Sanders doesn’t oppose the brutal government of Hamas in Gaza. He doesn’t speak out against the government of the Palestinian Authority, elected to a 4-year term on January 9, 2005! For all of Senator Sanders outspoken worries about President Trump not leaving after his term, he supports and doesn’t criticize Mahmoud Abbas, now finishing year 20 of a 4-year term! What hypocrisy!

People like Bernie Sanders hide behind their claims of criticizing the government while actually criticizing the legitimacy of the State of Israel. All they have to do is watch as hundreds of thousands of Israelis protest against the government, peacefully. They can watch disagreements in the Knesset, read the Israeli papers that criticize the government. Instead, they allow their hatred of Bibi Netanyahu to put all Jews around the world at risk.

Claim Number 3: Condemning your genocidal war, which has killed more than 70,000 people — mostly women and children — is not antisemitic.

The facts prove that there is no genocide in Gaza. According to a recent report by President Trump, there have been 67,000 deaths in Gaza with 58,000 of them being Hamas fighters. The 67,000 number comes directly from the Gaza Ministry of Health (Hamas). This means that the civilian to combatant ratio is 0.16 to 1. Israel has consistently reported the ratio in the 1:1 or 1.5:1 ratio. The UN average, or what is permissible in every war that doesn’t involve Israel, is 9 to 1. Facts matter except when it comes to Bernie Sanders and Israel. The data also shows that most of those killed in Gaza are not women and children but are men. Once again, Bernie lies.

Hamas uses women and children as human shields. They use the sick and the elderly as human shields. None of that matters to Bernie Sanders. His hatred for Netanyahu and his hatred of Israel means that he spreads the lies about genocide, putting all Jews at risk. That is antisemitic. Spreading the genocide libel is antisemitic.

Ignoring the actual genocides ongoing in the world while lying about a fake one is antisemitic. Christians are being massacred in Nigeria for the crime of being Christian. Sudan is experiencing the world’s worst displacement crisis and one of the world’s worst hunger crises with nearly 25 million people in need of assistance. No Jews, No News.

As for the fake genocide, the population in Gaza has actually INCREASED since the start of the war. If this was a genocide, it would make it the worst attempt at genocide in history.

Claim Number 4: Demanding that your government stop bombing hospitals and starving children is not antisemitic.”

Allowing Hamas to use hospitals as military bases while condemning Israel for attacking the sites that are firing rockets and missiles at them is antisemitic. The demand should be that Hamas stop using hospitals as military sites. Their use of hospitals as military sites is a war crime. No questions about it. Except that they are doing it against Jews, which is always the exception to a crime. Bernie and his crew totally miss the target here. Hamas digs tunnels under hospitals to use them as military sites. That’s the outrage. Hamas hid hostages in hospitals, that’s the outrage. Claiming Israel and the Jews are randomly bombing hospitals is not only wrong, it puts Jews at risk around the world.

The claim of starving children is yet another lie. There are plenty of images of literal tons of food and aid being delivered to Gaza and sitting there, being undelivered, by UNRWA and the Red Cross. They refused Israel’s support in delivering the food, demanding that Hamas help them deliver the food and aid. The same Hamas that was stealing the food. The same Hamas that was selling the food on the black market. When the complaint from the people of Gaza is that the free food is too expensive, the problem is easy to see. Yet Bernie and his crew ignore the facts to once again blame the Jews.

Earlier this month, it was discovered that Hamas hid tons of baby formula to damage Israel with starvation claims. The images are damning. Yet the media ignores the truth and runs with the lies. People like Bernie run with the lies because it gets them time on TV, headlines in the paper, and helps make them rich. They don’t care about the people in Gaza, those in the hospitals being used as military bases, or the mothers who can’t feed their babies. They only care about blaming the Jews. The facts bear this out.

This isn’t to claim that Israel is blameless or perfect. This isn’t to say that criticism of Israel is automatically antisemitism. When it’s clear that Israel is being singled out, held to a different standard, the lies are getting the headlines while the truth gets buried, that is antisemitism.

People like Bernie Sanders put my life and my family’s life at risk. What happened at Bondi Beach on the first night of Hanukkah could have happened at any Hanukkah celebration around the world. It could happen at one that my family is attending. If you doubt that, read these accountings from the past WEEK in New York, published in this NY Post article.

In just the last few days, multiple alarming episodes of open Jew-hatred have shocked New York City.

Saturday night in a tony West Village eatery, a Jewish woman asked a bigot to cool it with his noisy antisemitic language. He screamed filthy slurs at her, calling her an “ugly f–king Zionist,” insisting, “we will rid this country of f–king you.”

Monday night in Brooklyn, a pair of nasty bigots harassed Hanukkah celebrants, and yelled “F–k the Jews” on a subway platform.

Once on the train, one thug grabbed a visibly Jewish man by the throat and threatened to kill him.

Then, Tuesday afternoon in Crown Heights, an unhinged pedestrian shouted antisemitic remarks at passersby and stabbed one in the chest.

This is New York. The United States of America. 2025. I’m afraid of what 2026 will bring with people like Bernie Sanders making outlandish and false claims against Israel and the Jews. We must stop the lies now. We must hold the liars accountable for their lies that incite violence. Freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. Inciting violence is a crime and that’s what Bernie Sanders continues to do. He can hate Benjamin Netanyahu all he wants. He can hate Israel all he wants. He can even hate his Jewish heritage if he wants. He isn’t entitled to incite violence against people like me and my family.

It’s time to put an end to the hate. It’s time to demand more from people like Bernie Sanders.

Bondi Beach: The end of these glory days

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

I have been writing and talking about the rise of antisemitism and Jew hatred for over a decade. In July of 2016, I co-authoried this article in the Seattle Times calling for people to stand up and speak out against antisemitism. I’ve endured ridicule from those on the far left in the Jewish community and people telling me that this is America and we are safe here.

October 7th and the more than two years following that has changed some of that ridicule as more in the Jewish community are seeing the blatent Jew hatred around the world and in America. Yet, as we as Jews have done for centuries, we continue to see ourselves as members of the society we live in first and Jews second while the rest of the world sees us as Jews first, second, and third. Whether it’s Jews like Peter Beinert and Bernie Sanders or leaders like Zohran Mamdani, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, or talking heads like Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens, Joe Rogan, and Nick Fuentes, we are being battered on all sides.

