How Ro Khanna harms the Palestinians, Israelis, Jews and America

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

I’m sure most people saw the news coming out of the West Bank/Judea and Samaria on Saturday. Representative Ro Khanna, an outright critic of Israel, went on an unannounced visit to the West Bank to see what it is like. Shockingly, he ran into an issue with settlers, the IDF, and the police, which turned into an incredible photo op for himself, the anti-Israel movement, and a way to change the focus away from his support from Graham Platner and all he represents (hate, sexual violence, bigotry, etc.). Unfortunately, as you may have noticed, I didn’t say it was incredible for the Palestinians. I didn’t say it was helpful for the world in eliminating terror. And it certainly isn’t helpful for working towards a shared society between Israelis and Palestinians. This was all a show for Ro Khanna.

How can I be so confident in saying that? Because I was just there. I was in the West Bank, meeting with Palestinian leaders, Bedouin town leaders and members, and experienced the impact of the violent settlers and their terrorism (I will call it what it is), along with Palestinians and Israelis who are not just hoping for a better future but working together to create it. He walked away with hate. I walked away with hope. He will likely never go back. I will go back to visit my friends in the West Bank as soon as possible—planning for a few days in October right now.

So what is the difference? How did we both go to the same place, have similar experiences, and walk away so differently? Part of it, I believe, is that mine was real and his is staged. He knew the outcome before he arrived, and those planning his trip made sure it would happen. I hoped for my outcome but didn’t know what to expect and walked in honestly, with open eyes and an open heart to the experience.

Israel and the Palestinians are a complex and complicated topic. Too many people, like Ro Khanna, want to turn it into talking points. They seek simplicity in a deeply complex issue. I am far from an expert, but having spent time with leaders of Palestinian civil society and those in Israel who are working to build a true shared society in which Israelis and Palestinians can live together in peace, I do have on-the-ground personal experience.

To start with, we have to look at the governments of both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. For a very long time, it has been in both of their best interests to not only keep the status quo but ensure that no progress is made. Neither side has a true partner for peace and to build a better future. October 7th only made things more challenging and helped each government strengthen their own base and ensure nothing will change. It is okay to criticize the governments and their policies. Israelis and Palestinians do it all the time. I have heard and seen Israelis do it since I first went to Israel in 1989. My interactions with Palestinians have taught me that they are just as critical of their government. The media chooses not to cover this because it’s not in their best interests. Criticize the ‘pay for slay’ policy of the PA. Criticize how the PA doesn’t help the average Palestinian citizen. Criticize the Israeli government’s refusal to stop the terrorism from the settlers in the West Bank and the actual encouragement of it by Smotrich and Ben Gvir. You can criticize how Hamas uses human shields and how Israel handled the war in Gaza. The people of Gaza do. The people in Israel do. That’s not what Ro Khanna did. That’s not what Bernie Sanders, AOC, Summer Lee, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Candace Owens, Joe Rogan, Dave Smith (the failed comedian who made his name by criticizing Israel), or Tucker Carlson do.

We can also look at those who are working diligently to build a better future. When Rahm Emanuel was just in Israel, he visited with Rozana, an amazing organization that is doing work in the West Bank, within Israel, and in Gaza based on Health Diplomacy. His comments on social media show the impact and opportunity that exist. The Washington DC Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is invested in the work of Rozana, and this article in the Washington Jewish News highlights their involvement. When I was in the West Bank and Israel, I had the opportunity to meet with the professional and volunteer leaders of Palestinian hospitals that work with Rozana and partner with Israel. It was amazing to spend time with the professional leadership and boards of directors of Al Ahli Hospital and Al Rahkma rehabilitation hospital. Ro Khanna could have chosen to meet with them and hear what could be possible. He intentionally chose not to look for hope but to look for hate. While in the West Bank, I got to experience the Women4Women program of Rozana, which provides a mobile clinic dedicated to women’s health in areas where they don’t have access to quality healthcare. The entire multidisciplinary team is composed of Palestinian women. It was incredible to see. Had he been interested in truly exploring things that are changing the reality on the ground, Ro Khanna could have done so.

The terrorist settlers are a real problem. I got to experience that as well during my visit. There are real issues with what they are doing and the impact they are having on Bedouin villages and Palestinian villages in Area C. They have been emboldened by Smotrich, who has been public about what he wants to happen, and he is ensuring the settlers have the ability to terrorize the Bedouins and Palestinian villages in Area C. This isn’t something that is debatable. I saw and heard from those impacted. The terrorist settlers came out right after we left. We had an issue with the police and IDF because we, unknowingly, were in a similarly restricted zone to Khanna. The difference is that we didn’t know where we went was restricted – they had just made it restricted and didn’t inform anybody. Khanna and his people knew this. They had been told previously not to be there. They knowingly created a PR stunt, a stunt that only helps Khanna, not the Palestinian people. Per the IDF, after reviewing body camera footage,

“A review of body-worn camera footage confirms that the group leader was explicitly warned by officers, as this was not his first time violating the Closed Military Zone order,” police said. “He was issued a final warning that any future violations would result in immediate arrest.”

The video of the interaction – they wanted to wait for the Police to arrive and that’s what got Khanna and his group upset

This was a planned incitement by people who knew that what they were doing would result in them being stopped and questioned. Khana is complicit. He could have highlighted, as I did, the challenges of what he saw and heard in the villages. Instead, he made it about himself. This was his goal all along – to change the narrative from his Platner support to Israel, already something his supporters hate.

Areas A, B, and C color coded

Khanna’s self-promoting PR stunt doesn’t help the Palestinian people. They are not the focus; he is. The challenges they face were not the focus; he was. His story continues to change, and as the facts come out, the spin will be interesting. First, he said it was 90 minutes. Then it was an hour. Today, it was 20 minutes. Notice how everything is about Khanna. It’s not about the successes and the challenges occurring in the West Bank. By making it about him, those who dislike Khanna blame the Palestinians in the West Bank. Those who support Khanna focus on how Israel treated him instead of the challenges being faced in the West Bank in terms of the terrorist settlers and the new gates that have been established, making travel difficult for them.

His self-promoting trip will only cause more problems for the Palestinians, Israelis, and Jews in the diaspora. It will help increase antisemitism and encourage divisiveness instead of unity. His inflammatory language—detained, fear for his life—only encourages more hate. Saying the settlers had “machine guns” when they did not is more propaganda designed to spread hatred and promote himself. As Americans, we need to stop enabling all the politicians, Republicans and Democrats, who consistently put themselves first. We need to demand better. We need to reject those who use their positions to increase divisiveness in our country through lies and made-up situations.

The Middle East is a challenging environment. Too many Americans think that it’s just like the West, just like America. It’s not. It is far more complex, with thousands of years of history. The Jews, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Turks, and British have all been in control of the region. People like Ro Khanna choose their own self-interests over helping the Palestinians, Israelis, Druze, and Bedouins. He had the opportunity to meet with the Druze and learn about their challenges but declined. He had the opportunity to meet with hostages and survivors of the Nova festival; he declined. Khanna has no interest in solving problems or even addressing them. He has no interest in helping Palestinians. His interests are entirely about himself. His staged visit and intentionally created ‘detention’ help nobody but Khanna himself.

I’m tired of our ‘leaders’ choosing themselves over the country. I’m tired of the lies our ‘leaders’ tell and believe. Ro Khanna’s trip was just the most recent setup. We need to reject all of our ‘leaders’ when they do this. It’s not a partisan issue, which is why I used the term ‘leaders’. If we want to have a better world, if we want to have peace, if we want to have a country that works together to solve our problems instead of being divided against each other, it’s up to each of us to stand up to those like Khanna, who focus on divisiveness and hate. It’s up to us to focus on the work that is being done to change the world. Ro Khanna could have met people like I did a few weeks ago in the West Bank, people committed to a shared society and changing the world. Instead, he chose self-promotion.

Women4Women mobile clinic
Al Rahkma Hospital
The leaders of Taybeh
Women4Women staff
Al Ahli hospital
The board and department heads of Al Ahli hospital

It is time for us all to step up and reject those who stew up bigotry and hate for their own self-interests. Khanna gives us an opportunity to publicly reject him and those like him on both sides of the aisle. We can send a message that we care more about fixing the world than dividing our country. The reality is that there is hope for a better future. There are Palestinians and Israelis who work together to build peace and a shared society. Don’t believe the lies we are being told. While the governments make it difficult, the people on the ground are finding ways to work together for a better future where Palestinians and Israelis can live together in peace. I’m committed to doing that. I hope you will join me.

The world is complex, not simple. So are the solutions.

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

I love Israel. Those who know me well understand just how deep that love goes. I visit as often as I can, and I often get asked, “When are you making Aliyah?” (moving to Israel.) I’m not planning to do that, but I would like to get to a point where my wife and I can spend a month or so each year living in different parts of Israel, renting Airbnbs or doing house swaps with Israelis who want to visit Orlando.

I was raised in a family that was extremely Zionistic. All four of my grandparents went to Israel. They shared the story of listening to the UN vote on the partition plan on their transistor radio and how when they knew it would pass, they yelled, screamed, and celebrated. My parents and in-laws have been to Israel. My brother, sister-in-law, sister, and brother-in-law have been to Israel. My wife and I have been together, and I have now been 26 times, with additional trips planned for this year.

I was also raised in a family that had deep and challenging conversations at the dinner table. Nothing was off-limits, and we were encouraged to challenge each other not just about facts, but also about values, morals, and ethics. It wasn’t uncommon to hear somebody at the dinner table say, “Yes, you CAN do it, but the real question is: SHOULD you do it?” Right and wrong were taught not just in legal terms, but in terms of morals and ethics.

My cousins and I spent a lot of time talking about this as we grew up together. Some are more liberal, some are more conservative, yet we would talk about right and wrong, moral and ethical issues, challenges in the choices we might make, and what those choices said about ourselves, our country, and our world. Nothing was simple, and the conversations would often continue well beyond the dinner table and sometimes last for days.

