Month: November 2026

Hebron and Ramallah

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

My time in Israel switched on Monday as I began traveling with Rozana, one of my clients. Rozana is an unbelievable organization that does work with medical diplomacy in the West Bank, Israel, and Gaza. I’ve traveled with them around the region to see the work in person before and it is truly amazing to see the impact they have in the West Bank, Israel, and Gaza.

We started our day by leaving Tel Aviv and heading to Al Rahma Hospital just outside Hebron. Al Rahma is a new rehabilitation hospital outside Hebron that will be the only rehab hospital in the area. When finished, it will be a state-of-the-art hospital that provides the full range of rehabilitation including mental health. They will be 3D-printing prosthetics to make them affordable, especially for children who outgrow them quickly. When I visited in June, the first floor was not finished nor was the top floor while those in the middle had no walls or flooring yet. This time it was different. The main floor was spectacular as they wait for the equipment, which should arrive in the next two weeks. The top floor was beautiful and should be operational by the end of the year. The middle floors are slowly being built out with flooring and walls in place. It was really exciting to see the hospital coming together and to know the impact it will have on so many patients. It is estimated that Al Rahma will serve over 1 million people in the Hebron governorate and surrounding areas, as well as patients recovering from severe injuries, strokes, spinal and brain injuries, and post-surgical complications, including wounded children from Gaza.

A vertical banner welcoming the Rozana Board Delegation to Al-Rahmah Charitable Rehabilitation Hospital, featuring logos of Rozana and the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs, with the message about support for the hospital's Day After Project.

I saw the CEO of Al Rahma, Dr. Akram Amro, who has become a friend. His passion for the hospital and helping people is always inspiring. I look forward to him coming to the United States in 2027 and being able to introduce him to people. He is a special man who breaks the stereotypes about Palestinians. I also saw my friend Dr. Muhammad Talahma, a board member of Al Rahma and the head of the Department of Basic Medical Sciences at Palestinian Polytechnic University. We met on my visit in June and hit it off. I look forward to visiting in 2027 and taking a day to visit him and get the tour of the university and of Hebron. We had a great conversation during the day and continued to build our friendship. I got to see Malak, a remarkable young woman who runs the Women4Women program, providing quality healthcare to women in the periphery of Hebron who otherwise don’t get their health needs taken care of. We became friends in June and it was great to catch up with her.

Two men posing together in a professional setting, with a hospital welcome banner in the background.
Dr .Akram Amro
Two men smiling together for a selfie, standing against a light-colored wall.
Dr. Muhammad Talahma
A smiling man and woman posing for a selfie in front of a health clinic van, with blue skies in the background.
Malak

As a passionate Zionist, people often ask me how I can have Palestinian friends who live in Hebron and Ramallah. It’s because I get to know people as people. I don’t worry about their titles or their backgrounds. I don’t worry about their religion or the color of their skin. When I find good people who I connect with and enjoy speaking with and spending time with, they become my friends. Zionism is about the Jewish people having their own sovereign state, not about anybody else not having a state. It was how I was raised and what I believe in. It’s what I taught my children – Israel has a right to exist as a Jewish, democratic state and to judge people by who they are, not by some random label. I didn’t realize it when I was learning it as a child, but it is the lesson the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King was teaching in his famous “I Have a Dream” speech in 1963.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

The Governor of Hebron came to greet us. He wanted to make sure we knew how much he and Hebron appreciated the work Rozana is doing to get the new Al Rahma hospital built and open. The need is great and it was important to him to take the time to thank us. It’s amazing to see the leadership that shows up because of the work of Rozana. By taking care of the medical needs of the people and training the medical professionals, we make a difference in the lives of millions of people. That is seen and appreciated. It also feels really good to know you are helping so many people improve their lives. After lunch we left Al Rahmah and headed from Hebron to Ramallah.

A man in a dark suit gestures while presenting in front of a screen displaying a pie chart with red and blue segments, indicating percentages.