On Sunday, on Bondi Beach in Australia, we reached a breaking point. Two gunman attacked a Hanukkah celebration, murdering at least 15 and wounding at least 40. The death and injury count would have been even higher if not for the bravery of one man, Ahmad Al-Ahmad, a 43-year-old Muslim man, husband and father of two, who risked his life to save others, wrestling the weapon from one of the terrorists. The video is incredible and we can watch a true hero in action.

We’ve seen things like this before. Unfortunately they are too many to even list. There was a school shooting at Brown University earlier that day. Hatred and murder go hand in hand. As a world, we have emboldened hatred of ‘the other’ and this is the result. It happens time and time again. We have seen in the LGBTQ+ community, the African American community, the Muslim community, the Sikh community, with violence against women, and any other group that somebody deems as being ‘different’ or ‘the other.’ That isn’t the breaking point I refer to.

The breaking point I refer to is all the people who chanted, agreed with, failed to condemn, defended slogans like ‘Globalize the intifada’, condemning the attacks they they helped ensure would happen. It’s the leaders of countries who, by their actions and inactions, created the environents that make this type of violence and murder a reality, now condenming it. Public Jew haters like Rashida Tlaib, posting she is ‘heartbroken’ by the very thing that she advocates for on a daily basis. Brianna Wu’s comment is what we all should be feeling.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks out after the shooting while failing to take responsiblity for his inaction despite warnings that Jewish gatherings were going to be attacked. He and the Australian government actively took steps prior to the shooting to encourage Jew hatred, to fuel antisemitism, and to make Australia not safe for Jews. The day before the murderous attack at Bondi Beach, this article was published, highlighting the rise in “unprecedented anti-Jewish violence” while the government does nothing. Nothing but try to play the victim and shirk responsibilitiy after their actions and failure to act resulted in mass murder of Jews.

Comedian Michael Rappaport’s comment on Mayor Elect Mamdani’s post states exactly what I am talking about. Set the stage for violence against Jews and then when it happens, call for peace.

I’m beyond disgusted by these people who actively hate Jews, who do what they can to ensure the death of Jews, and then pretend after it happens that they are sad. I go back to the famous Maya Angelou quote. I’m tired of the two faced liars who want me dead and want me to help them murder me.

Last night was the big, public Hanukkah celebration in my town. I had been excited to go. I was excited to celebrate being Jewish publicly. The past few days, I have been feeling worn out from all my travel the past 10 weeks. North Carolina, Israel, Baltimore, Ft Myers, Tampa, DC, Seattle, Israel, Boca, and Gainesville. It has been an exhausting schedule. Yet after the Jewish massacre on Bondi Beach, after the Jew haters pretending to be sad that what they have advocated for, globalizing the intifada, policies that make Jews unsafe, I was physically ill. I simply couldn’t do it. As my grandparents used to say, ‘it just wasn’t in my kishkes” (translated from Yiddish it means “I don’t have the guts/stomach for it.”) It made me sad. But I also knew that I needed to protect myself. I stayed home, we lit the Hanukkah candles as a family, sang the blessings, and brought in Hanukkah together.

I put on my special Hanukkah pajamas – well over the top in outrageousness – but I didn’t care. The shooters on Bondi Beach, the politicians, talking heads, and even the Jews who take positions that make me not safe will not crush my Jewish soul. They won’t stop me from being Jewish, from celebrating being Jewish, and from doing my part to ensure that we continue, L’Dor V’Dor, from one generation to another as Jews.

I’ll be wearing my absurd pajamas every night during Hanukkah. I’m wearing my ridiculous Hanukkah long sleeve t-shirt today and have my absurd Hanukkah sweater to wear when I go outside. Hanukkah is about lighting the darkness. It’s about remembering that miracles do happen so embrace the darkness because we have the power to make it light. So enjoy my ridiculous picture in my ridiculous sweate and may it bring just a little more light into your life.

A day down south

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

I’ve been close to the Gaza border twice, In May 2024 I visited both Kfar Aza and the Nova site and in July 2024 I returned to both Kfar Aza and Nova along with Kibbutz Alumim. I was about a mile from Gaza on both occasions, heard and saw the drones and jets fly over Jabalya, and saw and heard bombs drop, gunfire, explosions and building collapse. Both were intense experiences as it felt strange to be so close to an active war zone.

Google Maps view from my May 2024 visit to Kfar Aza

Today I got even closer. We had the opportunity to go to Shlomi’s Food Truck, right outside Kibbutz Be’eri, and make sandwiches to feed soldiers fighting in Gaza and on the border. We cut vegetables, stuffed pita with schnitzel, salad, hummus and tahini, bagged them and filled up box after box after box, then loaded them into a truck and van, and left for the border.

Shlomi showed up outside Kibbutz Be’eri on October 8, 2023 and began making sandwiches for the soliders. Every Sunday to Thursday since then, he shows up, makes sandwiches and gives them to soldiers on the border. Volunteers, like us, began coming to help him. He has paid for this out of his own pocket for more than two years. It costs about $5,000 a week to do this. You can do the math on how much of his own money he has spent over the past more than two years feeding soldiers. It’s a passion, a mission, and an obligation for him.

Going to the border was an unbelievable experience. We drove right along it, went into the area where the soldiers were working, offering them lunch. The smiles on their faces, the thank you’s that we received are priceless. I kept thanking them. It is them who are risking their lives, going into Gaza, keeping Israel and the world safe. All we did was make and deliver some sandwiches. We walked all through the area as they worked on their tanks, handing out lunch. We met soldier and soldier after soldier. Being right there on the border with Gaza and getting to make sandwiches and then feed the soldiers was an incredible experience. It’s not something I will ever forget.

As we prepared to finish our work, we ran into a bunch of soldiers from the Carmeli unit, about to go into Gaza. Watching these brave soldiers load up into the truck, smiling, laughing, and prepared to do whatever it takes to keep Israel and the world safe, was incredibly powerful. I lifted a box of sandwiches to them in the truck so they could take them into Gaza and give them to soldiers who couldn’t come back across the border. This picture of them in the truck was possible because they all had their backs to the camera at that moment. The hate for Israel and Jews around the world means we can’t take pictures of their faces. The flag is their unit’s flag. It’s something I will always remember.