Cousins at the Shabbat table – we would talk and debate into the night

Raised that way, I still take a critical look at things. Too many people today think things are simple. A simple answer to solving the issues the United States faces is that ending the war with Iran is simple. The conflict between Israel and Palestine has a simple solution: if Israel just replaced Netanyahu, everything would be fixed. If the U.S. would go to a net-zero carbon output, we’d solve environmental issues. None of these are true. None are simple. They can begin a conversation, but each, like so many other things, is very complex.

As a result of the complexities and my desire to really understand what is going on, what is behind it, and the potential outcomes of various situations, I make sure to get a lot of updates and information about what is happening in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank/Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, and Iran. Sometimes the information is too much and can be overwhelming. I know I can’t depend on the mainstream media to give me real facts. They are in the entertainment division, and they focus on getting eyeballs, clicks, likes, forwards, and lots of engagement rather than reporting the facts. This is why I have spent time in the West Bank, talked with many Palestinians and Israelis, and made Palestinian, Israeli, and Israeli Arab friends. I can get real information about the complexities, not just the simple solutions that simply aren’t real and won’t work.

In most instances, the information I receive through multiple sources, often directly on the ground, is helpful and broadens my understanding of what is really happening in these areas. Earlier this week, I got an alert that surprised me in many ways. The alert stated, “Earlier this morning, Israeli security forces were dispatched to the area of Mukhmas and began extensive searches following a report regarding several Israeli civilians who had been in the area and lost contact. The forces are conducting searches in the area to rule out the concern of a security incident. The IDF will continue to provide updates as developments occur.” The next update stated, “Following searches and a joint multi-agency intelligence effort by the Israeli security forces in the area of Mukhmas, all of the civilians were located, and the concern of a security incident was ruled out.”

Why did this surprise me? Mukhmas is about 10–15 km from Ramallah, and I was just there a few weeks ago. The main village is spectacular. There are big, modern homes, beautiful infrastructure, a mosque, and it looks like the type of place any of us would love to live. The homes there are mainly owned by Palestinian expats who use them as their summer homes. It is truly an amazing village, as nice as any you’d find anywhere in the world. This part of Mukhmas is in Area B, where the Palestinian Authority handles civil administration while security control is shared with Israel.

Mukhmus where the Palestinian ex-pats have their summer homes. It’s an incredibly beautiful village.

When you leave the village, as we did, you move into Area C, which is under full Israeli civil and military administration. We spent our time in the portion that was in Area C. While there, we got to meet the Bedouins who live in that area. We heard their stories and how they lived there peacefully until the illegal settlers showed up and started terrorizing them. They told us how they chose not to respond to violence against them with more violence. One village disbanded due to the harassment and terrorism, while the other chose to stay despite being attacked multiple times each day.

Mukhmas is not a place where Israeli civilians would just happen to be. You don’t make a wrong turn in East Jerusalem and end up in Mukhmas. When I read the alert, I realized the Israeli citizens who lost contact were the terrorist settlers, and if we can’t call our own what they are, why should we expect anybody else to call theirs what they are? The fear from the IDF was that the villagers finally got fed up and responded with violence to the settler terrorism. It didn’t fit the people I met, so when I read the second alert, stating they were found and that it was not a security incident, I wasn’t surprised.

At some point, however, this may not be true. How long can you terrorize people in their homes before they respond with violence? Living in Florida, we have laws like the Castle Doctrine (Fla. Stat. § 776.013) which grants you the right to use deadly force against an intruder in your home or occupied vehicle without a duty to retreat. The law presumes you have a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm if the intruder is actively and forcefully entering. This has more than been met for these villages who don’t have this legal protection.

Muhammad speaking to us in front of his village that has been abandonded due to settler terrorism
Yusef, who watched his cousin be murdered in a terrorist attack by settlers on his village. They remain despiote daily attacks

I love Israel. It’s a deep part of my soul and my identity. My trip in May was my 26th visit. I have at least two more planned for this year. It is impossible to describe the feeling of being in Israel and walking the streets to somebody who has never been. For those who have been to Israel, you don’t have to describe it. I will defend the right of the State of Israel to exist to my dying breath. But I won’t defend this type of behavior. These people attacking the villages are terrorists. The people who lost communication were likely settlers off to do no good when their communication was lost. Unlike the Bedouins like Muhammad and Yusef, who aren’t getting protection from law enforcement, these terrorist settlers just lose communication, and it’s a nationwide alert. I bring this up because so many people don’t understand any of the dynamics of Israel, the Palestinians, the West Bank, or what the geography even looks like. I write and talk a great deal about how we do not teach the modern state of Israel to our children because they don’t know what it is like. Had I not just been in Mukhmas and seen it personally, met the people there personally, and had an experience with these terrorist settlers, I wouldn’t have known there was anything going on with this alert. It would have seemed like a situation where regular Israeli citizens were in danger. These were not regular Israeli citizens, and they were not in danger. They are creating danger for those who live there, quietly and peacefully. They count on the diaspora’s ignorance of the region to misunderstand what is going on. It’s beyond time to take on that ignorance and no longer permit it.

Our world today is dominated by social media. TikTok has become the way many people get their information. It’s not coming from reputable journalists with integrity; it is coming from people who want to monetize their accounts and who will do or say anything to get enough followers, clicks, and eventually revenue. It is coming from bots that generate fake content, images, and lies to sell their narrative. We continue to sink into our abyss because people don’t speak out and people don’t take risks to call out bad behavior. People don’t have the knowledge to have those deep and complex conversations. We live in a world where too many people want simple answers to complex questions. They may want that, but it isn’t reality. Things are no longer about “the truth,” “ethics,” or “morals.” It’s about “my truth,” “my ethics,” or “my morals.” We have lost that communal responsibility and communal discourse.

For the past three years, I have been blessed to work with clients who inspire me. Clients who are involved with deep issues and understand the complexities. They are answering questions like,

  • How do we build a just society?
  • How do we provide a quality education to those who face societal challenges?
  • How do we teach leadership to teens?
  • How do we make technology available to children who have no access but have the minds to excel?
  • Can we use healthcare to build relationships and create opportunities for peace?
  • Are there new and different ways to show Israel and Judaism in a positive light on college campuses through athletics and athletes?
  • What is the best way to address the challenge of Jewish identity for people in their 30s and 40s?
  • Can sports be a way to social justice?
  • What does it mean to be Israeli, Arab, and a Zionist?

I enjoy working with my clients on these challenges because they remind me of those childhood dinner table conversations. Important topics. Important situations. Complex issues. People with passion who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty to solve problems. If any of these questions, or others like them, interest you, reach out. Get involved. Learn facts and challenge yourself with the moral and ethical parts, not just the legal parts. There is a role for everybody to play. It is the only way we are going to get ourselves out of the current world situation we are all experiencing.

Hiding your Jewish identity isn’t the answer

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

Living in Florida, air conditioning is essential. Keeping your AC units running and functioning well is critical. We have our condensers serviced regularly but haven’t had our units, ducts, and vents cleaned in a few years. When we got an opportunity to have it done at a good price and they would clean our dryer vents for free, I jumped on the deal.

The appointment was for yesterday, so of course, they kept pushing it and pushing it, and eventually had to cancel the appointment and reschedule for this morning. When the technician arrived, I greeted him at the door and was shocked as he reached up to touch my mezuzah and kiss it. I asked if he was Jewish, and after he said, “of course,” I told him I thought so because nobody else would kiss the mezuzah. He smiled, and I pointed out all the mezuzahs on my doors.

Large front door mezzuzah
Ethiopian designed mezzuzah
Another Ethiopian designed mezuzzah
My 3rd Ethiopian designed mezzuzah

It turns out he was born and raised in Israel and has struggled to find Jewish people and community since moving to Central Florida. He commented on how he rarely sees mezuzahs on doors here. We talked about Israel – he is from Rehovot, and I have had the pleasure of spending time in Rehovot. I have friends who live there. It’s where the Weizmann Institute is and where I have gone to pick fruits and vegetables for the last two years. We talked about places like Rishon Lezion, which is right next to Rehovot. I could tell how much it meant to him to have somebody to talk to about Israel with.

As he began work on my units, ducts, and vents, I went to my office to work. During a break, we continued our conversation. He told me how excited he was to see that I had siddurim (prayer books) on my bookshelves and that he saw my tallit bag, my tefillin, kiddush cups, Shabbat candlesticks, Hanukkah menorahs, and my Israeli art on the wall of my office. Being at my house and talking with me clearly filled a Jewish need he may not have even realized he needed.

One of my favorite pictures on my wall
I took this picture of the Kotel and Temple mount and love it

We talked about convincing my younger son to go on Birthright and visit Israel. The look he gave my son was precious, and as they talked, I hoped he inspired my son to finally sign up. This random person who came to service my air conditioning is a ‘member of the tribe,’ so our connection went deep even though we didn’t know each other until he knocked on my door and kissed my mezuzah.

I offered to help connect him with the local Jewish community. It is something he has struggled to find. He talked about wanting to engage in Jewish learning and be part of the community. I gave him my contact info (he had it in the company records, but this was for him personally). I hope he will reach out, and I can help him find his place.

Earlier today, I was talking with a friend of mine who lives in New Jersey. He was talking about how bad it has gotten in New York and New Jersey and how he removed his mezuzah from his door after October 7th due to the rise of antisemitism. How he doesn’t have any signs of being Jewish on his house or anywhere else because he fears for his safety. I told him how I’m just the opposite. I have a huge mezuzah on my front door and others on my three other external doors. I have my clearly Jewish and Israeli tattoos. I even have the Florida Stands With Israel license plate on my car. What an incredible difference simply because of where we live in the United States.