Hebron to Ramallah is only 42 km as the crow flies. If there was a straight road connecting them, it would take between 30 and 40 minutes depending on traffic. With the roads as they are, it is 61 km. Without checkpoints it shouldn’t take more than an hour. There are checkpoints and many of them are closed, forcing you to drive all over the place to get there. Imagine driving from Washington, DC, to Philadelphia but being forced to go through Pittsburgh to get there. That’s what it is like. Instead of taking us an hour, it took us three and a half hours. Instead of getting to the hotel in time to check in, relax, and then go to our final meeting of the day, we were late to the final meeting and skipped the hotel. This is what people in Hebron and Ramallah deal with every day. Not just to get into Israel but to go from one city to another.

Our final meeting of the day was with Yassir Abbas, the son of President Mahmoud Abbas. We were grateful that he waited for us and was still willing to meet. He was happy we were there and apologized for the amount of time it took for us to get there. He then said he wanted to make up for all the time we missed and wanted to give us lots of time to talk, ask questions, and learn.

It was fascinating to listen to him talk. I always wonder when they elaborate on a return to the 1967 borders if they really remember that it was under Jordan and Egypt’s control at that time, and there was no hope of an independent Palestinian state. What makes those borders so significant? Has it just been a talking point for that many years? Simply a return to Arab-controlled land? Wouldn’t it be better to talk about building a contiguous Palestinian state that includes their big cities and preserves room for growth? They always include Gaza when Gaza has not been under the control of Israel since 2005 and not under the control of the PA since the people there elected Hamas in 2006. Of course they want full control of East Jerusalem as well, which includes the old city of Jerusalem and the holy sites. He shared with us that they also demand a Palestinian-controlled road through Israel connecting the West Bank and Gaza. I can’t imagine the security risks to Israel under those conditions. Wouldn’t a more thoughtful and targeted approach provide the opportunity for there really to be a Palestinian state that provides not only full self-governance but dignity and the ability to travel and truly control their full economy? His talk reminded me of the American politicians who always promise things they know they can’t deliver, everybody knows they can’t deliver them, and yet they vote for them anyway.

As he talked about what it would take for peace and the creation of a Palestinian state, he also was clear that in his mind, there would be no land swaps. He openly stated that the residents of the big towns in the West Bank would be welcome to be resident aliens of the Palestinian state. He clearly did not say citizens with equal rights. If they chose not to, they could move. It reminded me a lot of what Smotrich and Ben Gvir are doing in area C to the agricultural villages in making life unbearable and unsafe to they move.

One of our group asked him about the failure of Camp David 2 with President Bill Clinton. It was interesting to hear him say that what Clinton says about being so close to a deal wasn’t true. According to him, they were nowhere close to a deal, they weren’t being offered anything close to what was reported, and it has all been a lie since then to put the responsibility of the failure on his father and the PA’s shoulders. I always find it interesting to listen to the narratives of people and begin to understand how they understand the world. After listening to him speak, I felt that any hope for a two-state solution is at least 25 years away and maybe longer.

A group of people in a formal setting, with one man shaking hands with a woman, while others look on. The environment appears to be an office space.
A large group of people gathered around a conference table in a modern office setting, smiling and posing for the camera.
A group of people gathered around a conference table in a meeting room, engaged in discussion. Various documents and food items are on the table, with two flags displayed in the background.
A group of four men engaged in discussion around a table, with two flags in the background, one featuring a logo and the other representing Palestine.

Yassir Abbas, also known as Abu Amar, was a very kind host. He spent much longer with us than planned and ensured we had plenty to eat and drink. Coffee, tea, soda, pastries, and even shwarma. The Arab hospitality is wonderful and was on full display. I was surprised with the time he gave us and his continued pushback when we told him we were taking up too much of his time. When we finally left for our hotel in Ramallah, we were tired from a long day.