After lunch at Kibbutz Alumim, we headed to Kfar Aza. As I said, I’ve been there before. In May 2024, the devastation was incredible. The blatent brutality was in my face. By July 2024 they had begun to make some changes. This time the changes were incredible. The burned and shot up homes had been demolished and new construction was in place. Most of the kibbutz was no longer witness to the devastation of October 7th, it was a sign of life and the resilience of the Jewish people. This house is an example. In May and July of 2024 it was a symbol of the savagery of Hamas. In December 2025 it is a symbol of life, a beautiful new house in a beautiful area of the Kibbutz. As I looked at it, I could imagine myself living there. The dichotomy of my visits in 2024 and 2025 are symbolic of the Jewish people. We face many challenges and get repeatedly knocked down. But like the beautiful new house in 2025, we always get up. We look to the future with hope and with dreams. We won’t stay down, we won’t allow others to defeat us.

We met with Schacher, a resident of Kfar Aza. He told me his story and gave us the tour of Kfar Aza in July 2024. As we sat on the deck of his house, he told us what it was like on October 7th, hiding in his safe room as those around him were murdered and kidnapped. Why the terrorists didn’t come into his safe room we will never know. They came into his house, ate his food, and used his deck, the same deck and chairs we were sitting at, as their headquarters for the attack. It was surreal to be sitting in the same place that the terrorists were on October 7th.

Schacher’s table and deck, where the terrorists sat and planned their attack on October 7th at Kfar Aza.

Schacher took us around Kfar Aza, showing us where terrorists murdered people, where they kidnapped people, and told us stories of those who died and those who survived. It was incredibly powerful to experience. It was also a bit surreal as the changes since my last visit in July 2024 were obvious. While people haven’t moved back en masse yet, it was still a place of life now, not of death. Until we got to the young people’s section of the kibbutz. This area was targeted by Hamas for kidnapping and murder. The devastation remained. There are two homes we can walk in, one because the family gave permission as they want people to see the brutality of Hamas and how their daughter was murdered, the other because it was empty on October 7th. I also saw the home of Netta Epstein. I met Netta’s mother in November 2025 and her story and how Netta died was powerful and painful. Netta and his fiance were at home when Hamas stormed Kfar Aza. Hamas began throwing grenades into their small home and Netta threw them out. Until he couldn’t get to one fast enough. He jumped on the grenade to save his fiance, sacrificing his life. She was taken hostage and ultimately released. When I look at his picture, I see somebdy like my kids, with a bright future ahead. Hamas stole that from Netta, from his family, and from the world.

I wasn’t as angry at Kfar Aza this time because it was clear life was returning. It is a good lesson for us all and perhaps the true secret of why the Jewish people have continued to survive for thousands of years. We focus on life, not on death. We can grieve those who were murdered but we can’t bring them back. What we can do is live fully in their memory. We can make sure that their being murdered for the crime of being Jewish doesn’t become meaningless.

Our final stop in the south was the Nova festival site. I had heard from others how it had changed and been built up since my last visit but I wasn’t prepared for what I saw. Two new forests were built by Jewish National Fund (JNF) to honor those murdered there. There was a new area for the main stage and for the big yellow dumpsters. Seating areas had been built and real bathrooms now existed. The dirt road was replaced with paved road. Even the pictures in the field to memorialize the victims had been upgraded. It left me with conflicted feelings

The updated and upgraded Nova memorial

Part of me appreciated the need to make this into a true memorial for the country. To add exhibits and make it look more professional. Yet another part of me really appreciated the simplicity and raw emotion that the earlier version offered. Change is difficult and for me, the impact of the first two times I visited the Nova site was strong. This is a different version of the site. Yet when I watched how it impacted those on the trip who had never been to Nova before, I saw them having the same experience I had my first time. Perhaps it really is just me and what I wanted to see rather than the impact that it had. I enjoyed the main stage exhibit and the big yellow dumpsters exhibit. They were new and really added something to the experience.

The Main Stage exhibit
A part of the Main Stage exhibit

We finished out time at Nova by gathering in a circle and singing. All three times I have visited Nova, we have sung. As the memorial site to those brutally murdered at a music festival, I think it is important to bring music, even if just one song, to the visit. This time we gathered together and sang Hatikvah. Not only is it the Israeli National Anthem, it means “The Hope.” On a day that involved being on the border with Gaza, visiting Kibbutz Alumim, Kibbutz Kfar Aza, and the Nova Site, hope is essential and fitting. Yet after we finished singing, we discussed the lyrics.

The song begins, “As long as the heart within the Jewish soul yearns, and towards the eastern edge, onward, and eye gazes to Zion.” The hope for the Jewish State of Israel in this song is not unconditional. In fact, it is very conditional. Our hearts must yearn towards Zion, towards Israel, in order to have a Jewish state. It has to be within us, a part of our being. That’s what makes Israel so special – the longing we have for her. The deep within us passion and love for our Jewish homeland. Without that passion and love, deep within our heart exists, so will Israel. I don’t know about you, but I know that I have that deep yearning of my soul, in my heart, for Israel, our Jewish homeland. I gaze towards Israel often, come visit whenever and as often as I can, and love being here. I hope that you do as well. It is a remarkable country on so many levels.

The Hospital for Broken Souls

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

There is something special about Fridays in Israel. While Shabbat happens everywhere in the world, Friday in Israel, especially in Jerusalem, just seems different. There is a different energy, a different vibe. There is a buzz in the air, an excitment about it almost being Shabbat. It is something I don’t think I can adequately explain – it’s something you have to feel, you have to experience. This Friday was no exception, especially because it is Jerusalem. There was an energy in the air, a vibe that you can’t describe, you can only feel.

Being in Jerusalem always creates a desire for me to learn. One of my favorite teachers, Ari Ben-David joined us to explore some facinating questions. Today’s topic was “What am I?” A great and deep question. Being in Israel and in Jerusalem, we went to the Torah to explore it.

If you are like me, the image of torah study that I grew up with was boring. Reading these stories with no context and taking them literally. Over the years, I have learned that is not torah study. It’s simply reading stories. Torah study involves discussion, analysis, questioning, and debating. That’s what we did, led my friend and amazing educator, Aryeh Ben-David. Aryeh took us through Genesis chapter 1, verse 1 and half of verse 2. That’s it. All we needed to spend an hour or more discussing the deep topic, “What am I?”

He asked us to pick one line in chapter 1 and one line in chapter 2 that most answered the question. In chapter 1, we agreed on verse 26, “And God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” In chapter 2, we agreed on verses 7 and 8, “the Lord God formed man from the dust of the earth. He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a human being.” So we are the image of God, have God inside us, and are dust. Simple points.