Florida Stands With Israel License Plate
The art of Moshe Shapira plus We will dance again tattoo
Nova Tattoo

I began thinking about what would have happened had I taken down my mezuzah or never put one up. This Israeli would never have known it was a Jewish house. We never would have talked about Israel and Judaism. He wouldn’t have felt the power of being Jewish in my house by seeing all the Jewish items I proudly display. He would have missed out on the joy that it provided him. I would have missed out on knowing him and connecting.

This is why we need to be proud to be Jewish. We need to show our pride publicly. We can’t be afraid because when we are afraid and hide our Jewishness, the Jew haters win. They want to get rid of us; they want to make us invisible. They want us to be quiet and let them terrorize us. I refuse. I urge you to refuse. Be like the actor Patricia Heaton, who is not Jewish. She was so upset at the Jew hatred and that Jews were removing their mezuzahs from their doors that she, a Christian, put one up on her door and encouraged allies to do the same. Thousands of non-Jews who are allies went ahead and put a mezuzah on their door to stand with us. If they can do it, so can we. For thousands of years, Jew haters have tried to erase us: Babylonia, Persia, the Greeks, the Romans, the Crusaders, the Turks, the Poles, the Germans. We wouldn’t let them, so we survived. Now is not the time for us to do it to ourselves.

I’m proud to be Jewish and don’t hide it. Today reminded me why this is so important. I look forward to hearing from my new Jewish, Israeli friend and helping him find his way in a challenging Central Florida Jewish community. I won’t hide my Jewish identity or my Jewish pride. I encourage you not to hide yours either. Am Yisrael Chai!

The fight against Jew hatred

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

It has become so common to see Israel and the Jews blamed for everything. Have a Nazi tattoo and want to run for the US Senate? Get accused of abusing your ex-girlfriends? Cheat on your wife? Masturbate in public toilets? Have racist writings exposed? Be like Graham Platner and blame the Jews. Want to be elected Governor of Florida but you are not endorsed by President Trump or by Governor Desantis? Be like James Fishback and blame the Jews. Want to be elected to Congress in Texas but are unqualified and need some big time PR? Be like Maureen Galindo and threaten to put the Zionists in internment camps. Want to get elected to Congress in New Jersey? Make sure you are like Adam Hamawy, who called Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide.” and who has strong ties to the “Blind Sheikh” Omar Abdel Rahman, who was linked to the perpetrators of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and who is in prison for life for planning terrorist attacks. For sure one way to get elected in any state is to claim Israel committed Genocide, wrongly interpreting the International Court of Justice’s decision (listen to former President of the ICJ, Joan Donoghue explain what the decision actually was below.)

What we rarely see, from Demorcrats or Republicans, is those who stand up against Jew hatred and who are willing to take a power public stance condemning it. Plenty will dance around the corners. Few will stand strongly.

I have had relationships with elected officials of both parties most of my career. I built relationships with many of them around the State of Florida when I was running UF Hillel, did the same as the President and CEO of the Jewish Federation in Seattle, and continued to do so when I moved to Orlando. Many of them don’t like each other but each has built relationships with me. As a citizen and a leader, I believe it is my right and my responsiblity to build there relationships. I work with Democrats and Republicans because Jewish life, safety, fighting antisemitism and Jew hatred, and supporting the right for the State of Israel to exist should never be partisan issues. As such, when Senator Rick Scott’s Central Florida Director called me late last week to invited me to a press conference Senator Scott had called at the Florida Holocaust Museum to address Kanye West performing in Tampa and antisemitism for Monday morning, I wasn’t surprised, was honored, and cleared my calendar to attend.

I have known Senator Scott since he was in his first term as Governor of Florida due to my work with UF Hillel. We had many politicians come speak to our students so they could learn from elected officials and understand that as citizens and leaders, they had access to them and had a responsibility to use that access to share their concerns. I believe it is important that we teach our children and those around us this important lesson. Our elected official serve us, the people. We don’t serve them. So use your citizen’s voice with them.

I’ve attended many of these press conferences held by many different politicians over the years. It doesn’t matter who they are or which party they are affiliated with, they tend to be fairly similiar. They stand in front of a podium, addressing the media, speaking certain talking points that are nice to hear and are supported, but usually in a calm and dignified manner. They are doing what they are supposed to do in representing their population and speaking out, but rarely with true passion and fire. It almost always comes from somewhere inside, is something they truly believe, and is always appreciated. It rarely leaves a lasting effect. It is what I expected would happen at Senator Scott’s press conference.

I was wrong. When Senator Scott stepped to the podium he had fire in his eyes. His words were passionate and filled with fury. He began by making sure that everybody knew that this was not ‘his’ press conference but rather was a bipartisan group who were here because they had enough of antisemitism and hate. They were not going to tolerate Jew hatred in Florida and he wasn’t going to tolerate it in the United States. He made sure to introduce US Senator Ashley Moody, former Governor Charlie Crist, Leo Terrell, the Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the United States Department of Justice who oversees the country’s response to antisemitism and all civil rights, Pastor Scott Thomas who represented Christians United for Israel (CUFI), local elected officials, and the local Jewish leaders who were in attendance. This was not the Rick Scott show. This was an entire community standing together.

The issue that had fired him and the others to speak so forcefully was the Tampa Sports Authority’s decision to have Kanye West perform two concerts at Raymond James Stadium. Kanye, in 2025, released a song and music video entitled “Heil Hitler.” In 2025 he also publicly stated, “I am a Nazi.” He has threatened that, “when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.” These are only some of his Jew hating public remarks. As all the speakers reminded us, speaking out against Jew hatred and Kanye West’s pending performace because of the Tampa Sports Authority (TSA) is not a 1st amendment issue. He has the right to say whatever it is that he wants. However TSA is not required to bring him. It is not a requirement that public dollars be used by TSA to stage his concert and to make him money.

As I listened to Senator Scott talk, I was inspired because I was hearing things that I believe in. He spoke about bipartisanship and how Republicans and Democrats were represented at the event. He stated, “It starts with the Jews but it doesn’t end with the Jews.” He talked about his visit to Kfar Aza in 2019 and then again after October 7th and how that impacted him. He talked about how he brought his own children to Holocaust Museums because he doesn’t want them to ever forget and was open and honest about finding the right age and time to bring his young grandchildren to Holocaust Museums because he doesn’t want them to be part of the Holocaust denier movement. I was moved by the power and passion of his comments. He focused on how Kanye has the 1st amendment right to perform but that we don’t have an obligation to use public dollars to bring somebody who spews hate and openly hates Jews. He actually asked what does it say to Jewish Floridians if we use public dollars to bring somebody who openly said he loves Hitler and is a self proclaimed Nazi? How does that make our Jewish Floridians feel safe?

US Senator Rick Scott

US Senator Ashley Moody spoke next. As somebody who hails from the Tampa Bay region, she was visibly upset about this in her home community. She took the TSA to task, saying their job is clearly stated to ‘evaluate, approve, and prioritize’ the acts they bring. That means that TSA chose to evaluate Kanye West’s Jew hatred and think it was ok, then went ahead and chose to approve his performance, and prioritized it so that it was something that was happening soon. She held them accountable for all three of these responsibilities where they failed.

Senator Moody acknowledged Kanye’s right to perform but also talked about how that doesn’t mean the TSA has to choose to bring him. They could have evaluated, chose not to approve, and not make him a priority, all while not infringing on his free speech rights. She also spoke about the contract and that this would cost TSA money to break it; and that they should because when you make a mistake you must fix your errors.

US Senator Ashley Moody

The next speaker was Leo Terrell, the Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the United States Department of Justice. Mr Terrell is the person in Washington who fights antisemitism every single day. He flew in from DC for the event. I was incredibly impressed by him. He said bluntly that it is “a fundamental obligation to fight antisemitism.” No excuses made. No qualifying or saying that ‘its complicated’. It is a fundamental obligation. Powerful words.

He then directly addressed ‘the Jewish tax’. The Jewish tax is the enormous costs the Jewish community bears to keep our community safe. The cost of security at our synagogues, Federations, JCCs, events, and any Jewish space. You don’t see the same thing at churches or mosques. Only the Jewish community. He spoke powerfully about the obligation to make this Jewish tax no longer needed. Hearing Leo Terrell speak and knowing he is fighting for the Jewish community made me feel hopeful. We have a smart, passionate person in charge who is spending his days fighting on our behalf.

Leo Terrell

Former Governor Charlie Crist spoke next. He started with words we rarely hear from any politician in today’s world. “I am a Democrat but an American first.” It was that type of event – partisan politics were put aside to stand up to hate, specifically Jew hatred and antisemitism. Charlie made sure that everybody heard him when he directly said that “this is not right vs. left. It is right vs. wrong.” When Senator Scott called him on Friday to invite him to participate, he told us that his response was, “I don’t know what I have scheduled but I’ll be there.” He made sure to clear his calendar to be a part of standing up to Jew hatred and antisemitism.

Charlie talked about upholding community standards, standing up against hate. He was also very clear that we should not be using public funds or publicly funded arenas to promote hate speech. It is not ok to use those public funds and publicly funded arenas to platform a self declared Nazi who admits that he idolizes Adolph Hitler.

Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist

Pastor Scott Thomas, representing Christians United For Israel (CUFI) spoke, reminding us that if this was the 1930s, Kanye West would be an opening act for the 3rd Reich. He then said, far more eloquently than I have been saying for a long time, that ‘words started the Holocaust but silence allowed it to grow. There won’t be silence in 2026.”

We heard from Jewish Federation leadership, local politicians, community leaders, my long time friend Eric Stillman, the CEO of the Florida Holocaust Museum, and many others, including a Holocaust survivor. The theme throughout was the words on the podium, “Don’t. Fund. Antisemitism.”

A Holocaust survivor speaking to us

As Senator Scott took the microphone to wrap things up, he continued to be nuanced and clear. He said that ‘buying a ticket to an artist who you appreciate their creativity does not make you an antisemite.” A very important clarification for those who bought tickets and want to see Kanye West perform. However, he also reminded us that we must consider the power that we have at this moment. He closed by instructing us that “The future is not about just what we condemn. It’s also about what we allow.” Senator Scott hit it right on the head. Condemnation isn’t enough. We have see plenty of that with no effect. It truly is what we are willing to allow.