It was a powerful day. From experiencing the joy of the progress of Al Rahma Hospital to the challenges of getting from Hebron to Ramallah, we got different emotional experiences. Meeting with Yassir Abbas was a fascinating experience that will likely be the focus of a future post as I process the experience. Seeing my friends at Al Rahma and spending time talking to them was meaningful. The day provided a lot of hope about a future where people connect and hate isn’t the focus. It also showed how far apart the politicians are from an actual peace agreement and the challenges both governments are creating rather than working to find solutions. I find myself grateful that I am working on the ground with the people and not the politicians. Working with the people provides an opportunity to have an impact and make change. The more time I spend with Palestinians and Israelis that are working together, the more I believe that there can be a future in which we live together in peace. The politicians will determine when that time is; however, the people can help make that time arrive sooner as they bridge divides and see each other as people.

The power of intelligence

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

Our last day of this trip was focused on intelligence. What it is. Where it failed that led to October 7th. How it needs to be improved. It was an unbelievable day filled with information and emotion.

We began by going to the “Return to October” Exhibition at Glilot (Israel Intelligence Heritage & Commemoration Center – IICC). I had never heard of this exhibition and our guide, a former senior intelligence officer, quickly told us why. It was closed to the public until recently. Our phones were put away as nothing could be photographed or recorded. He warned us that everything we would see would be authentic and part of what we would see was very graphic. It came from Hamas GoPro cameras, cell phones, and social media. As we began, we were shocked to see the captured Hamas documentation, tactical gear, and weapons. They had items of Sinwar when his body was found. This included his handwritten instructions going back two years before October 7th on what to do. He ordered them to record everything and publish it, thinking it would shock the Israeli people and make it easier to destroy Israel. He requested Hezbollah, Iran, the Houthis, and Palestinians in the West Bank to rise up with Hamas. Having spent to much time here in the North and the West Bank, what could have been is beyond frightening. On top of the Hamas attacks, an attack from the north and the west with Iran, Hezbollah and Houthi rockets being fired would have been devastating.

We saw clips from the Hamas 47-minute video that I have already seen. Horrifying images of attempted beheadings, murder of women, children, and men. Bodies burned alive. People were shot while driving their cars. The picture of Ron Gvili’s body, draped over the back of a motorcycle, clearly dead, was especially haunting since we had just heard from his father the night before. I couldn’t stop staring at it and thinking about what it must have been like for him to see the image of his son like that. What it might be like if I ever saw one of my sons like that. How would I ever recover? Could I do what Itzik Gvili is doing? I really don’t know and don’t ever want to know. We saw summer camp pictures of children being jihadis. The certificates they get finishing the camp program of them in uniform with guns. Baby pictures in uniform with guns. It was horrifying.

We saw a mini automobile graveyard where a few of the cars from October 7th were displayed. After being at the main automobile Our guide was blunt with us about how Israeli intelligence blew it. He told us point-blank that as an intelligence officer, he was personally embarrassed and held himself responsible for missing it. He shared how his son fought in the war and almost died. He is still recovering and many months after being injured is finally walking without a cane.

As we came to the end of the exhibit, there were pictures of every person murdered on October 7th. We walked slowly down the hallway looking at all the pictures and all the names. The hallway was silent and we paid tribute to these innocent victims.

After experiencing this exhibit, it has become a “must see” on my list for people coming to Israel. The impact is incredible. Everything is real. Seeing Sinwar’s handwritten instructions was powerful. Understanding that as awful as October 7th was, how much worse it could be. The entire week we have been learning about the intelligence and security failures and what Israel is doing to ensure it never happens again. So much of it makes sense. Yet I also struggle with what it means long-term for Israel and the possibility of a future peace at some time. There are no easy or simple answers. As complex and complicated as I knew Israel to be before this week, it got even more complex and more complicated from this week.