It doesn’t end there. Dust is our physical being but the image of God and having God inside us is our soul. That’s the competition we face every single day. Every single decision. Dust (physical wants and needs) vs. soul (the greater good). Dust is about the self and immediate pleasure. The soul is about all and comprises the past, present, and future. What will we choose when faced with the decision? That’s the key question that each of us answer every day with every decision. It’s not about always choosing one over the other – there are times when we need to choose dust and there are times when we need to choose the soul. It’s about being conscious of the decision. What a mind blowing realization on a Friday morning in Jerusalem? With Shabbat approaching quickly, it’s a deep thought to take to the Kotel.

I love the energy of Machane Yehuda, the shuk, especially on a Friday. I went to help bring the catered food for Shabbat dinner to our room and get everything set up before heading to the shuk. A little bit of soul work. When I got to the shuk, as usual it was packed. I wanted to get to my favorite gluten free bakery there to get a bunch of challah, challah rolls, babkah, dates and walnuts. Most I will bring home and freeze, but I wanted a challah I could eat for shabbat and dates with walnuts to snack on. It was 100% for dust, for my own wants and needs. While there, I got to buy some desserts for Shabbat dinner (parve rugalach from Marzipan) and wine for those at dinner. A little bit of soul, doing things for others, since I wasn’t eating the rugalach or drinking the wine. Torah into action.

We got to the Kotel for shabbat very early. It was fairly empty when we arrived which gave us time to spend at the wall in deep thought and prayer. For the first time in a very long time, I had the time and space to sit in a chair at the kotel and just be. To let the air and the spirituality overwhelm me as I did nothing but sit and be. It was incredibly peaceful and powerful. I looked at the notes in the Kotel that others had left – their prayers, hopefully answered. I saw Jews of all shapes and colors arrive and pray. As the sun began to set, I felt the quiet and peace around and inside me.

If you’ve never been to the Kotel for Shabbat, it’s quite an experience. It never gets old for me. The singing, dancing, ruach (spirit) and connection is incredible. This was no exception. We gathered together in the plaza and prayed, sang, danced, and connected. We listed as others, in bigger groups, did the same but even louder. It was more than personal prayer – it was the feeling of a people coming together as one. As somebody who doesn’t love services, I always love Friday night at the Kotel. When we finished our prayer, I wanted to go join one of the others.

Instead we began our walk from the old city to where we were having Shabbat dinner. It was about a 40 minute walk, on a beautiful night, exiting through the Armenian Quarter and continuing up Jaffa Street until we arrived. The table was set for 15, the food was plentiful, and the company divine. I love the Shabbat table where you have a little bit of prayer, a little bit of ritual, and a lot of food and conversation. We prayed, ate, sang, and talked for a few hours, getting to know each other better, sharing pieces of ourselves, and enjoying the beauty of peoplehood, Shabbat, Jerusalem, and Israel.

During our learning with Aryeh he asked us what Jerusalem really was. We threw out a bunch of answers before he gave us his. He said, “Jerusalem is the hospital for broken souls.”. Powerful, beautiful, and true. Each of us has our own cracks in our soul. It’s part of being human. In Jerusalem we can get the treatment to begin the healing process for our soul. I’ve always loved Jerusalem but never really had a deep understanding why. Aryeh’s explanation fits. When I’m hear, my soul gets the treatment it needs to heal. To improve. To be better. I can get out of focusing on the dust, on my wants and needs, and instead focus on my soul. On the bigger picture. On being of service instead of what’s in it for me.

If you’ve never been to Jerusalem, I encourage to visit. To explore. To open your heart and heal your soul. If you’ve been – come back. It’s time for another treatment.

This was a wonderful Shabbat filled with happiness, joy, friendship and peace. I want to do my part to make sure they are all like this, no matter where I am.

Israel trip 25 begins

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

I arrived back in Israel at 6:30 this morning. I didn’t sleep much on the plane which meant this was going to be 2 days back to back with just a few 15 minute power naps to get me through. Good thing it’s Israel, since that always inspires me and gets my blood flowing.

After clearing passport control and customs and getting on the bus, we headed towards Rechovot for two different purposes. The first was to see the Weitzman Institute, a truly incredible research facility. The Weitzman Institute was targeted by Iran with their ICBMs in June of this year. They took a direct to one of their research facilities, destroying it. Their cancer research facility was also heavily damaged, resulting in the loss of priceless research that could have cured cancer.

At the Weitzman Institute, they have already been rebuilding. It’s amazing to see how quickly they repaired the damage and how important this research facility is. You can see the damage at some buiildings on the side and with missing windows but the destruction has been cleared, the frames of the new buildings in place. The cancer center images below show the damage on the side but the buildings that existed next to this one have been demolished and the new ones will be built soon. The building above now looks like new construction and it won’t be long before it is finished and operational again.

The Weitzman Institute is symbolic of Israel, Israelis and the Jewish people. We are resilient. We bounce back. We may be damaged but we won’t be destroyed. This is the Israel I saw in October and see today. An Israel bouncing back. A Jewish people determined not just to survive but to thrive. This is our ‘secret sauce’. We refuse to give up. We refuse to die. Our enemies have tried to kill us for thousands of years and we simply refuse to go away. Driving through the Weitzman Institute, seeing the mix of beauty and destruction, of live and commitment to the future through their research, reminded me that we all have our part to play and we all need to play our role. We aren’t asked to do more than that yet we are expected to do our part.

After leaving the Weitzman Institute, we headed to one of my favorite places in Israel, Ha-tov veHamtiv, outside of Rehovot. What is Ha-tov veHamtiv? It’s a farm, and orchard, owned and caretaken by an incredible man, a true Tzaddik (righteous person). Sandy, one of Israel’s most successful patent attornies, began this effort more than 40 years ago as a community garden. Today, this more than 200 acre facility, grows more than 35 different fruits and vegetables, depending on the season. All the food grown is donated to those in need. Sandy funds the entire project. Volunteers come and pick the fruit and vegetables. Last year, in July, we picked apples. This year, in December, we picked oranges. We picked them, we ate them, we worked the land, and we got energized. Less than 2 hours off the plane from Miami, we were out in the sun, working the land. Instead of being tired from a more than 11 hour flight and having little to no sleep, we were filled with vigor. It didn’t take long for us to fill up two big bins of oranges. We connected with the land. We connected with our ancestors. We connected with Israel and the founders of the modern state of Israel.