This bipartisan group, composed of local, state, Federal and communal leaders gathered together to speak out against Jew hatred and antisemitism. They aren’t willing to just allow Kanye West to perform in Tampa and send a message that public funds, meaning the government, approve of his hatred. I was honored to be there. I was inspired by the bipartisan approach and the commitment from everybody who spoke to do what they can to stop a Jew hater from being able to use public funds to make millions. In a fractured political environment where Jews don’t know if they can trust either party, here were Florida leaders making a powerful stand. It made me proud to be a Floridian. It validated all the work I have done and continue to do with our elected officials. We can make a difference. Nobody knows what the Tampa Sports Authority is going to do. They may cancel the concerts and pay the fee. They may change nothing and still have Kanye West perform. What I do know is that our leaders took a stand. They stood with the Jewish community against Jew hatred.

Senator Scott started a petition with change.org that demands the Tampa Sports Authority stop using public funds to to fund antisemitism and to cancel the two concerts by Kanye West. If you are motivated, please sign the petition as I have. We cannot aford to be silent. We must speak out. In the words of Pirke Avot (The Ethics of our Fathers), “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it”. Listen to the words of Pirke Avot and begin. Take a stand. Sign the petition. Share it and get others to join in, standing against hate. Silence only allows the hate to grow. We must call it out and take a stand.

There is an old saying that leaders lead. On Monday morning, I got to see a variety of leaders in Florida, Democrats and Republicans, join together to lead the effort to stand up to Jew hatred. I hope that becomes an inspiration to leaders across the country that you can work across the aisle when it comes to fighting hate, to fighting evil. That includes Jew hatred, which seems to be the only hatred that is permitted in today’s world.

How University Leadership Should behave

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

I subscribe to the StopAntisemitism website and get weekly updates on what they find. They often have clickable links that allow you to send an email to organizational leadership about what their employees are doing related to Jew hatred and asking for help in reaching out. I almost always take this action

On Sunday, the following message was sent and I reached out the the leadership of Loras College about this coach.

Edward “Eddie” Liger Smith is an assistant wrestling coach at Loras College and co-founder of the Midwestern Marx Institute. He has repeatedly promoted tropes and conspiracy theories that echoe longstanding anti-Jewish narratives. With an online following of roughly 450,000 across X and TikTok, he possesses a massive platform for disseminating these views to a wide audience. As a wrestling coach, he holds significant influence over impressionable young men while simultaneously leveraging a large social media presence to spread his inflammatory rhetoric. This combination creates a dangerous platform with the potential to shape and radicalize vulnerable individuals both on campus and online.

Smith has publicly promoted violence and has glorified Hamas, a U.S. designated terror organization, to his vast audiences. Examples of Smith’s rhetoric include:

  • Calling Hamas terrorists “Palestinian resistance fighters” the day following the massacre on October 7th and saying, “What a courageous and powerful group of people.”
  • Publicly supporting Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
  • Referring to Hamas as “The people defending their children from the Zionist death machine that you support.”

Eddie Smith frequently uses conspiracy-based framing and broad, collective accusations that target Jewish people and promote antisemitic narratives. 

Examples include:

  • Framing “Israeli Zionists” as part of a “ruling elite” and characterizing them as “compatible with murderous anti-human destruction.”
  • Stating “the Iranian Revolution is under attack from Zionist pedophiles.”
  • Sharing “I hope this makes you reflect upon the way that Israel and the Zionist lobby is increasing rates of anti-semitism in the West.”
  • Claiming it is “an objective, historical fact” that “Zionism is a terrorist ideology.”
  • Stating “Anywhere in the world where you see actual Muslim extremist groups, you can almost guarantee that the U.S. and Israel have actually supported or funded them.”
  • Claiming the Israeli government is “literally doing another Holocaust” and saying “but Americans like me need to give Israel 3 billion dollars a year in order to protect the Jews.”

Taken together, these statements go well beyond criticism of Israel and instead promote recurring antisemitic narratives rooted in conspiracy theories and collective blame. Repeatedly portraying Jews or “Zionists” as a powerful force behind society’s problems normalizes prejudice and hostility toward Jewish communities.

Eddie Smith’s role as a wrestling coach at Loras College, combined with his large online following, gives him significant influence over both student-athletes and a broader public audience. While entrusted with mentoring young people, he has repeatedly promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories, used dehumanizing rhetoric, and publicly praised Hamas – conduct that raises serious concerns about his ability to serve in a position of authority and trust.

Given the nature and pattern of this behavior, Loras College must conduct an immediate review and determine whether his continued employment is consistent with the institution’s values and its responsibility to provide a safe and inclusive environment for students.

I was surprised to get an almost immediate response from Loras College’s President, Mike Doyle addressing the issue. He was emphatic that Eddie Smith was not an employee or an active coach. He also promised to look into the issue and address it asap. He took the concern very seriously, was not defensive, and wanted to ensure that this hateful man was not connecting any way to Loras College. I was impressed by the response but honestly didn’t expect much of a follow through because most Presidents hope it will fade away.

I hadn’t heard from President Doyle in a few days so I reached out this morning to ask for an update. Once again, I got an almost immediate response, which again surprised me. President Doyle actually did follow up. He did the work to learn about Eddie Smith, who he is, how he is/was connected and began following up with those who reached out to him as well as with his leadership team at Loras College. He told me he spoke directly with Liora Rez, the Executive Director of StopAntisemitism, to share what he learned and she then removed the reference to Loras College. Once again, I was impressed.

He told me the detailed story of what happened. Smith was listed on an old archived site from 2021 and Eddie Smith has not been connected with Loras College or the wrestling team since then, a year after he graduated from Loras. President Doyle shared that he instructed his staff to remove the archived information and to scrub any mention of Eddie Smith from their online presence. I went an checked myself and sure enough, that archived site was entirely removed, not just references to Smith.

President Boyle went a step futher in his effort to address this issue, sharing that he has instructed his Senior Vice President to make sure there are no indirect connections via groups Mr. Smith is part of in Dubuque.  These would be groups that are not affiliated with Loras in any way but could have some tie to Loras in people’s minds. That is how serious Presidnet Boyle takes antisemitism, Jew hatred, and hate in general.

Loras received over 250 emails about the issue and President Doyle and the administration took every one of them seriously. The IT Department went into their quarantine and spam filters to find every email address and compile a list so President Doyle could respond to them as a group (it’s not realistic for a College President to engage with that many people individually). He continues to share more information directly with me, just a regular person who has no connection to Loras College, because it is the right thing to do. To be honest, I’m shocked that he would reply individually for exactly the reason I wrote above – he doesn’t have the time to respond to each and every person who isn’t connected to Loras College. His last note touched my heart. He wrote, “It is simply not acceptable that you/we have to deal with this type of hate or any other type of hate.  Be well and prayers for a peaceful and loving world will continue on our end at Loras and with my family and me.”

President of Loras College, Mike Doyle

Lots of people wrote to him, critical of Loras College. I hope that this story will be shared and at least twice as many will reach out to thank him. In our crazy world where we deal with so much Jew hatred, physical violence against Jews, and justification of it by so many of our ‘leaders’, President Boyle and Loras College stand out as an example of humanity, of courage, and should be recognized for it.

If you want to send him a thank you email, just click here. If that doesn’t work for you, his email is mike.doyle@loras.edu and please put THANK YOU as the subject line since that will stand out in the quarantine or spam filter. Thank you’s go a long way, especially when dealing with something like this. He deserves to be thanked.

Sometimes it is hard to find hope. President Mike Doyle reminds me of how many good and righteous people and leaders there are who are not afraid to stand up against hate. Who are not afraid to do the right thing immediately because that’s what they stand for. Let’s make sure he and Loras college know both how much we appreciate him but also the College for doing what is right when it is not always easy.

Thank you President Mike Boyle!!

Reflections from the week

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

As my three days of site visits with Rozana and two days of strategic planning with them have come to an end, I find myself thinking deeply about the experience, what it means, and how it has affected me.

As we wrapped things up over our last two days, it felt like summer camp was ending. Even though I only spent 3-5 days with the Rozana team, they became friends. Some live in Hebron and some in Ramallah. I’ll have to go visit next time I am here. Some are East Jerusalem and some Herzaliya. Some are London and some are Melbourne Australia. Some are New York and others in Jaffa. We are geographically diverse and it is not easy to hang out together until the next big gathering, just like summer camp. It was hard to say goodbye and after just five days, the experience and the people are now part of my heart and soul.

The crew at dinner in Beit Jala
Part of the group with the CEO of Al Ahli hospital
Magen David Adom without our Palestinian friends
Us on on side and the board and Dept heads of Al Ahli Hospital on the other
Outside at the Women4Women clinic as we began our journey together

I met some people at the various hospitals that became friends. Akram, the CEO of Al Rahkma Rehabilitation hospital, and I ended up seeing each other three different times. I’m looking forward to his visit to the US. Muhammad, who is a doctor and teaches at a Palestinian University, who invited me to visit the University so he could give me a tour that I look forward to taking. We sat, talking and talking over lunch, connecting and becoming friends. I want to follow up on Ruba, an amazing doctor and woman who left her Palestinian hospital to do a fellowship at Sheba to better her skills. After finishing an extended fellowship, she will be returning to her hospital to help other doctors and better serve her patients. All new friends, all Palestinian. If you told me that before the trip, I wouldn’t have believed it.

I met a few of the Rozana team on zoom before coming and there were many I only met when I arrived. Ran, Raed, and Diana went from zoom colleagues to friends, each so much better in person. Adil, Wajdi, Malak, and Muhammad each taught me so much and I am lucky to have met them and call them friends. I’m excited to learn more and hang out when I return.