A colorful mural depicting a diverse group of people engaging in various activities in a natural setting, with trees and flowers in the foreground and a stage sign in the background.
A vibrant graffiti mural depicting a person riding a scooter while two children run alongside, one dressed in a Batman costume and the other in a diaper, set against a scenic background.
A child with red hair hugging a smiling dog, surrounded by a green field and red poppy flowers.
A vibrant mural featuring red flowers against a green background, with the signature 'Benzi Brofman' prominently displayed.

Pieces of a beautiful and powerful mural by Benzi Brofman at the exhibit.

We left the exhibit and went into a private room where we received a high-level and deep briefing with “Jack”, a former Senior Mossad officer. “Jack” spent thirty years with the Mossad, retiring just before October 7th. He shared rare insights into the operational doctrine of Israel’s intelligence community incuding the proactive counter-threat disruption in distant arenas, and the imperative of maintaining operational agility and technological superiority. He talked about seeing the invisible and doing the impossible and how moving forward that was not the key focus. According to “Jack” the future is much more operational. Instead of focusing on the impossible, he believes Mossad needs to focus on the practical and securing the borders of Israel. It was clear that the possible attack from 3 of the 4 borders along with rockets from Iran and the Houthis had an incredible impact on him.

It was difficult to believe that our week-long time together was ending. This group of mainly strangers had bonded together over our love for Israel and desire to understand more. We gathered at Meitos Restaurant in Tel Aviv (my second time there on this trip and I highly recommend it!). As we ate and talked, we had the opportunity to hear from three amazing speakers.

The first was Advisor Yifa Segal, the head of Law and Governance at IDSF. She addressed us about the details of the international legal warfare (“lawfare”) targeting Israel and the flaws in what is being said and done. Once again, it is clear that Israel is being targeted in a way that no other country faces. In addition, he highlighted the urgent need to defend IDF soldiers on the global diplomatic front.

Our second speaker was ⁠Itai Medina, the head of the IDSF Security Policy Institute. Itay shared research-based insights on the long-term security doctrine including some regional realignments that are required to ensure Israel’s generational deterrence. Itai pointed out that Iran isn’t attacking Israel any longer because they are afraid of how Israel will strike back. The deterrence has been re-established post October 7th due to the war in Gaza and Lebanon. He spoke about how critical this deterrence is and how important strength is to ensure the safety and security of Israel.

Our final speaker was Brigadier General (Res.) Erez Winner, the CEO of the IDSF. General Winner emphasizing the critical connection between security leadership, land settlement, combat spirit, and the role each of us play as international ambassadors for Israel’s security truth. One of the things that I struggled with as the trip concluded was the land settlement. I met the ‘settlers’ in Judea and Samaria. They were nice, wonderful people who only wanted to live in their biblical homeland. They were farmers, wine makers, and families raising children in an environment that was meaningful to them. These are not the violent terrorists that I experienced in June and that are attacking villages, burning cars and houses, and murdering people. Yet I find myself wondering what this expansion means for the long-term peace options with our neighbors. How much is actually strategic security and planned growth and how much is just taking biblical land because we want it all? How much is about ensuring the safety of Israel’s borders and how much is about pushing the Palestinians out? I don’t have the answer to either question. It will take me time to process the entire week to challenge myself and come to an understanding that makes sense to me.

Three men standing together in a casual setting, smiling. One man is wearing a light blue t-shirt with colorful cartoon figures and beige shorts, while the others are dressed in button-up shirts.
Itai Medina, me, and General Erez Winner

Having been here at least half a dozen times since October 7th, this past week helped me understand much more how October 7th happened. The intelligence and security failures were clear and people took responsibility for them. The assumptions Israel made about Hamas caused significant problems that allowed Hamas to attack. The false belief that fences and technology would be enough to deter Hamas was shown to be a fallacy. With the (first) election over and an attempt to form a new government about to begin, these are major issues that they will have to grapple with. I hope that as they grapple with the realities they face, they will remember the words spoken by David Ben Gurion during the declaration of independence.