Sandy came to talk to us. What an incredibly understated and humble man. He was filled with joy at being in the orchard. He was filled with emotion, seeing us working the fields, working the land, being in Israel. Then he shared an incredible fact with us. His 200 acres provide more than 50 tons of food to those in need EVERY WEEK. This one man, through his effort, philanthropy, commitment, and working with others is providing more than 2,600 tons of food to those in need every year. Who says one person cannot change the world. Think about that – more than 2,600 TONS of food a year. That’s more than 5.2 MILLION pounds of food every year. How amazing and incredible is that. One man. With a dream. With a vision. Responsible for more than 5.2 million pounds of food being given to those in need. Feeding the hungry. I was humbled to meet him, to be in his presence, not because of his wealth or business success, but by the 5.2 million pounds of food he is responsible for providing every single year. He gives us something to strive for. One little (or not so little) orchard/farm outside of Rechovot in Israel. Imagine what we can each do with somebody like him as our role model.

We hopped on the bus, stopped for some coffee, and continued on to Har Adar, an incredible overlook in the Jerusalem mountains. It was the sight of key battles in the War of Independence (1948) and the Six Day Way (1967), with tanks left there to memorialize those battles. Israel and her geography can be challenging for those who have never been to visit and seen how small the country is, how much the topography matters for security. Har Adar is a great location to understand the challenges and talk about where we have been, where we are, and where we hope to one day be.

David Abramowitz speaking to the group at Har Adar
The view from Har Adar into Judea/Samaria/West Bank
The view from Har Adar into Judea/Samaria/West Bank

The villages in the background of these photos are looking into Judea/Samaria/West Bank (names are political so I use them all). Deep in the background is Ramallah. Up front are Arab villages. Off to the right is Jerusalem. You get a feel for how close everything is. Before the second intifada (Sept 2000 – Feb 2005) it was common to walk easily between the villages in Judea/Samaria/West Bank and towns like Har Adar. Due to the violence of the second intifada, Israel needed to install the security fence to stop terrorists from coming through and becoming suicide bombers, murdering innocent civilians. The cost of this was that innocent civilians in those villages now had to go through checkpoints, needed approval to enter Israel proper, and had their lives made more difficult. After October 7th, it became more difficult. Just last summer we were able to climb up the tower at the scenic lookout to get a high view of the area. Today the lookout is padlocked and we couldn’t enter. Security cameras were installed since July 2024 to monitor the area. Our reality makes me sad.

Har Adar was once an affluent community. People have left because they don’t feel safe living that close to the border. Sitting by the tanks, eating our lunch, looking over the outlook, all I saw was a lost past and a lost future. Will we ever be able to return to the days where the security fence and checkpoints aren’t needed? Where we can live together in a shared society? I hope. I dream. I’m not sure that I believe. It makes me sad.

From Har Adar, we made a quick stop at the Elvis Presley Diner to use the bathrooms (the bathrooms at the Har Adar lookout were locked – another security change) and it was fun to experience it. Lots of kitchy things to buy but we couldn’t stop because we were off to the old city of Jerusalem.

In the Old City, we were going to explore the tunnels under the Kotel, under Temple Mount. I’ve been through them many, many times and it never gets old. The education about what Temple Mount is, the history of this area from Abraham and Isaac, to Kings David and Solomon, the Macabees of the Hanukkah story, and King Herod, ties together so much of Jewish history. When you go into the tunnels, that history comes alive. You see the actual walls built by King Herod. In their natural status from 2,000 years ago. You see the actual destruction of the second Temple by the Romans. You get to walk on the actual street from second temple times, the same street our ancestors walked on more than 2,000 years ago. Our feet were on the same street that people walked on during second temple times. It may be the same street that Judah Macabee walked on. As we stood on that street, overcome with the connection we were all feeling, we joined together to sing Am Yisrael Chai – the people of Israel live. We do live. We will continue to live. We will not just survive but thrive. If you told the Jewish people who were being taken into slavery and exile in the year 70 CE that in 2025 their ancestors would be standing on that street, singing Am Yisrael Chai, in the country of Israel, they wouldn’t have believed it.

As you enter the tunnels, there is a beautiful modern synagogue built in 2017. Pictures don’t do it justice.

There is a Jewish tradition that at age 70, you begin counting again so when you turn 83, you can have a second Bar/Bat Mitzvah. I’ve decided that when I’m 83, I want to have my second Bar Mitzvah here, in this synagogue, in the tunnels beneath the Kotel, beneath the Temple Mount. I’ve got a while to go yet it is something that gives me hope, that gives me joy. To think that I may be there in 25 years, with my family, my wife, siblings, children, grandchildren, and maybe even great-grandchildren chanting from the Torah and leading services for my 2nd Bar Mitzvah makes me smile. It gives me hope. When that happens, you are all invited!

Israel is a powerful place. As I woke up this morning in Jerusalem and will be spending Shabbat at the Kotel, the Western Wall of the Temple, I can’t help but be filled with gratitude. Despite the challenges in the world today, despite the rise of antisemitism, of hatred, and of division, here I am. In Israel. In Jerusalem. I’m reminded of Psalm 137, verse 5 (and I’m not a Torah scholar but this one is a goodie).

I’ll never forget Jerusalem. I’ll never forget Israel. And I get to be here right now, today. Am Yisrael Chai.

Being Jewish and Inspired

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

Those who know me, know that I am not the most religiously observant person. While I am very Jewish and have a strong Jewish identity, when it comes to religious observant, I’m on the low end. When my friend asked me to come to services this Shabbat as he was sponsoring the kiddush in memory of his son, I said yes without hesitation. Not because I love services but because friends show up. Instead of my relaxing Saturday morning on the couch, watching College Gameday, rooting for the student to make the field goal and take Pat McAfee’s money, I found myself in synagogue.

I care much more about what goes on inside a synagogue that what the inside looks like in a synagogue. I have been to many that are beautiful inside but I don’t find warm, welcoming, or the service interesting or meaningful. I understand why many people want to invest in making the environment beautiful but I’d much rather see the money go to ensure great clergy, staff, culture. It’s a personal preference.

I note this because I have found that those that are more modest aesthetically tend to be more welcoming and I tend to enjoy what happens in them. As soon as I walked into this synagogue, I felt at home. It was warm, welcoming, and it was clear to me that the investment was being made in what happens inside the rooms rather than the rooms themselves. A number of people welcomed me immediately and the Rabbi, in the middle of the service, walked up to me to welcome me and give me a hug. In a crowded room, they made sure to find me a seat. People came up to say hello and welcome me.