I spent a lot of time with Ken, Ron, Doug and Rodica, each the board chair of their country’s Rozana board. The US, International, the UK and Israel. I’m excited to spend more time with them all.

Rozana showed me the power of connecting on a human level and how it bridges differences and gets beyond the surface level. As we work together, I’ll not only learn from them but I’ll learn more about them and then about me. We are breaking boundaries that the world tells us can’t be done right now. Proof that the talking heads and politicians are wrong and that Rozana is right. It’s people to people. Shared experiences.

I’ve been thinking a lot about these five days and the different lives we live. Not by choice but by outside forces. As I took the train from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv I found myself thinking how easy that was for me yet how hard it was for Adil and Malak to go from Ramallah to Jerusalem. It was so difficult and would have taken so long that they couldn’t join us that day. It took half the time to take the train to Tel Aviv and the taxi to my hotel than it would have taken them to get to Jerusalem.

I have also been thinking about the partnerships that already exist. Israeli and Palestinian hospitals. Joint programs Rozana has with Magen David Adom, Sheba hospital and a number of other organizations. Good things are happening and there is proof that more good things can happen.

Most Jews I know have never met a Palestinian. Never spent time talking with them. Never listening and sharing. Their experiences are merely the talking heads. Many Palestinians have the same experience. There encounter with Jews are only with the IDF and are not positive ones.

This week has reminded me that we need to get beyond what we are being fed. It’s junk food. It’s not healthy for anybody. This week showed me opportunities that I didn’t think were possible for a decade or more are actually happening now!

This isn’t me being Pollyanna or brainwashed. This is my love of Israel deepening with hope. Change is possible NOW, despite the PA, the current Israeli government, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. It’s happening between people, between institutions, and through partnership.

Yes there are terrorists. Yes there are people who want no Israel and no Jews. All that isn’t true. There are far more who merely want to live their lives fully next to Israel, in partnership with Israel, and with respect from and towards Israelis. They want freedom, not the end of Israel or the Jews. That is our hope. That is our opportunity. It does exist.

After one of my long and deep conversations with a Palestinian this week, he spoke with one of the Rozana lay leaders. In the conversation he mentioned our talk and how much he enjoyed it. Then he asked the lay leader, ‘Is he Jewish?’ It shows what can happen when we meet as people, talk as people, show empathy as people, and focus on our similarities not our differences. We get beyond the stereotypes. I believe that he and I did, hence his question.

I am excited to build my friendships with the people I met and those who are my colleagues. I have much to learn from them and I believe they can learn from me. While the governments aren’t talking and building towards a better future, that doesn’t stop each and every one of us to do so.

A few years ago I learned the meaning of the word ‘Inshallah’. It means ‘If God wills it’. So I will do my part to build for a better future. I hope that you will do yours. And perhaps then we can have peace and that bright future.

Inshallah.

Rozana and Day 3. The hospitals

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

IsraAID is a wonderful organization that does great work on behalf of Israel and the Jewish people all over the world. When there is an emergency, they show up. Today I had the opportunity to go to their Tel Aviv offices and both learn about their work in Gaza.

What happened on October 7 is inexcusable. It’s unforgivable. Since then the people of Gaza have suffered a war their leaders, Hamas, lost at a high cost to the people. Most have had to move from their homes and continue moving because of Hamas continuing to fight.

It was amazing to see the statistics about the work of IsraAID in providing healthcare, medication, supplies, baby food, hygiene kits and more to the people in Gaza. I have complained about how the UN doesn’t do their job, how Hamas and various gangs steal food and supplies, reselling it at a premium. What is happening with IsraAID makes food, supplies and medical care get directly to the people.

Rozana also does work in Gaza the report from IsraAID was helpful and informing for our work.

This work in the medical clinics in Gaza is not only changing lives in Gaza, it is building bridges between the people of Gaza and Israel. While there, we heard a great story that exemplifies this, something you won’t hear anywhere else.

A key clinic coordinator broke his wrist and was unable to join an educational zoom. The people in Gaza heard about this and started calling him, reaching out to him, checking in on him, worried about him. Then they set up a zoom for him with a physiotherapist in Gaza so he could get exercises to help him recover. All this happened while he was sitting on his couch in Tel Aviv. The people of Gaza were taking care of him, not knowing he was already in good hands. He mattered to them. Hard to imagine but true.

There are plenty of employees in Gaza, all working in the clinics providing direct care to those in need. Not terrorists hiding behind medicine but real doctors and nurses working with orgs to help take care of the health needs of the people in Gaza.

IsraAID described the conditions in Gaza to us. The food remains expensive even with aid flowing in. We were told that one sheep is $8,000 in Gaza. It shouldn’t be that way but it is. Hamas continues to create problems for the people of Gaza and yet IsraAID and others are there as trusted partners, providing key humanitarian aid. There is a need for more and we talked about how to expand from two clinics to four. How to provide more trainings for the doctors and nurses in Gaza. You won’t read that in the papers or see it on the news.

We left IsraAID feeling inspired and headed to Sheba Hospital (Tel HaShomer). Sheba is a massive hospital. It is in Israel. Yet Rozana has partnered with them to create fellowships for Palestinian doctors. We had the privilege of meeting with Dr Reut who heads the Pediatric ICU and her fellow, Dr Ruba Rizik. We had a chance to learn about Ruba and the fellowship.

Ruba comes from a small village in East Jerusalem and graduated from Al Quds University. She got a job as a doctor at the Al Makassed hospital in the pediatric ICU. Al Makassed partnered with Sheba (yes, a Palestinian hospital partnered with an Israeli one) and prepared to send her for a three year fellowship at the Sheba Pediatric ICU. But there were many challenges along the way for Ruba. First she had to take the Israeli exams. It took her a year to study properly and then she took them and passed – just in time for Covid to hit.

In 2022 she applied to the fellowship again and was accepted. Now the challenge was getting a Rozana funded scholarship. She worked with Rozana for a year to get the funding and she started October 11, 2023. We all know what happened 4 days prior.

She was unsure if she would be safe in Israel or how her coworkers would treat her. Her parents were panicked. She told us how she would talk with her mom on the phone as she walked the 15 minutes to and from work to help them both feel safe and how she had multiple locks on her apartment door.

Her supervisor and coworkers accepted her. They welcomed her. She learned Hebrew – both conversational and medical terminology. She had to learn to do all things that doctors do in Israel, which included many things that nurses do in her Palestinian hospital.

When the recent Iran-Israel war started, she went home to her parent’s house. Nobody was sure how long she would stay there and her supervisor gave her as much time as she needed. Shockingly, only 10 days later she returned to work at Sheba because she missed her work family and she felt that they needed her. Palestinians and Israelis not just working together but being like a family. When will you see that on the news or read that story in the NY Times?

Reut and Ruba at Sheba Hospital

Ruba shared that Al Makassed, the hospital she is to return to in 6 months, just told her they closed their pediatric ICU. Now she needs to stay at Sheba two more years to do a fellowship in general ICU. Rozana will be there for her financially to continue the fellowship. This amazing Palestinian and doctor, who was terrified of living and working in Israel, is committing for another two years to live and work in Israel, apart from her family. She is amazing. The fellowship program is amazing. And Palestinians and Israelis are working together and are becoming colleagues and friends.

We left Sheba with huge smiles on our faces. What an incredible person, doctor and program. We were filled with pride for what Rozana accomplishes and the idea of growing the fellowship. How many more fellowships could we add at Sheba each year? 10? 20? More? Changing the world with each one.

We started our drive to Haifa so we could visit the Carmel Medical Center and get an update from them on our Shared Life Program that is partnered with Rozana.

Before October 7th, Carmel realized that they wanted to address Jewish-Arab relations in the workplace. It was important to them that every employee at Carmel felt safe, secure and a part of the community. They began in September 2023. After October 7 they weren’t sure if they could run the program but they knew they had to try, so they simply did it.

They knew they had to address the Arab, Jewish, Christian and Druze relationships in the hospital to not only ensure the best medical care for patients but also ensure a safe working space for every employee. The program worked. The response to it was overwhelming. Once again, the media wants to focus on the hate and ignore any instance of shared society, where Arabs, Palestinians and Jews work together, become colleagues and even friends. As we listened to the update we got more and more excited. We began discussing the next steps in the upcoming year. What did they imagine the next year would look like? What else can we do together to enhance the program? How can we help improve these relationships even more? Can we involve patients in this process since Carmel serves such a diverse population?

It was energizing. It was exciting. It was full of hope. Haifa is the epitome of shared society and the Carmel Medical Center is an example of why this is true.

As we were concluding our day, I began to realize how much I missed my colleagues and new friends from Rozana who live in the West Bank. They weren’t with us because some need permits to enter Israel and couldn’t get them while others had checkpoints closed which made it incredibly difficult to join us. It was a powerful feeling and realization. My Palestinian friends. They weren’t allowed to join us. Amazing people and professionals who couldn’t get a permit or who couldn’t travel easily because of blocked checkpoints weren’t able to participate in the joy of what they helped create. Despite the amazing day filled with hope, it made me realize just how much work there is to do and how far we still have to go. It showed me how important this work is – making it possible for Palestinians and Israelis to get to know each other as people and colleagues and maybe even friends. How this work can change the world and our reality.

From IsraAID to Sheba to Carmel it was a meaningful and impactful day of hope and excitement. I am lucky to have the opportunity to meet these people, work with and on behalf of everybody I met in these three days of site visits, and make a difference in the region and in the world. I talk with many friends in the United States who see no hope, who see no future. I’m here to tell them and you that isn’t true. I experienced it myself and sometime soon, you will be able to as well. If you are going to be in Israel and want to see the work in the West Bank, let me know and we will make it happen. If you want to come to Israel and travel to the West Bank to see it, we will make that happen too. It’s simply too important. As we finish our site visits I am filled with gratitude for being a part of the amazing work of Rozana.