The state of Israel will promote the development of the country for the benefit of all its inhabitants; will be based on precepts of liberty, justice and peace taught by the Hebrew prophets; will uphold the full social and political equality of all its citizens without distinction of race, creed or sex; will guarantee full freedom of conscience, worship, education and culture; will safeguard the sanctity and inviolability of shrines and holy places of all religions; and will dedicate itself to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

Am Yisrael Chai!

Shabbat Lessons in Jerusalem

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

There is nothing like Shabbat in Jerusalem. The streets are close to silent. There is a sweet smell in the air. You can smell the fresh challahs that were baked and the delicious dinners being cooked throughout the city. I love going to the Kotel for Kabbalat Shabbat and joining with friends and family for Shabbat dinner. This Shabbat was a little different, as we had services at the hotel, but my friend Tal led them beautifully. While not at the Kotel, it was still very meaningful.

Shabbat dinner was delicious. We sat together in our private room and enjoyed conversation and company. In less than a week, this group of strangers had become friends and now family. It is remarkable to see how Israel does this over and over and over again.

As we finished dinner, the speakers began. They were incredible. First, Colonel (Res) Ronen Itzik spoke to us again. He is incredible, and I could listen to him much longer than he spoke. Then we had the opportunity to hear from Brig. General (Res) Amir Avivi. He talked passionately about the future of Israel, the security lessons learned from October 7th, and what has already changed on the ground and what needs to change. I’ve met him before and spent time speaking with him, and he is a brilliant man. I’ve listened to him on podcasts, and he carries a powerful message. This was no different. The question and answer session was insightful. I asked him about the future of the US aid and if he thought, as Ambassador Michael Oren has long advocated, and Prime Minister Netanyahu has recently spoken about, that it was in Israel’s best interests to stop the aid. He agreed with PM Netanyahu that over the next 10 years it should be phased out. He talked about how Israel has already begun its own military industry and how, in the near future, Israel would not be dependent on any country to provide it with the equipment or ammunition that it requires. In addition, Israel will be able to sell their technology, increasing their regional and global power. As usual, the Israel haters try to harm Israel, and instead they end up strengthening Israel. The Jewish nation has come a long way since 1948 and it is wonderful to see and hear.

After General Avivi finished speaking, my friend Ari Kalker and his wife spoke to us. Ari was born and raised in the United States and made Aliyah at 17. He joined the IDF and shared his journey with us. It was interesting hearing him discuss how everything he was raised with Jewishly finally made sense when he came to Israel. Since October 7th, he has been in miluim more than he has been home. He and his wife shared with us the challenges they face with him being gone so much and the challenges for them both when he returns and tries to turn back into husband, father, and employee. It isn’t something we hear much about and yet, it is a struggle that many Israelis deal with regularly. I’ve heard it from a dozen soldiers that I know who have spent 300, 400, 500 days or more in miluim since October 7th. It was a powerful and moving talk. I enjoy my friendship with Ari and look forward to seeing him again in December when I’m back in Israel. We have had some deep conversations and joke with each other about them.

Shabbat morning was a slow and relaxing one. After breakfast we left for a walking tour of the old city. It was a fairly short walk to the Jaffa Gate where we began. We walked through the Arab market to get to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Many people may wonder why we’d go there. I believe it is important to see the holy sites in Israel regardless of faith and to really understand the significance of Israel ensuring they are available to everybody. Church of the Holy Sepulchre was ordered built by Emperor Constantine while his mother, Saint Helena, was charged with finding the location where Jesus was crucified, his body was washed and anointed, and the cave where he was buried. She believed she found it and the church was built around these sites. While not the original structure, it was destroyed, damaged and rebuilt multiple times over its 1,700 year history due to fires, earthquakes and geopolitical conflicts, the key locations inside remain. We walked up the stairs to where Jesus was crucified. We went to the location where his body was washed and annointed. People pray at both locations. The water coming up where his body was annointed is often used to dip items in so they bring holiness back with visitors. It is powerful to watch the impact both sites have on Christians as it reminds me of how I feel at the Kotel, on the Temple Mount, and at the caves of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs. There is a building that was created to keep the cave where Jesus was buried and then resurrected. While we didn’t go in this time, I have been inside many times and you can go right up to where his body was laid and touch it. I find it to be powerful, even though it is not my faith and not what I believe. Between the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Kotel, and Temple Mount, I always connect with the fact that something happened in Jerusalem and that it truly is an incredibly holy city. It is why I go there when I am able.