I often find that in Jewish spaces, this type of welcoming doesn’t happen. We want people to come to our events, to be a part of our organizations, and yet we don’t make sure they feel included or special when they do. It was the first time I was at this synagogue and they made me feel right at home. As sombody who doesn’t love services, I found myself enjoying it because of how I was made to feel while there. I enjoyed the loud singing and comraderie that was happening as part of the service. Amazingly, I found myself thinking I would like to go back.

I found myself wondering why we don’t do this more often. We see our synagogues and Jewish organizations struggling with membership and attendance. We also see so many people who want to have a Jewish connection and yet they can’t find one that resonates with them. The old ways, the “Jewish tax”, the mandatory synagogue membership, etc. are no longer applicable. People want to spend their time in a meaningful way and many of them aren’t finding it in Jewish spaces. How do we change this?

There was recently a study about the shortage of people enrolling in Rabbinic School. In the study, they found an incredible diversity of those who enrolled. 58% identify as women, 30% as men, and 12% as nonbinary with an estimated 51% identify as LGBTQ. It’s amazing to see how the field has changed in the past decade or so. There was a big outrage by some about the high percentage being LGTBQ and women Rabbinic students, as if that was a problem. Perhaps to some it is. The bigger concern to me is about the overall number of people enrolling in Rabbinic school and the Rabbis that are graduating. I am a firm believer that the Rabbi is the key to the success of a synagogue. When the Rabbi is inspiring, the synagogue tends to flourish. People want to learn from somebody who inspires them. People want to spend time around those who inspire them. Rather than focus on the sexuality or gender of those in Rabbinic school, perhaps we should be asking ourselves why we aren’t recruiting the best, inspirational people to be our clergy?

At the synagogue I attended this Shabbat, the Rabbi was engaging. He was teaching us torah in between each aliyah. He was funny. He was engaging. I learned something new and applicable to my life each time he taught during the service. It made me want to learn more with him. It made me want to go back. He was inspiring. Our leaders, particularly our clergy, need to be inspiring. What are we doing to ensure we have inspiring clergy? Where are we failing? How will we address it?

One of my favorite clergy members is Cantor Azi Schwartz from Park Avenue Synagogue. He does amazing work putting classic Jewish prayers and songs to contemporary music. His version of Hallelujah set to Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run at Rosh Hashanah this year is outstanding. I’ve listened to it more than a dozen times.

His version of Adon Olam set to the music of the Broadway show Hamilton has over 1.2 million views on Youtube. I don’t get tired of listening to it and signing along. He inspires and I look forward to seeing and hearing what he will do next. When the streaming services from Park Ave Synagogue come on, I watch because I know it’s going to be special and meaningful.

When the Broadway show Wicked (one of my personal favorites) came out as a movie last year, Cantor Azi and Cantor Mira Davis were ready with a new version of Adon Olam set to the music from Wicked. It’s fun to listen to, to sing along with. There is very little Jewish music that I want to sing along with yet Cantor Azi has multiple versions of Jewish prayer that he has inspired me to listen to for fun and to sing along with.

As I was writing this and looking at the things Cantor Azi has done, I even found new ones. Adon Olam set to Born in the USA. I quickly began to sing along, tapping my feet, clapping my hands, and thoroughly enjoying myself. I found a version of Mi Chamocha set to Taylor Swift. That’s inspiration. Oseh Shalom to the tune of Shallow.

Not everybody has to be Cantor Azi. There are many ways to inspire. There are many ways to be welcoming and engaging. It takes effort. The payoff is worth it, both for the Jewish people as a whole and for each of us individually.

I’ve been lucky to work with and learn with many inspiring Rabbis. My childhood Rabbi, Jeffrey Wohlberg (always my image of a Rabbi) set a great example for me. Rabbis David Kaiman, Andy Koren, Yoni Kaiser-Blueth, Aaron Alexander, Dave Baum, Jonathan Siger, Yonah Schiller, Gail Swedrow, Chaim Albert, Jill Borodin, Randy Brown, Gabi Gittleson, Herb Tobin, Dovid Yachnes, Ari Federgrun, Ben Hassan, Danny Weiner, Josh Broide, Mark Kram, Efrem Goldberg, Irving “Yitz” Greenberg, Ed Rosenthal, Joseph Telushkin, Daniel Wolnerman, Darren Kleinberg, Mayer Abramowitz (z’l), Steve Engel, Neil Zuckerman, Jeremy Barras, Jonah Zinn, and Amram Hoffer are just a microcosm of the Rabbis who have impacted me. While the number of Cantors who have impacted me are smaller, I can’t leave out Cantors Lisa Segal, Rachelle Nelson, Mitch Martin (my Bar Mitzvah Cantor who I still keep in touch with today) who are incredibly inspiring. Perhaps I am spoiled by these amazing Rabbis and Cantors so I have set the bar too high. I don’t think so. Their excellence has showed me what is possible.

As a people, we need to invest whatever it takes to ensure we have excellent clergy. We need to do invest in ensuring we are a welcoming community. We need to invite those who show up into our community. When I was in Hebron a few years ago, our guide pointed to the parking lot and said to us, “This is where Abraham, recently self-circumsized, greeted the strangers and washed their feet.” (the the three angels). I think that if Abraham, at that point in time, would get up to welcome the stranger, who am I not to do the same?

As I finish writing and prepare to return to Israel in 2 days, I want to leave you with Cantor Azi and his Taylor Swift cover. As he sings, “We are never going back to Egypt again” think about what you are willing to do to ensure you are never enslaved again – mentally, physically, or spiritually. Think about what youwill do to find a way to make being Jewish interesting and fun. Ask yourself what it would take for you to want to be involved? To get your family involved? To make sure Judaism has an important part in your life, no matter how religious you may or may not be. No matter how much you may like or not particularly like religious services. No matter how you define being Jewish. Because at the end of the day, we are all Jewish so lets figure it out together.