Terror in the West Bank

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

I apologize for the length of this post. It was a complicated and challenging day and requires a lot of explanation

Today I had the chance to visit a few Bedouin villages outside of Ramallah. Like many of you, I have read and heard about the problem of ‘settler violence’ but without much context or understanding. It seemed like a problem but something that didn’t happen often and was being done by a few groups without too much of an impact.

I learned today that is entirely false and a lie we have been fed. We started the day by going to the town of Mukhmas, southeast of Ramallah in area B. Mukhmas has beautiful homes and it’s a beautiful town made up almost entirely by Palestinian expats who use it as a second home for the summer. This meant the town was empty today.

We went to the edge of town where we met our guide for this part along with many members of the Bedouins who live just outside Mukhmas. We were warned that the settlers may show up when we were there and if they did, not to engage and to get into the jeeps and leave immediately. It wasn’t what I wanted to do if they showed up but I agreed anyway.

We jumped into jeeps to take the windy, rocky road to the top of the mountain. At the top, we looked out over two Bedouin villages. They pointed out the six new, small settlement that popped up and who have been terrorizing them.

First Bedouin village
Second Bedouin village
Settlers moving in

Then Muhammad spoke to us about his village and what happened. He told us how the settlers started by letting their sheep run through the village to create havoc and damage. The next step was the sheep running through the village while the settlers lit houses and cars on fire. After they did that, the village called the police. The station is about 7 minutes away. 30 minutes later they showed up, with the settlers being gone. On the road in, the police drove by the convoy of settlers but said they didn’t see them and there was nothing they could do. A month later, another massive attack happened. 10-15 days after that, another attack, this time with more than 50 settlers. This means others were imported to participate. During this attack, 4 houses were burned down, 2 cars were burned and the police didn’t respond promptly and when they did, they said there was nothing they could do. The community decided they could no longer stay and disbanded. 22 families from 2 tribes were forced out of their homes because the army and the police are choosing to allow the violence and not arresting anybody. Planned violence won. I looked out at the empty village below and only saw lost dreams and heartache. I thought of the pogroms my family faced as the were forced across Europe before finally boarding whatever boat showed up next and the randomness of the boat that ended with me in America instead of Argentina by family lore. This isn’t my family but it was my family’s story.

Muhammad speaking to us. His former village is in the background.

Then we heard from Yusuf. His village, right nearby, was 13,000 dunams (1 Dunam is 1,000 square meters), they had 1500 people living in the village, and produced 60 tons of olive oil per year, the main financial business of the village. They also raise sheep. The settlers have slowly confiscated most of their land. They face 4-5 attacks most days. They don’t have weapons but the settlers do. In the worst attack, one person was murdered, four others were shot, and 350 of their sheep were stolen by the settlers. Once again, the police and IDF did nothing to help but they did attack the villagers with tear gas. The person murdered was Yusuf’s cousin, right in front of him.

Our guide shared the next thing that happened is that the village and surrounding are got classified as a military zone. This means no observers allowed. Only residents. And the settlers are considered residents. The terror continues even worse under these conditions. The NGO who observe and help them sued and the case went to the Supreme Court where they won – it was not a real military zone so it was removed. But nothing changed in regards to the attacks or the lack of protection by the police, the IDF or the legal system.

Yusuf speaking

They now face extra security costs they can’t afford. Sound like something Jews face in the US and Europe? People try to kill is because of who we are?

And what about the police and the army? Do we believe in the rule of law? Isn’t the Torah filled with laws? Are we people of the book, of laws? Imagine attacks on any of our Jewish organizations where the police didn’t show up promptly and allowed the attack to continue. Would we allow that?

We were heartbroken with what we heard and saw. We left and began to head to our next stop when a text came in, letting us know that as soon as we left, the settlers showed up, trying to terrorize the Bedouins.

We were all a bit shaken but continued on to our next stop, the Bedouin village of Dar Abu Farja, east of Ramallah.

We arrived at Dar Abu Farja and discovered an old school Bedouin village. Not the fake ones that tourists go to – a real one where they face real challenges.

The town leader greeted us with a few other leaders and a lot of children. They were happy to see us and to share their story.

They finally settled in their village in 1970 and bought the land. They were a small village of 12 when they began. They lived there happily, raising sheep and growing olives and grew to 120 people. Since they live in area C, under the control of the IDF, no basic services are provided. If they had been in area B and under the PA for civil society, they would have been provided. Every other week, a mobile medical clinic would come to provide services. It was a life they enjoyed. In September 2022, the settlers arrived and began harassing them and stealing their sheep. The police and IDF did nothing to protect them. A few years ago, they sold most of the sheep to stop them from getting stolen. Their Olive trees have been destroyed by the settlers. They no longer have an economy. They can’t go out of the village to work because they take shifts to protect the village.

I went to use the public bathroom and discovered it was a hole in the ground – an old school Bedouin village. I washed my hands and returned in time to hear him talk about the water dispute. The settlers camp near the water line and cut it. The village sued and won – the settlers were required to move away from the water line and not interfere with it. However, once again, there is no enforcement. As a result, the village has been without water for a month. I live in Florida and due to hurricanes have been without water in my house for a few days. It’s miserable and we don’t stay in the house. I can’t imagine a month without it. I felt guilty for washing my hands after the bathroom and then began to wonder – no water for a month – how is there water to wash your hands. So I asked.

An NGO brings them 4 trucks of water each week and they have to ration it. Without this water they couldn’t survive and would have to move.

The village leader of Dar Abu Farja

Despite their water shortage they continue to offer us coffee and tea. Despite the Israeli government not enforcing the law, they treated us kindly and welcomed us. It so easily could have been the opposite. In fact much of the commentary by the talking heads around the world is how these people are being filled with hatred. My experience was just the opposite. They want to live in peace. They want to live on their land, raise sheep and grow olives, and build their families where they live. It sounds exactly like what we ask the world as Jews. Just let us live. Don’t terrorize us. Don’t hate us. We don’t want to conquer, we just want to live our lives and be happy.

As we walked out of the village, we saw the settlers across the street. We saw the tents the Bedouins live in. And we saw the marks on the ground at the edge of the village where the settlers had camped, brought their sheep, and cooked something, all to intimidate the members of the village.

The settlers
The settlers
The village and tents/homes of the Bedouins

As we drove to meet with the leaders of Taybeh, a mainly Christian town in the West Bank, we got a call that the IDF showed up at Dar Abu Farja after we left, asking questions about who we were, why we were there, and what was our purpose in being there. The police then showed up as well and they were interrogating our guide for these Bedouin villages and his team. The Rozana CEO left us to go back to the village to deal with the IDF and the police. We didn’t know if anybody, or all of us, would be arrested.

It turns out that what we learned a few hours earlier about declaring these villages ‘military zones’ to protect the settlers had happened to Dar Abu Farja but nobody informed the village leadership or those who work with the village. We got a first hand experience with what this looks like and what it feels like. There is no military reason for this village to classified as they have. The only reason is to protect the settlers and push the Bedouins out. I am a big supporter of the IDF and have many friends serving in miluim (reserves) and many in leadership roles. I love Israel and the Israeli people. I come often and wish it was even more. Learning about this, talking with those affected, and then experiencing it personally is heartbreaking.

When we arrived at Taybeh, we were welcomed heartily by the leadership of the town. They once again had coffee, food, and then tea for us. The leadership was glad we came. He then began to tell us what has happened in Taybeh. A town of 15,000 now only has 2,000 residents. This is a tourist town for Christians as it is believed that Jesus visited the town. Since October 7 they lost almost all tourism, their largest revenue. Imagine Orlando or Las Vegas losing all their tourism and what the economic impact would be. That’s what happened in Taybeh. Then the army confiscated land where 90% of their olive trees are located. Olive oil, their 2nd largest part of the economy, has been decimated. The 2,000 residents that remain can only do so because of family financial support from abroad. Their more local government is close to collapsing because of no economy and no jobs.

Two gates were added at the town which makes travel much more difficult. The gates are closed at random times and often for no reason. As a result of this, working outside the village is very difficult. One of the town leaders was a school principal in Ramallah. He had to resign due to the challenge of getting to and from Ramallah each day and has been unemployed ever since.

Once again, these people who had very reason to hate Israel. They don’t. They hate what is happening and what the government is doing, but all they want to do is live in their town, have jobs, and raise their children. They were warm, welcoming, and kind.

The leadership of Taybeh

We finished our visits by going for lunch at the famous Taybeh Brewing Company (in full disclosure I had never heard of it before).

This is a local, private business that is known throughout the country as having the best beer. It’s famous. They work with local women to support them and our lunch was homemade by local women. we sat outside, ate, and enjoyed the experience.

After lunch we got a tour of the brewery. It was incredibly impressive. Since October 7th and the reduced tourism, they chose to expand their capacity. They ship to many countries (you can see if it’s available where you live here). They also now make wine, gin and whiskey. Plus they make their own Olive Oil. I purchased a bottle of wine for my father-in-law, a bottle of whiskey for one of my closest friends, and olive oil for our home.

Historically they have an entire weekend of Octoberfest. Children’s events, live music, and celebrations. People fill the hotels and travel from all over. Since October 7th they haven’t been able to hold it. They are hopeful for 2027. A wonderful cultural event bringing people together lost by the town. I hope they are able to hold it in 2027

Octoberfest in Taybeh sign
Octoberfest 2018 in Taybeh
The famous Taybeh beer
The Taybeh wine

As we left Taybeh and headed toward Tel Aviv, we came upon a checkpoint. Our guide and his team were a few cars ahead of us. They were stopped, made to get out of their car, all their bags were searched and they were interrogated. They were clearly targeted. The checkpoint backed up. Luckily they were finally allowed through. When we got to the checkpoint, we were boarded by two IDF soldiers, questioned and made to show our passports. This wasn’t normal security and we felt targeted at well. As we cleared the checkpoint the guards relaxed their security and cars drove through in the normal manner.