A religious mural depicting an angel and a bearded figure, set against a richly decorated ceiling with gold accents and intricate patterns.
A mosaic artwork depicting a somber scene with a figure in black robes standing over a crucified man, accompanied by other figures expressing grief, set against a golden background.
A mosaic depicting five figures in antiquated clothing, with two women in the foreground holding hands and other figures in the background, set against a shimmering gold background.
A person kneeling in front of an ornate altar with silver reliefs and red candles, while another person stands beside them, in a religious setting.
Where Jesus was crucified
Interior view of a church featuring a decorative balcony adorned with several religious icons, intricate architectural details, and blue and gold accents.
A crowded interior of a church with visitors gathering around a group holding candles, showcasing a mix of people in various attire and activities within the historical setting.
Interior of a richly decorated church featuring ornate chandeliers and religious icons, with visitors exploring the space.
Interior of a historic site with visitors, some praying at a stone altar. People of various ages are present, and the entrance shows a crowd outside.
Where Jesus’s body was washed and annointed
A group of people inside a stone church, with one man lighting candles in a candle holder. The area is dimly lit and features religious artwork and architecture.
A group of people gathered around a religious site inside a historic building, with ornate decorations and architectural features visible in the background.
The building around the cave where Jesus was buried and ressurected.

We headed around the corner to the Kotel, the western retaining wall of the Temple. I love going to the Kotel as I connect there the way Christians connect at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We stopped in the plaza, talked and listened to our guide, and then had the opportunity to go to the Kotel. I have the same routine every time. I walk to an open spot at the Kotel, remove my hat and put on a kippah, and then put my forehead against the Kotel wall and connect with God. I talk to him, thank him, and for the past four years, also talk and connect with the dad. It is a special place. I stay as long as I need until I have accomplished whatever I am doing there. There is no fixed agenda or time. When I am done, I am done. I left the Kotel and the group headed back while a few of us walked through the Arab market to explore, shop, and enjoy the old city. We had plenty of time before we had to be back for lunch and we took advantage of the time.

After lunch we had the incredible opportunity to hear from Itzik Gvili, the father of Ran Gvili (z’l), the last hostage to come out of Gaza. Itzik shared Ran with us. Who he was. What he stood for. What he believed. It was amazing to learn about such a wonderful young man who was murdered by Hamas on October 7th. It was difficult to listen to Itzik since we all knew how the story ends. None of us wanted to imagine that it was our child that Hamas murdered, yet it was all we could think about. Learning about Ran just reminded us how much we lost – not just because of Ran but because of all the other young people murdered by Hamas before they could help change the world. How much worse our world is because these bright lights were extinguished by hate. Before October 7th, I was very public in my positions about hate. As antisemitism and Jew hatred grew throughout the United States and in Central Florida, I was interviewed on television and in print news about it. My position was clear. We must stand together against hate. If we don’t stand together against hate, it will consume us, one at a time. They may come for the Jews first, but they will come for you next or after the next one or after that one. Hate is all encompassing and we must stand together to combat it. Unfortunately, after October 7th, we saw the Jews mostly abandoned. Hate was allowed against the Jews. We see the evil it is creating around the world. France is now on fire. Spain and England aren’t far behind. Canada is no longer a beacon of safety. Iran is now attacking other Gulf states. Russia and Ukraine are still at war.