Lessons from Peter Beinart and the Jews in Name Only (JINO)

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

In 2014, Peter Beinart came to speak at the University of Washington Hillel. At the time, I was the President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seatle and we were supportive of him coming to campus. While controversial at the time, his talk about the challenge of Israel being both a Jewish and Democratic state while millions of Palestinian Arabs are living in the West Bank was informative and thoughtful. There was much to discuss and while I (and many others) didn’t agree with Peter’s solutions to the challenge and found his presentation to be missing many factors that needed to be discussed, as you will see in the article at that time in “The Mike Report”, a well known, pro-Israel, very Zionistic blog in Seattle, there was a lot to the conversation. While we disagreed with Peter’s recommendations, the challenge facing Israel was clear and a reasonable discussion occurred. In 2014 you could love Israel, agree on the challenges she faced, and discuss differing ways to address the challenges in a respectful manner. While Jew haters would do it, very few Jews at that time were spreading lies about Israel and attempting to delegitimize the country, those who supported Israel, or defend those who publicly called for or celebrated the murder of Jews.

Peter Beinart; Correct Diagnosis, Bad Prescription

My how times have changed. In the 11 years since that speech, Peter Beinart has become one of the most anti-Israel Jews around. He no longer advocates for Israel but instead villifies her. He no longer cares about the challenge and the solution, only in being anti-Israel and fighting for the end of Israel as a Jewish state. The question of Jewish and Democratic is no longer an issue for him. It’s now about how to make Israel not exist, make it Palestine “from the river to the sea”, and how to villify Jews. He has joined the likes of Bernie Sanders who are Jews in Name Only (JINO) – only to help eliminate Israel and to bad mouth the Jewish community. He joins with and supports those who chant things like “from the river to the sea” and “globalize the intifade”. This week was a new low, even for him.

Beinart accepted the offer to speak at Tel Aviv University and share his lies, accusing Israel of both apartheid and genocide. It is only in a free society like Israel that he would be invited and feel safe to spread these lies. Can you imagine somebody speaking publicly in Iran about the evils of the Ayatolleh? We’ve seen what happens to those who merely criticize the Iranian regime – they are quickly arrested and murdered. We see what happens when people oppose Hamas in Gaza – they are quickly and publicly murdered. Those who oppose Putin in Russia quickly disappear. Yet in Israel, you are invited to publicly share your opinions, even when they are blatent lies, and you have no worries about your safety. You can even publicize on social media what lies you are going to tell and still be invited and safe.

Then, just when you think it can’t get worse than regular Peter Beinart, somehow he goes even lower. He manages to embarrass himself and the lies he tells even more. How does he do this? He apologizes to those who want to kill every Jew in the world, those who actively support the genocide of Jews and who celebrated the massacre on October 7th. He says he was wrong to even speak to Israelis. It’s no longer enough to lie about them. It’s no longer enough to support those who tell the lies and who want there to be no Israel and no Jews. Now, it’s not even ok to speak to them. To share your lies with them and try to convince them that they are racists, murderers, and the worst people on the face of the earth. Now, you simply have to pretend they are not even human, are not even worthy of being talked with.

I think back to the Peter Beinart that I met in 2014. A person that I agreed with on the challenge ahead and disagreed with on the solution to the challenge. Somebody who wanted to engage in dialogue. This week he proved, in a very public fashion, that Peter Beinart no longer exists. I am now a person he would never speak with. Somebody he wouldn’t even lower himself to speak with. Somebody who isn’t worthy of being graced by his presence nor worthy of hearing him share his lies. It makes me wonder how much longer it will take for him to change the word “Israeli” or “Jew” to simply “vermin” like the Nazis did.

Peter Beinart taught us all a very important lesson this week. There will always be Jews who are embarrassed to be Jewish and as a result, will do all they can to tear us down. We have seen it througout history. Especially throughout our own history. We continue to survive and to thrive despite these efforts because we continue to invest in Judaism. We continue to celebrate being Jewish. So we survive. I was shocked when I learned that not all the Jews left Egypt with Moses. The great Jewish commentator Rashi said that only 20% actually left with Moses. The rest stayed and faded away. Those like Peter Beinart and Bernie Sanders have existed throughout history. They are the 80% of the Jews who stayed in Egypt and didn’t leave with Moses.

Peter Beinart this week showed us the importance of investing in being Jewish. As I prepare to head to Israel on Wednesday with a group of 30-45 year olds for an intense, one week Jewish leadership experience, this lesson couldn’t have come at a better time. Whatever you think being Jewish means, it can mean more. It can be a part of your daily life no matter how religiously observant you may or may not be. Embrace it, because history has shown us that the world will certainly define you as Jewish no matter how much you define yourself. So learn and define yourself in a meaningfully Jewish way. You won’t regret it.

2014 with Peter Beinart. I will never let people like him define being Jewish or defame Israel

Bring the Jew haters to Israel – it’s the only solution

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

I love the State of Israel and am preparing to go on my 25th trip there in just a few days. I have four (4) tentative trips scheduled for 2026. It’s a part of who I am. It’s in my DNA. If I had a nickel for every tim I have been asked if I live in Israel or plan to live in Israel, I could retire (and maybe in Israel!)

I fell in love with Israel as a child. My Great Grandma Rose was a Zionist. All four of my grandparents were Zionists and they all visited Israel when I was a child. I grew up listening to stories about how my grandparents listened to the UN vote on the partition plan on their transistor radio and how they celebrated when they knew it was going to pass and there would finally be a Jewish State and homeland after close to 2,000 years without one. My parents were Zionists. As a child, I learned how important Israel is to Judaism and it became integral to my Jewish identity.

I didn’t go to Israel until after I graduated college. My second trip was a decade later. In the last 25 years, I have now gone 23 times. Being in Israel is healing to my soul – it is the type of thing you can’t explain to somebody until they have been to Israel and once they have been to Israel, you don’t need to explain it.

It is why I find myself baffled at those who hate the State of Israel yet have never been there. They haven’t seen it first hand, yet they choose to speak as if they are experts. They haven’t met with people who live there – Jews, Arabs, Druze, Christians, and Bedouins – yet they speak for them. It is clear we have a major problem and an opportunity for a solution.

When challenged by the younger generation losing their connection to Judaism, leaders in the Jewish community banded together and created Taglit: Birthright Israel. Their belief was that bringing these young adults, ages 18-26, to Israel as a gift, as their version of the biblical birthright from last week’s Torah portion, would change their connection to Judaism and maybe to Israel as well. 800,000 participants later, the data shows this has been effective.