THE STATE OF ISRAEL will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the Exiles; it will foster the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; it will be based on freedom, justice and peace as envisaged by the prophets of Israel; it will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants irrespective of religion, race or sex; it will guarantee freedom of religion, conscience, language, education and culture; it will safeguard the Holy Places of all religions; and it will be faithful to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

This was a challenging day. I love Israel. Those who know me know just how passionate I am about Israel and how I am constantly working to educate people about what is really happening, not the lies told on social media, by podcasters or in the news. Today showed me a reality that I cannot defend. I think of the things that happened and are happening to Jews and how we fight against it and how we get angry when we don’t have government support for our safety and security.

We see shootings at Jewish buildings, cars driving into synagogues, beatings in the street and get furious when we aren’t protected. Imagine houses owned by Jews in your neighborhood being burned. Your car being burned. The water cut off at your home for a month because you are Jewish. We have seen Jews murdered walking outside a Jewish event. Multiply that by 10 or more.

Now that I have seen what is really happening, experienced a bit of it personally and met and heard from those impacted, I can’t stand by. Israel is better than this. In the Israeli Declaration of Independence it reads

We are violating our own Declaration of Independence in an egregious manner. I love Israel and because of that I have to share what I saw and what I felt. This must end. It’s not who we are as a Jewish State and it is not what Israel was founded on. We need to demand better. Israel can and should do better.

** If you are interested in helping provide water to Dar Abu Farja, please contact me. $350 provides a week’s worth of water to this Bedouin community until they can get the water turned back on.

Rozana Day 1 – Hebron and Hope

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

I’m here in Israel with my client, Rozana. Founded in 2013, Rozana works with medical diplomacy, peace through healthcare. It’s an amazing organization that partners Israeli hospitals and medical related organizations with Palestinian hospitals and medical related organizations. As I reviewed their website and the programs they run, I became excited about the opportunity to work with them. I had many friends who shook their heads, wished me good luck, in what they thought was a hopeless effort.

This week Rozana brought members of their international board for site visits to see the work first hand. I was invited to join them and jumped at the chance to see the work in person and to meet the people doing the work and those impacted by it. The President of their American, Australian, UK, and Israeli branches all joined us along with the president of Rozana International and the CEO, CFO, and COO along with a few other members of team. It is an impressive group of people who I have gotten to know very quickly and really like.

Today we visited Hebron. I’ve been there before but only in the small, Jewish part. I loved the small Jewish part and the time I spent at the tombs of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs is indescribable. This was the Palestinian side. I didn’t know what to expect. Our first stop was in the village of Beit Oula, on the outskirts of Hebron. Rozana’s women4women mobile clinic was there. When we arrived, there was an educational session happening about menstrual health. We take for granted that women know about this but in remote areas of area C, that isn’t the case. I watched as these women listened intently to the doctor who was educating them. They do this type of education about women’s health every time the mobile clinic arrives. The clinic has everything needed for women’s health – all the equipment including sonograms, glucometers, fetal heart monitors, etc. This type of healthcare is not availble to the women in the remote areas the clinic serves and they wouldn’t have any access with Rozana. We heard from the woman who lets Rozana use her space for free about how important this was. We heard from the Program Manager about her experiences and the impact they are having. We heard from the head doctor, a midwife, and a phsychologist about the work they do and how impactful it is. They told us about a woman who was diagnosed at a regular clinic with ovarian cysts. It turned out she was 4 months pregnant. Another woman who was having a medical emergency that the clinic diagnosed quickly and was able to get her to an Israel hospital in time for her to deliver the baby and to save her life. Without Rozana and the women4women clinic, both these women would have died.

Women at the educatinal training
Photo of the woman4woman team and Rozana by Dana Bar Simon Tov
Mobile women’s clinic
Inside the women’s mobile clinic
The mobile clinic

The clinic was donated by the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) and is staffed by Palestinian women doctors, nurses, midwives, physical therapists, physchologists, and physiotherapists. It is a true multi-disciplanary team, all provided by Rozana. They visit 3 villages every week. They used to visit 5 villages a week, however the settler violence has made it unsafe for the Rozana staff to go to some of the places they used to go. One of the women who came for the clinic shared how the settlers attacked the 12 women coming the night before and as a result, she was the only one who was willing to walk there today. She had to go the long way and it took her 2 hours to get there and it would be two hours to walk home. She missed the educational part but was going to be able to get the medical care she needed. She told us how important this was to her and she wasn’t willing to miss it.

I was blown away by the work. Seeing the impace on these women, hearing their stories, and seeing the care, committment and passion of these doctors and nurses was inspiritng. I’ve written about my need for hope and the time spent in Beit Oula with the women4women mobile clinic did a lot to inspire me. It’s something the media never covers. Stories of Israeli and Palestinian partnership that you will never hear about. A possible future that the political leaders throughout the world say they want to see but I’m not sure they really do.

Our second stop was at Al Ahli hospital in Hebron. We met with the head of the hospital along with the board of directors, all men except for the board president, who was a woman. They were all successful businessmen who care about healthcare and want to make the hospital great. Al Ahli hospital partners with both Sheba hospital and Hadassah hospital. Once again, nothing you would hear in the news – Israeli hospitals partnering with Palestinian hospitals. But it is happening and in a very meaningful way. Rozana partnered with Al Ahli hospital to train 16 pediatric and adult ICU doctors. Those 16 were given the skills to both use and to teach others. Since that training by Rozana, Al Ahli hospital has trained more than 100 additional ICU doctors. Talk about a return on investment! The hospital provides more than 34 clinics to the people, including project smile where they repair things like cleft palates.

The hospital staff and board were amazing. Friendly. Kind. They had incredible fruit and juices out for us to eat. They brought us coffee (if you’ve never had the deep, dark, powerful Arab coffee you don’t know what you are missing). As we talked about opportunities, it was exciting to see how much they wanted our partnership and how important it is to the hospital and the key decision makers. Another story the media will never tell you. Another narrative blocked from the world view.

Al Ahli hospital
They welcomed us with incredible hospitality
Operation Smile clinic

Our final stop in Hebron was at the Al Rakma Rehabilitation hospital. This is a brand new rehabilitation hospital that is set to open in the next few weeks that will be operated by the Green Land Society for Health Development. It was still under construction when we visited today. This brand new, 7 story hospital is designed by Dr. Akram Amro with incredible foresight and thought. They will provide physical therapy, prosthetics, hydrotherapy, and trauma recovery for neurological, orthopedic, and pediatric patients. Partnering with Alyn Children’s Hospital to train their doctors, nurses, physical therapists, physiotherapists, and support staff how to work with children with disabilities, Al Rakma will be at the cutting edge of rehabilitation treatment.

Rozana has been working with them for years, starting with their Wheels of Hope program that helps ambulences get critically ill pacients out of the West Bank to Israeli hospitals. Often times the delay due to security or there being no ambulance to take them to an Israeli hospital has dire results. They then moved on to partnering on the women4women project. Next was the Day After project – the need for a rehabilitation hospital. Rozana was involved with funding the construction project, one of the very few capital projects the will do, because of how compelling the need is along with the power of Dr. Akram Amro’s vision. As part of this program, Al Rakma is copying the work done in Israel by Yad Sarah, in loaning out medical equipment. They started with wheelchairs and are growing and moving forward with other items. Ultimately, when the time is right, they want to bring 120 children from Gaza who need rehabilitation, prostetics, OT, PT, and/or mental health treatment. For children, who rapidly outgrow their prostetics, the plan is to 3-D print them so they are inexpensive and easily replaceable. Dr. Amro is brilliant and hearing him talk through his plans was exciting.

The therapy pool which will be fully functional in 2 weeks
View of Hebron from Al Rakma Hospitals 6th floor garden deck

Over lunch, I had a chance to spend some time in deep conversation with a few of the Palestinian doctors who are connected to Dr. Amro and the Al Rakma hospital. One of them, Muhammad, was beyond inspiring. He did his training outside the West Bank and finished his studies in Turkey. He chose to return to the West Bank to teach at the University. As we talked, I realized how much we had in common. He talked about the evil of Hamas and how if they were ever to take over in the West Bank how he would leave immediately. He complained about a lack of diversity in the medical school and his desire to have people from other countries; France, Spain, Germany, the US, and even Israel studying in the West Bank. The need for exposure to other cultures was critical to ensure a future with peace and harmony. It was inspiring to hear his passion about a better future. We scanned our WhatsApp codes to keep in touch and he invited me on my next visit to come visit the University. I plan to take him up on the offer.

Our final site visit was at Magen David Adom (MDA). What would MDA have to do with Palestinians? A new program created in partnership with Rozana is teaching Arabs and Jewish women how to be ambulance drivers. Along with regular driving, this 9 month program teaches them all Hebrew (many of the Israelis had made aliyah and struggled with Hebrew), phlebotomy, and how to be a first responder. Each of the women told their story and it was fascinating to hear what brought them to the program, what their desire was, and what they planned to do next. One woman came from a religious muslim family. Another came from a religious Jewish family that she had left behind. She talked about having never met a Palestinian before or eating their food, and then commented how delicious it was. All the women talked about how the program had brought them in touch with people different from them and how grateful they were they had this opportunity. They talked about how close they had gotten and how it felt like family. What incredible success. Learning skills to not only get a job but also to save lives all while breaking down barriers and creating real realtionships between Israelis and Palestinians.

The women at Magen David Adom invlved in the ambulance program

I wrote recently about my challenge in finding hope. Today was all about hope. Hope for a different and better future. Hope for a different and better today. Lots of people talk about potential peace between Israel and Palestine. Rozana is making it happen every single day. To hear about the partnerships between Israeli and Palestinian hospitals that is happening right now, every day, was inspiriing. Meeting the nurses and doctors trained in Israeli hospitals and then taking that knowledge to train their peers was inspiring. Hearing the gratitidue from Palestinian women about the opportunities that Rozana and their Israeli peers have given them was inspiring. Thee are real people, living every day with things we only read about in the newspaper or hear about on the news telling and showing us a different reality, a different today, and the possibility for a very different future. As somebody who believes the the Jews aren’t going anywhere and the Palestinians aren’t going anywhere either, so we have to find a way to live together, I saw that today in all four site visits. I saw a future that I struggled to hold on to before seeing it live today. I added a few new Palestinian friends today to those I met during my Encounter program. Real people who want to live their lives in peace. Who invited me to visit their homes, meeting their families, and into their lives. Tomorrow we are off to Ramallah to see and learn more.