One of our greatest human faults is that we don’t learn from our mistakes. We all know that if we don’t learn from our mistakes, “history is doomed to repeat itself.” Yet we don’t learn. We repeat them. The recent ad by Hassan Piker’s Superpack supporting Abdul Al-Sayad’s candidacy came from 1930s Nazi Germany. Al-Sayad’s failure to condemn it is a clear endorsement of those beliefs, which he has continued to believe and state but continue to be excused. Are we that far from Nazi Germany again? Are we that far from camps for Jews when a candidate in Texas in 2026 said she’d turn ICE prisons into camps to hold Zionists? Who are we as a people?

I always wondered just how bad it had to be in Sodom and Gomorrah for God to destroy the entire cities. Why didn’t the Jews leave Germany in the early 1930s? I think I have my answer. It’s scary to see. God told Abraham he only had to find 10 righteous people to save both cities. Abraham couldn’t find ten. Let’s each make our own commitment to be one of those 10. We each can save our world if we speak up, take a stand, live by our morals and ethics, and fight hate, no matter who it is against. We don’t have to let our world burn while we watch.

The Jordan Valley and Judean Desert

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

On my first trip to Israel in 1989, we spent a few days in the Judean Desert, hiking, exploring, and even sleeping in the open air desert for two nights. I hadn’t thought about that part of my first trip in a very long time until we spent Friday back in the Judean Desert and the Jordan Valley. It is remarkable both how much and how little has changed since 1989. One thing that has changed dramatically is the ability of Israel to grow fruits and vegetables in the desert. We headed to the Jordan Valley and Judean Desert on a beautiful day. By the time we got there, it was incredibly hot. It was also early in the morning. We met with Ziv Leiba, a local farmer. He grows dates in the desert. It was incredible to see how he has actually made the desert bloom. As I looked at what he has done, I thought to myself that in another 20 or 30 years the entire desert may be green like this.

A panoramic view of a vast palm tree plantation with rows of palm trees under a clear blue sky, surrounded by hills in the background.
A panoramic view of a lush date palm grove contrasted by arid hills under a clear blue sky, with people standing along a ridge.
A smiling man wearing sunglasses and a cap stands on a rocky ledge, overlooking a vast palm tree plantation with mountains in the background and a clear blue sky.

He served us some of his dates, and they were the best I have ever eaten. Big, juicy, and incredibly flavorful. He shared how he grows them and the process to ensure they are so delicious. I ended up buying 3 kilos from him to bring home (although I’m here for another week, so I may only bring home 2 kilos!!) After learning about his date farm, we also talked about the strategic importance of agriculture in the Jordan Valley. Before this trip, I had never thought of agriculture as a strategic defense strategy, but now I understand both how and why it is.

After leaving the farm with my haul of dates, we headed to the Jordan Valley Memorial. At the memorial, we had a chance to honor those who gave their lives to defend the eastern border of Israel. One of things that is always present in Israel is remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice to ensure Israel remains safe. Every family is affected in one way or another. It may be the loss of a child, sibling, cousin, neighbor, or friend. Unlike in America, where most people don’t know our soldiers who die in combat, in Israel, everybody knows somebody who gave their life for Israel. It is sombering, and also fills me with gratitude.

A tour guide speaking to a group of seated visitors under a shaded area, with trees and an open landscape visible in the background.
A person standing beside a large monument resembling a stylized gun, set against a clear blue sky with clouds.
A large black sculpture resembling a weapon is positioned on a white concrete base with two ramps leading up to it, under a partly cloudy blue sky.

Our next stop was Qasr al-Yahud, the historic and spiritual waters of the Jordan River, where it is believed that Jesus was baptized. We watched as people got baptized in the waters and appreciated that it only under Israeli control that the holy sites of all religions are protected and accessible. While we were limited with access to the Muslim sites, that limitation was made by the Muslim community, and those sites are open to any Muslim. The Christian and Jewish sites are open to everybody. The Bahai Gardens are open to everybody as long as you have a Bahai guide through the gardens. People of the Bahai faith have full access to them. It is a remarkable thing to understand, and yet the world doesn’t pay any attention to it. There is no appreciation for what it takes to make that happen, and how itis only Israel that ensures it.

Exterior of the Qasr Al-Yahud Baptismal Site with flags of Israel and Saudi Arabia, featuring a clear blue sky.
A group of people dressed in white robes gathered near the water's edge, with some preparing for a baptism ceremony by the muddy banks of a river, surrounded by greenery and a wooden deck.
A group of people in white robes near a muddy water body, some are wading into the water while others are taking pictures.
View of palm trees in the foreground with a wooden deck and a group of people near a river in the background under a bright blue sky.

We finished our time in the Jordan Valley by going to the northern edge of the Dead Sea, where it was clear how much it has receded over time. I’ve often heard the phrase, “The Dead Sea is dying,” and this was a clear indication of what that means. We saw a hotel that used to be a 5-star on the water of the Dead Sea, now in ruins, because the water had receded so drastically. The rocks on the ground are actually salt that was left behind as the water receded. Israel is working to both stop the loss of water and to supplement the water flowing into the Dead Sea from the Jordan River. Saving the Dead Sea is a big goal of Israel.

A panoramic view of the Dead Sea with dry, barren land in the foreground and mountains in the background under a clear blue sky.
The Dead Sea in the distance. All the land before the Dead Sea used to be a part of the Dead Sea.

We headed back to Jerusalem for our hotel to prepare for Shabbat. It was a great day in the Jordan Valley, understanding the strategic importance of the area, how agriculture plays a critical role in that security, and watching the desert bloom before our eyes. The technology Israel uses for agriculture is astonishing and not discussed enough. I’ve been to farms in the desert where they grow carrots and potatoes in the sand. Where they use drip irrigation in the desert to grow strawberries and tomatoes. The ingenuity Israel uses to reclaim water from sewage and desalination to irrigate crops and make the desert bloom. Growing up, I thought Ben Gurion’s belief that Israel would make the desert bloom and that the Negev would be the future of Israel was a bit of a folly. Yet as I looked at the date trees in the Judean desert and saw the massive green in an area that never had it before, I realized he was simply ahead of his time. He didn’t know how it would happen, only that Israelis would make it happen. And they are.

Israel is an amazing country on so many fronts. Technology. Medical advances. Agriculture. Education. Community building. Democracy. The world only wants to focus on the conflict instead of all the remarkable things that come out of Israel. I often wonder how different things would be if the media chose to discuss all that Israel gives to the world instead of the conflict. What things would look like today if Arafat or Abbas had accepted the peace offerings Israel gave them multiple times?

The reality is that you can’t appreciate Israel unless you come visit. Until you see it with your own eyes, there is no way to truly communicate the diversity of the people who live here. There is no way to understand the freedom Israeli Arabs have in Israel that they don’t have anywhere else in the world. Walking the streets of Jerusalem and seeing religious Arabs walking next to religious Jews. Being in the Old City of Jerusalem and watching Jews of all kinds walking through the Arab Quarter to get to the Kotel for Shabbat services. The media will never give Israel a far shake, so the only way to understand is to come here. So I do. Over and over again. More in love with the country each time I am here. Israel is not perfect, and the people who live here will tell you all the problems that exist. They don’t give up. They work to resolve the problems, to address the flaws, and to build a better society. It is why I love Israel because of her flaws, not despite them.

We traveled all over the country this week. Judea. Sameria. Jordan Valley. The South. The North. Jerusalem. We saw so much. We learned so much. During my 26th visit, I went places I have never been and saw things I’ve never seen. I learned things I never knew. Twenty-six trips, and I’m still learning. I look forward to trips thirty and forty and still learning. Israel is that type of place.