What can we learn from this? In today’s world, where many of the youth no longer have any connection to Israel and won’t participate on birthright trip and where so many Jews and people of other faiths only believe the lies they see in the media, getting people to Israel is more important than ever. Not just getting them to Israel. Having staffed more than 10 Taglit trips, I know what they see. I know who they speak to. That’s great for the audience they are targeting. For this group, we need to show them a different version of Israel. The version of Israel that is struggling with the government, that the war has impacted heavily, that is not just Jewish. There was a great opinion piece in e-Jewish Philanthropy on November 13, 2025, titled How to support Israel and still have your grandchildren speak to you. The author argues that we need to show these people the Israel that speaks to them. I agree wholeheartedly.

It is why in November 2019 I participated in the Encounter Immersive program during which I spent four days meeting with leaders of Palestinian civil society. I was public about my decision to participate and wrote in great detail in this blog about my experience. You can read those posts beginning here. While on this trip, I met with many different people who had many differerent viewpoints. Some reinforced every stereotype I had. Others gave me inspiration and hope. I slept in Ramallah, ate dinner at the home of a Palestinian Christian and explored Bethlehem, was hosted for dinner by the Arab daughter of the family that has had the keys to the church of the Holy Sepulchre since the 1100s, and had lunch with a member of Hamas and a member of the Al Aqsa Brigade. I have followed up and kept in touch with many of those who inspired me and never forgotten those filled with hate. I want other people to meet those who inspired me, to talk with them, to listen to them, and to understand both the challenges and the opportunities that they share.

Osama, one of those who inspired me
Sam Bahour, who’s brilliance and dedication to fighting against Israel was frightening
The streets of Ramallah
Ramallah
The Bank of Palestine in Ramallah

The more time I spend in Israel, the more people I meet who inspire me with the work they do to build the type of country and society that is inclusive of all. A country that values human rights and embraces differences. You won’t see this on the news or read it in the New York Times, but it happens every single day in Israel. For example, Dror Israel and their affiliated youth movement, HaNaor HaOved (NOAL), works in every Druze village in Israel and in 58 Arab villages with over 20,000 arab children, teaching them leadership and friendship in efforts to build a shared society between all those who live in Israel. I had the opportunity to visit two of the Arab villages, meet with the children and the leaders of the Arab branches of NOAL, and was incredibly inspired by their work.

With the children in NOAL in Ein Mahel – Sept 2024
With the leaders of NOAL in Ein Mahel – September 2024
On the beach of Jizr Al Zarqa with Arab leaders
The Village of Jizr Al Zarqa

It is amazing to see the work that they do each and every day. When the mayor of the Arab village showed up to talk to us about the youth movement, sharing that he enrolled his own daughters in the movement, preaching to us how important it was to future of his village, we were amazed. As I listened to my friend Shadi tell us about the challenges he faces being Arab, Israeli, and a Zionist and how the current situation challenges his own personal identity, I was captivated. Ever since he invited me to join him in January for a leadership retreat with the Arab branches, I have been trying to figure out how to get back to Israel in January to be there to both support him and experience it myself. To watch the Arab village leadership working with the youth leaders in the Arab villages and document what I experienced to share. When I met Hamami, the only women in the fisherman’s guild in the Arab village of Jzir Al Zarqa, who created a program called Surfing for Peace as a way to intervene with village youth who were skipping school and getting in trouble, I knew I was with a force of nature. As she told us why she partners with Dror Israel and NOAL, because they only care about helping the kids, it was inspiring to see Arabs and Jews working together for a beter future for all. These are the things you can only experience in person, in Israel, to understand the beauty of this country.

Video about the Arab branches of NOAL

In Jerusalem, home to the Kotel (Western Wall of the Temple), Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque, and Church of the Holy Sepulchre, there is another treasure that far too many people don’t know about and that the media will never cover. 100 year old Hapoel Jerusaelem Football Club (Hapoel) is not only a professional men’s and women’s soccer team playing at the highest levels, it’s also a nonprofit that is owned by its fan club. Their most famous leader of the fan club was Hersh Goldberg-Polin (z’l), murdered by Hamas after being taken as a hostage on October 7 from the Nova Music Festival. Hersh loved Hapoel because of their social programs, designed to improve Jerusalem for everybody. Imagine if the news covered their neighborhoods league, where Jews and Arabs (from East Jerusalem) practiced and played soccer against each other each week. Now imagine that they did it without referees. What would the world say? Bring the Jew haters to watch Jewish and Arab children practice and play soccer together, befriending each other, and competing without referees. They wouldn’t know what to do. They’d be lost. It’s why we need to bring them to Israel to see with their own eyes. They need to see the homeless women soccer program, the girls league, Spectrum soccer, the Unified Teams, where neurotypical members of the fan club play on the same team as those who are neurodiverse against a similarly composed team, all including Jews and Arabs. These are the things you have to see in person to believe. These are the things that the media won’t cover. The narrative breaks when you watch Jews and Arabs living together, playing together, and striving for a better future together.

Watch and learn more about Hapoel Jerusalem Football Club and their social programs.

So it is time. Time to bring the Jew and Israel haters to see for themselves what they rail against. Let them cry apartheid as they watch an inclusive society. Let them talk with Arab members of the Knesset, Arab leaders of civil society, Arab and Jewish children who play together and build a new community together. Let them watch Arab, Jewish, and Druze children learn leadership skills together. Let them see the truth that the media won’t cover and expose the lies they breathe in the light of the truth. Hasbara has not worked. It’s time to show them the real Israel, warts and all. A country founded on the belief that all inhabitants should be able to live there in peace, not one that wants one. Let them follow the experience and the lead of Kasim Hafeez, a British citizen of Pakistani Muslim heritage who grew up embracing a radical Islamist ideology, becaming active in the anti-Israel movement. He wanted to see the horrors of Israel first hand and in 2007 went to confirm all his beliefs about the evil of Israel. Instead, he experienced the true nature of the Jewish state, changing his perception of Israel to where he now is a Zionist. We can create more Kasim’s by letting them see Israel first hand. The time in now. We cannot afford to wait.

Hanging with Kasim, two Zionists, one who is a self-admitted former Jihadist and anti-semite.

We need to understand that the media isn’t going to be our friend, our ally, or our advocate. They will continue to tell lies. The only way to combat those lies is to make sure that those who criticize Israel based on the lies come to see the lies themselves – and thus discover the truth. Israel isn’t perfect, but what country is? It is a country striving to be better. It is a people who despite their leadership issues (we all have them), are fighting to build a country for every resident.

If we don’t figure out how to get them to Israel to see, feel, touch and taste the truth, I’m afraid we have lost. And I won’t lose. Let’s all do our part to help the critics without any facts experience the truth themselves. Get them to Israel.