I am not naive that this will be easy. I don’t believe it will be simple. I don’t believe this will be quick. But I do believe that it is possible and can happen. That’s a far cry from the hopelessness that you get from the media and that friends and I have discussed repeatedly over lunch.

Hope isn’t dead when you open your eyes and see what is happening. Today with Rozana popped my eyes wide open. Today opened my heart. I still have lots of conflicting emotions and there are challenges ahead, but I see a pathway happening in real time, today. As I looked out over Jerusalem from our Rozana dinner at the sun setting on Jerusalem and the beauty of the night looking out over Jerusalem, I couldn’t help but being overcome with hope. With the ability to dream. And the desire to continue to struggle with my own beliefs while supporting those who are actively making this hope and dreams into reality. I have a part to play in building a better future for the world and I couldn’t be more grateful to Rozana for showing it to me.

The Beauty of Jerusalem

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

On Thursday morning I left for Israel. Sitting next to me on the flight to NY were a young couple who engaged me about where I was going. When I said that I was connecting to Tel Aviv, they were excited to ask questions about Tel Aviv, Israel, and if Christians were able to go to the Christian holy sites. I was thrilled that they wanted to ask these questions and yet also sad that they didn’t know that it has only been when the holy sites are under the control of Israel that everybody has access to their holy sites. I was glad that they asked and from their responses, I think they were glad they asked. It shows just how far behind we are with education people about Israel.

I arrived in Israel early this morning. It was a different feeling as it felt like I was in Israel as I boarded the El Al flight at JFK. I was surrounded by Jews, Arabs, and Christians, all going to Israel. It was a warm, comforting feeling. I had to get up at 4 am for my flight from Orlando, so I was already tired when I boarded El Al. I think I slept more on this flight than any one I have previously, only getting up for the two meals and to prepare for landing.

That sounds a little strange since most people think I’m flying into a war zone, a dangerous place, a scary place. I feel like I’m flying home. Unlike most flights to Israel, when we landed, there wasn’t big applause from the passengers. Perhaps it is because the passengers are different now. They also feel like they are coming home rather than going to “The Holy Land.” It was clear the plane was full of people who have connections to Israel, not just tourists.

I took the train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a beautiful, fast, and inexpensive way to get from one city to the other. I likely wouldn’t have even gotten out of Tel Aviv in the 30 minutes it took to get to Jerusalem. Yet another thing people don’t know or understand about Israel. The train was filled with lots of different types of people. The diversity of Israel is amazing.

I dropped my bags at the hotel and went to walk the streets of Jerusalem. I found a nice coffee place and had a great conversation with the barista. Then I sat outside with my ‘Cafe Afuk’ (latte), relaxing in the beautiful weather, the peace of Jerusalem, and took it all in. The weather is spectacular. It was early morning so it was quiet. My heart and soul were full as I thought about how incredible it is that 2000 years after the Jews were expelled from this land by the Roman, we have a Jewish state and I am not only in it, but I’m in Jerusalem, the city built by King David thousands of years ago.

After coffee, I had to go to Machane Yehuda, the shuk. Normally when I go on Shabbat it is close to noon and it is packed with people shopping for Shabbat. Because it was early in the morning, it was not filled with Shabbat shopping craziness and I got to really enjoy walking the streets, browsing the stalls, and taking it all in. I stopped at Gluless, an amazing Gluten Free bakery that on Fridays has freshly baked gluten free Challah and Babka. It’s such a treat to buy freshly baked Challah and babka that is gluten free. (For those who don’t know, I have Celiac so can’t eat any gluten). Because it’s the beginning of my 12 day trip, I didn’t go crazy and buy as much as usual because I didn’t want it to go bad before I return home. I still bought plenty! I stopped for fresh dates and walnuts (replace the pit with the walnut and you have an incredibly delicious treat). I bought a nice bottle of wine for my Shabbat hosts (you never come empty handed and you don’t want to insult your host by bringing food unless asked to do so).

During my 20 minute walk back to my hotel, I was truly captivated by the reality of Israel and Jerusalem. It was quiet, peaceful, and I walked past Jews, Arabs and Christians. It is not what people see on the news. The people are not the villians the media wants to project. The country is beautiful, peaceful, filled with spirituality and connection. Unlike in America, I felt an intimate connection to the country. There is somthing special about Israel for people of all faiths. As I walked, the sun was out, the air was brisk with a slight breeze. People were bustling around. There was an energy, a vibe in the air. I took it all in as my heart was filled with joy and love.

My room was ready early so I had a chance to shower after the flight and take a little nap. On my flight to Israel, I rarely have an issue with jetlag and the nap felt good. I had plans to meet with a friend of mine who is just back from milium (reserve duty) but is returning tomorrow night to, as he jokingly calls it, ‘northern, northern Israel’ (Lebanon). We went to another coffeeshop near my hotel (the coffeshops here are amazing), sat outside and talked. He has some great ideas and I’m excited to see how I can help him accomplish them. As we talked about the war and what the future looks like, he shared some of what he has seen and experienced since October 7th. Despite all that I know, despite all that I have learned and continue to learn, depsite the many, various experiences I have had in Israel and about Israel, I found myself wondering if I was naive. Our conversation brought up more questions than answers, but that is also the reality of Israel. It’s not simple. It’s not easy. It is very complex and part of the problem we face when it comes to Israel is that the world doesn’t want or like complex. They want simple and our enemies make it simple. Of course, in Israeli fashion, as we were finishing the conversation, he asked if I had plans for Shabbat and invited me to join him and his family. That is Israel. We are all family and Israelis don’t want anybody to be alone on Shabbat and not have a Shabbat table to join. I already had Shabbat plans and I’m not sure who was disappointed more about my not joining his family for Shabbat, him or me!

As I walked to my friend’s home, about 20 minutes from my hotel, I was struck by the quiet and peace of Shabbat coming in at dusk. Very few cars were on the road. People were in their homes getting ready. The city seemed empty. I took deep breaths as I walked, inhaling the fresh Jerusalem pre-Shabbat air. I found myself wanting to share that walk and the beauty of Jerusalem as Shabbat is coming in with the world. This is the Israel that people all over the world need to see, feel and experience. The deep spiritual connection. The history. The people who only want to live in peace, celebrate being Jewish in meaningful ways, and fully diverse.

My friend’s house was buzzing as she had three (3) of her daughters there along with her grandson (1) and grandaughter (3) and adorable dog. She had told me that her two sons were spending Shabbat and the weekend with friends while her other two daughters didn’t live close and were with their families – yes, she has 7 children from 26 to 10 years old). Her husband came home and I had a chance to finally meet him. We began talking and enjoying each others company. Then it was time to make Kiddush. We sat at the table and sang Shalom Aleichem as the 3-year old grandaughter was stunned that I knew the Hebrew. We sang Eyshet Chail (a woman of valor) which I have never really learned and really want to. They blessed their daughters and grandchildren. It was wholesome and beautiful. We said kiddush (again the 3 year old couldn’t believe I knew Hebrew in any form) and made motzi (I brought my gluten free challah not just for motzi but because I knew we’d have hummus, matbucha, and other things that I’d want challah for. The conversation was light, fun, deep, and enjoyable. The food was delicious (including the best homemade gefilte fish I have ever had – a little bit spicy and nothing like what we get in the jars in the United States). Then her husband began to break out in song. Each of their children has a special song they sing made up just for them and related to their name. It was beautiful. Their 10-year old daughter was embarrassed when he began to sing her song so I made sure she knew that it was just an Abba (father) thing and asked if there was a song for him. Of course there was and they all sang it together. After dinner we had turkish coffee and continued to talk.

This was one of the most fulfilling Shabbat dinners I have ever had and I grew up with Shabbat dinner at home every single week. The love in the family, the joy of being together, being included as a part of their family and really feeling it, and being in Israel, in Jerusalem, was really special. I have an open invitation every Shabbat to be part of their family and I can’t wait to be back in Jerusalem for Shabbat to join them. It captured everything that is beautiful and special about Judaism. It was a perfect example of the Israel and Israeli people that I love. They told me if I’m here with family or friends, bring them to and I plan on doing that.

I think about the joy at their Shabbat table while their son-in-law is in milium, the joy that was happening at my friend’s shabbat table 24 hours before he goes back to milium once again, and I find myself wondering why the world has such a difficult time understanding that we only want to live and have peace. Our goal is not world domination but to live fully Jewish lives in our homeland, Israel, or where we live in the diaspora. I find myself wondering what it would take for people to see and feel the beauty of Israel and Judaism.

They joined me for the start of my walk home as we continued to talk. I finished the walk alone. Walking the streets of Jerusalem at midnight with no fear, no reservation, and took in the beauty all around me. I snapped a couple of pictures that captivated me, that hopefully express a little of what it is like.

From the first time I stepped foot in Jerusalem in 1989, it has captured my heart and soul. Today it went even deeper. I think it’s because of all the people who were so concerned for my safety in coming here while I have no concerns. I think it’s because so many people believe what they see on TV or read in the newspapers instead of what it is really like.

This is going to be a unique trip for me. I’ll be spending time around Ramallah, in and around Hebron, and in Beit Yala, seeing, learning, and experiencing some incredible work. I’ll spend a night in Haifa near the top of the Bahai Gardens, one of the most beautiful things in the world. And I’ll get so spend some time in Tel Aviv enjoying the beach and time with friends. I’ll be writing about it all. With the way this trip has begun, I’m excited to experience every moment and share what I see, think, and feel.

Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem