Tag: am-yisrael-chai

To Life, To Life, L’Chaim. L’Chaim, L’Chaim, To Life.

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

Ever since October 7, 2023, I have been writing this blog very regularly. Over the past month, that has slowed to a crawl. I’m not sure if it is fatigue, frustration, anger, sadness, or some other emotion. I just know that writing has been very difficult as the Israel-Hamas-Hezbollah-Iran-Houthis war continues and the rise in antisemitism around the world and in the United States continues to grow.

I write when I am moved emotionally or intellectually. My emotions have been muted and the rise and acceptance of Jew hatred has made me wonder about the intelligence of the people in this country and the world. I wasn’t sure what to write or if I would find something that moved to me to write.

Then I read this post by Jon Polin, the father of Hersh Goldberg-Polin. The power of his words hit me deeply. The price of this war hit me deeply. Read Jon’s words and let them wash over you, sink into your soul, and see if you are not changed.

I respectfully ask that the Office of The Prime Minister of IsraelBenjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו stop claiming that “his forceful application of combined military and diplomatic pressure has so far achieved the release of 205 hostages out of a total of 255.”

This insensitive claim whitewashes the lives of the 20% of the 205 who were taken into Gaza alive, survived a period of torture, and were then killed in captivity, including my son Hersh.

In August 2024, a negotiated deal was possible to release a number of hostages, including Hersh and at least three others of the five with whom he was held (together “the Beautiful Six”). Instead of completing this deal, and despite finding a live Israeli hostage in close proximity to where the Beautiful Six would be executed just two days later, a decision was made to continue with the risky military operation in Rafah. This decision led the Beautiful Six to be executed. Ironically, the deal that could have saved them was finally completed in January 2025 under pressure from President Trump.

Please do not take credit for “achieving the release” of Hersh. This is offensive to Hersh and to our family.

As I began to write this, deeply impacted by Jon’s words, the price paid by Rachel and Jon and so many others in Israel, dealing with my own feelings about not being able to go to Israel since September and plans to go in October, the graduation from college of my younger son and the career success of my older son, while so many in Israel have lost their children and loved ones because of the war and, I came across this piece in Daniel Gordis’s “Israel from the Inside” substack. He posted this piece written by Hagai Luber, an actor, playwright, theater director, acting teacher, and the founder and artistic director of the “Aspaklaria” theater and acting school. The translation is below. It captures my feelings beautifully.

Please, please,  
On the panels in the TV studios,  
On social media and in tweets,  
In the Knesset, in committees, and in speeches.  
And in the war cabinet, in the heat of discussions,  
Do not use the dead soldiers as proof of your righteousness!  
Do not say—"See? We must achieve a decisive victory."  
And do not say—"This is the proof that it is time to end the war."  
And do not prove with a victorious shout that if only there were more fighters, the disaster would have been avoided.  
And do not passionately criticize the methods of fighting and the security doctrine.  
And do not say—not today at least—  
That we must...  
That now...  
That the time has come...  
That we warned long ago...  
(And never, ever dare to say "They fell for politics and in vain")  
Just take a moment,  
Or a day,  
Or a year.  
And quietly look at these beautiful ones, in the picture.  
And think about the wondrous fact,  
That regardless of taking a stand or having an opinion,  
They were willing to die for you (f.) and for you (m.).  
And when they heard over the radio that soldiers hit explosives,  
The rescue forces rushed there to save lives,  
And took fire and continued, gritting their teeth, in evacuating them.  
And they didn’t check which sector they belonged to.  
And whether they are "secular" or "ultra-Orthodox,"  
And what their opinion is about the situation and what exactly they think.  
And this unconditional connection is the rock of our existence.  
And it is stronger and more steadfast than all our follies.  
And it is the secret of our strength.  
And it is the light and the good in our lives.  
We will grieve together.  
We will be comforted together.  
And we will rise together.

Haggai Lober

Maybe this hit me so hard today because I watched a former student who became a friend, bury his wife, another former student who became a friend, in Israel today. As I watched the funeral, I was struck by a number of things. First, her desire to be buried in Israel. How much that meant to her. Secondly, how as people talked about her, I could see her face, hear her voice, her laughter, and her passion for life. Third, how grateful I was that I got to see her last fall when I was in Atlanta and that I got to give her a big hug then. I only wished I’d spent more time with her that day.

That’s who we are as Jews. We love life. We cherish life. Our toast, L’Chaim, is literally saying “To Life”. Saving a life is as if we saved an entire world. We celebrate life throughout our lives. Even when somebody dies, we use shiva, the 7 day mourning period after burial, as a way to help the mourners deal with living their lives after losing their loved one. We tell stories about the person who died to celebrate their life and bring comfort to the lives of their loved ones. Everything is about life.

Beginning on October 7th, we have lived in an almost 2 year period of death. Death on October 7th. Death of hostages. Rise of antisemitism impacting our ability to live life. It only struck me today how un-Jewish this time period has been. I was reminded of this by words spoken by the daughter of my friend Yael (z’l) as she eulogized her mother. She had asked Yael (z’l) if she regretted anything in her life and she told her no. When pressed, Yael (z’l) told her daughter that she married a man she loved with all her heart, had parents who loved her, had 2 beautiful children that she loved more than anything, and had a fulfilling career. What was there to regret.

As I type and read those words, I can hear Yael’s voice saying them. Even in death, Yael (z’l) reminded her children, her family, and me the importance of living life. Jon Polin reminded us about how important living life is and just how powerful the loss of life is, through his son Hersh (z’l). Haggai Lober teaches us through his essay how important life is by the way we do whatever we can to save lives and how despite the incredible value of life, we are willing to risk our life to save others.

October 7th and the war that has followed has cost us too many lives to not honor their memories by living ours. Living them Jewishly, whatever that means to each of us. I have my Nova tattoo, my we will dance again tattoo, and my tattoo of the artwork by Moshe Shapira connecting released hostage Emily Damari’s hand with the priestly blessings. Moshe’s son Aner was murdered on October 7th as he repeatedly threw grenades out of the bomb shelter, trying to save others, until there was one he couldn’t get to in time and this tattoo reminds me of Aner, Emily, and Moshe. I wear my Star of David with Israel as the center of it proudly every day, outside my shirt. I got my Florida Stands with Israel license plate and display it proudly on my car.

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

I’m not the most religious person but I go to minyan when asked. I learn Jewishly every week through two different teachers and with a Rabbi friend when possible. I am proudly and outwardly Jewish. I refuse to hide it. I often think of my parents, who were outwardly proudly Jewish, my grandparents, who were outwardly proudly Jewish, and my Great-grandmother Rose, the only of my Great-grandparents that I knew, who was also outwardly proudly Jewish. I owe it to them and to my children to be proud of who I am, of my history, of my heritage, of my culture.

In memory of all those murdered on October 7th, who have died protecting Israel and the Jewish people, who were murdered by Hamas as hostages, I have one thing to say.

The Gaza/Hamas 500. It’s not a race.

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik
The poster reads, “500 Days, Get Them Out of Hell”

500. An unbelievable number. Growing up, I remember when the US hostages were taken in Iran. The TV show Nightline, was created to track the daily updates on the hostages. The program began on November 8, 1979, four days after the start of the Hostage crisis. It is still on television, more than 45 years later. Yet the stories of the 250+ hostages taken on October 7th remain largely unknown. More than 40 Americans were murdered on October 7th by Hamas and I doubt most Americans could name one. 12 Americans were taken hostage by Hamas on October 7th and I doubt most American know the number or know how many remain a hostage today (thankfully the number is only 1 and he is scheduled to be released this Saturday).

Hamas targeted individuals from over 40 different nationalities during its attacks in Israel. The victims included citizens from the United States, Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Nepal, and several other countries. Yet the world has largely been quiet as their citizens were attacked, murdered, and kidnapped by terrorists all because they are Jewish or because they were in Israel at the time of their kidnapping or murder. It is a horrific indictment of the world’s antisemitism and Jew hatred.

Today, the Hamas leader in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, announced that six living hostages, including Hisham al-Sayed and Avera Mengistu, will be released on Saturday. Bedouin Arab Israeli Hisham al-Sayed, seized in 2015 and Ethiopian-Israeli Avera Mengistu, seized in 2014, have gotten no world attention. Avera has spent the last DECADE as a hostage of Hamas while Hisham has been a Hamas hostage for nearly a decade.  

Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, hostages of Hamas in Gaza for a decade

al-Hayaa also announced that four deceased hostages will be released on Thursday, with the remaining four deceased hostages from Phase A to be released next week. This release plan has been confirmed by Israeli officials. While we can take a deep breath once they are home that phase A of the ceasefire and release will be completed, there are still 59 hostages remaining in Gaza, including at least 28 deceased. How the world allows this is horrifying. How the world defends this is horrifying. How the world demands that these terrorists and monsters be allowed to rebuild Gaza and remain in power when they openly state that they will do this again and again is beyond offense. All I can say to the world is “F YOU”. Israel knows better. It appears the new US administration knows better.

After the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese during World War 2 and the killing of 2,400 Americans, President Franklin Roosevelt addressed Congress and, via radio, the nation. He spoke powerfully with the famous line, “December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy.” and immediately declared war on the Japanese. The Japanese attacked not just Pearl Harbor but also US bases throughout the South Pacific. Thousands of American’s were taken prisoner, hostages, and experienced unbearable cruelties.

FDR addressing Congress and the country after the December 7, 1941 Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor

Former Ambassador Michael Oren asked a powerful question today. Imagine if instead of declaring war and fighting the evil of Japan and Nazi Germany, Oren wonders what if FDR had instead said the following“The enemy has not just massacred our citizens, but they have also taken hundreds, perhaps thousands, of prisoners. They are now being held hostage and will be raped, starved, and tortured to death, unless we agree to Tokyo’s demands. We have no choice but to concede, America must do everything to liberate the hostages.”

That is what Israel has faced since October 7, 2023. 500 days since the murder of more than 1,200 people with more than 250 people taken hostage by the evil of Hamas. The world and many nations demanding that Israel surrender. Requiring that Israel negotiate with terrorists. It made me think of this classic scene from the movie, Tropic Thunder. Negotiating with terrorists means you always lose because they have no morals or ethics. Their word means nothing. They will give you whatever you want to get what they want because they never intend to hold up their end of the bargain. They will simply do it again and again to get more and more. At some point, the answer must be no, so why not start there? FDR did and the Japanese and Nazi Germany were defeated. Imagine if he had caved to their demands. Imagine if he had surrendered instead of fighting to defeat them.

500 days. 500 days of suffering for the hostages. 500 days of suffering for those who have had loved ones murdered or kidnapped. 500 days of a nation in shock, in mourning, dealing with rage and PTSD. 500 days of the entire Jewish people impacted. What would have happened if the world had said NO on October 8th. What would have happened had the world not accepted what Hamas did as resistance and instead treated it as it was, an act of war. What if the leadership of America and the world stood up like FDR did in 1941 and clearly stated that it was not acceptable, not ok, and we would do whatever was necessary to defeat this evil? Unfortunately we will never know.

What we do know is that we cannot allow Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran to continue their reign of terror. After the release of the six living hostages on Saturday, there will be at least 28 bodies to reclaim and perhaps as many as 31 people to get returned alive. Each one of their souls is precious. Each one of the families of those murdered deserves to have the body of their loved one returned for a proper burial and an opportunity at closure. The question we have to ask is, at what cost? Is it a fair trade to get them back if it costs us another 1,200 people being murdered in the next attack? Another 250+ people taken hostage? More women raped? Babies beheaded? Lives and families destroyed? These are difficult questions and I am glad that I am not the one who has to make that decision. The one thing I know is that IF I had to make that decision, that is the question I would be asking. At what cost? Am I willing to address the families of those 31 people who don’t come home and explain myself? Or would I rather face the families of 1,200 people in the future who have loved ones murdered because of my decision? The families of 250+ people who’s loved ones are hostages because of that decision?

As I am writing this, the following press release from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum Headquarters came out, which broke my heart.

Statement from the Bibas family:

“In the past few hours, we have been in turmoil following Hamas spokesperson’s announcement about the planned return of our Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir this Thursday as part of the hostages’ remains release phase.

We want to make it clear that while we are aware of these reports, we have not yet received any official confirmation regarding this matter.

Until we receive definitive confirmation, our journey is not over.

We ask the media and the public to respect our privacy and refrain from contacting us about this matter.”

Shiri, Ariel and Kfir Bibas. It appears our worst fears are true.

I have written a lot about this family in part because I so identify with them. They had two boys. I have two boys. The age difference with their children is almost identical to the age difference of my children. I felt as if my family could have easily been their family. At my Passover table, I had their pictures on empty chairs as if they were sitting at my table. I left these pictures up on the chairs for a few months because I couldn’t bear to take them down. When their bodies are returned, like Hersh Goldberg-Polin, I will watch the funeral. I may light a shiva candle for them because I so identify with them.

So what comes next? Will there be a phase 2? How do we reconcile the murder of this mother and her two beautiful children with the release of more terrorists? How do we enable the people who murdered this beautiful mother and her two babies to walk free, let alone stay in power? Is the cost of getting those 31 hostages home too high? A friend of mine has had a number of his family members who are hostages. All but one have been returned and that one is scheduled to be released on Saturday. I can hear his voice in my head telling me that no price is too high. I also hear the voice of friends of mine who are Generals and Lt. Colonels in the IDF telling me that we simply must win this war and we can only do that by ending Hamas and their rule and influence. Not only in Gaza but also in Judea and Samaria (also known as the West Bank).

I never really thought that the first phase of the agreement would actually be completed because of Hamas. If it wasn’t for the strong response from the current American administration when Hamas threatened to pull out of it, it wouldn’t have. I never expected that the talks about phase two would actually happen like they are. I am not optimistic that phase 2 will happen. As Bibi, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and President Trump have said, it’s time to end the ‘drips and drabs’ of hostage releases. Yet if Hamas releases the hostages, what do they have left to bargain with?

We must never forget the hostages and do all we can to get them home. We cannot also allow a situation to occur where future hostages will be taken because Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, or Iran think Israel and the United States are weak. These are challenging times with no clear answer. The future of Israel, the future of America, the future of the West and our values are at stake here. No matter what anybody tells you, don’t forget that. Evil cannot be allowed to win. Evil must be eliminated. Whatever it takes it what it takes because if we let Evil win, if we let Evil flourish, the world we want to live in will cease to exist.

Am Yisrael Chai – Release them all NOW!

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Don’t Give Up, Don’t Ever Give up.

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

I was talking to my friend Tal in Israel the other day. Tal is a Lieutenant Colonel (Res.) in the IDF and we hav been discussing a project together. He told me that we’d have to wait a few weeks to continue our conversation because he had been called back for milium (reserve duty) once again and had to report the next day. He then sighed and told me how tired he was of this. It’s been a year already and his life has been turned upside down. He then said something remarkable. He told me that he’d continuing showing up because “we have to win”. Having been to Israel in May, July, and September, I understood both the fatigue and the desire to keep showing up because there is no alternative to winning this war. It’s an existential war. Iran, through their proxies Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis, won’t stop until Israel is eliminated. Until the Jews are eliminated. It’s easy to sit in the United States and criticize Israel for doing what they have to do to survive. Go to Israel and see the devastation from October 7th in the kibbutzim on the Gaza border. Kfar Aza, Nir Oz, Be’eri. Visit the site of the Nova music festival and listen to survivors and those who rescued people from the terrorists. Listen to the story of Rami Davidian, a farmer who saved 750 people on October 7th from the terrorists and the horrors he saw on October 8th when he returned to the Nova site to clean up and provide dignity to the people who had been murdered.

Israel and the survival of the Jewish people are miracles. There is no other way to describe how we have lasted for thousands of years, outliving every other society throughout history. How more than 3,000 years after we first entered the land of Israel, we are living there today. In May and July it was driven home to me multiple times how if 2,000 years ago, as the Romans were taking the Jews into slavery, the Temple was in flames, Jerusalem destroyed, you had told our ancestors that we’d be back here, in our homeland, in 2,000 years, they would have laughed at the concept. Yet here we are.

The Holocaust was an effort to send us to the history books. Hitler’s goal was to create a museum of the Jewish people that people could visit to see who we were because we no longer existed. I read a story told by Rabbi Yitz Greenberg to Rabbi Daniel Gordis about Adolf Eichmann, who had disappeared, running away in 1946, to Argentina. He was hiding with Ferenc Szálasi, the facist leader of Hungary who was his partner in wiping out Hungarian Jewry.

Adolph Eichmann
Ferenc Szálasi

Szalasi said in his last conversation with Eichmann, “you know, if they catch us, they will put us to death. We committed this incredible crime.” So, Eichmann says to him, “if they catch me and they execute me, I will leap into my grave laughing. Why? Because he said, I didn’t kill every last Jew, but they’ll never recover. It hit such a destructive blow to the heartland of Jewry, the Eastern European Jewry was the biological heartland. They’ll never recover. I feel I succeeded even if I didn’t get all the way.” Yet the Jewish people did recover. The biological heartland was not, has never been, and never will be Eastern Europe. It has been and will always be the land of Israel.

The reason we have outlasted ancient Egypt and the Pharoahs, the Philistines, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, the Persians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Byzantine empire, the Crusaders, the Spanish Empire, the Nazis and the Soviet Union is because even when we are tired; no make that especially when we are tired, we do not give up. We have never given up. This is why we will outlast Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and the Iranian regime. We value life too much. We value the future too much.

I am tired. I’ve been consumed since October 7th with doing my part, whatever that may be, to fight. Putting on a rally the day after October 7th. Going to be with 300,000 people on the National Mall in Washington, DC to join together in support of the Jewish people and Israel. Writing this blog for over a year, often times multiple times a week. Going to Israel in May, July, and September. Volunteering in Israel cleaning lemon trees, picking apples, making tzizit for the IDF, making sandwiches for those in need, making care packages for IDF soldiers, bringing supplies to IDF units with me in my luggage, getting my new tattoos, wearing my dogtags, my Jewish star, my yellow ribbon pin for the hostages, helping Israeli NGOs to serve the people in need, and working to help the Israeli economy any way that I can. It’s not serving in the IDF but it’s doing my part. Just like Tal, I’m tired of this. And just like Tal, I won’t give up either. Because we have to win. We have no other choice. Golda Meir put it best.

So fight we do. We fight the antisemites. We fight on college campuses. Columbia, Penn, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, UC Berkely, Stanford, USLA, CUNY and Rutgers are a few of the major hotstpots where Jews are targeted. We fight against politicians like Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, AOC, and Summer Lee along with ensure that people like Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman lose their Congressional seats and can’t spew their hatred. We fight against corrupt, Jew hating organizations like the United Nations, UNRWA, UNIFIL, UNICEF, and Amnesty International. We call out leaders like UN Secretary General António Guterres and UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese who tell lies about Israel and feed antisemitism. We don’t allow celebrities with a public forum like Susan Sarandan, Mark Ruffalo, John Cusack, Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, John Oliver, Cynthia Nixon, Rachel Zegler, or adult film star Mia Khalifa to spread lies to those who listen to them only because of their celebrity status, not because they know anything.

One of my favorite speeches of all time is by Jim Valvano when he won the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the first ESPY awards. In it, he makes the famous quote, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.” That’s the motto of the Jewish people.

So even though we are tired, even though Israelis are tired, even though the IDF soldiers and reservists are tired, even though Israeli families are tired, we won’t stop fighting. We won’t give up. And because of that motto, the people of Israel live. Am Yisrael Chai

Thoughts after the AIPAC Policy Summit

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

In a Bari Weiss piece for the Free Press after their recent visit to Israel, she said,

“There was not a single conversation that I had in the week I spent in Israel where the person did not say a version of the following: There was an October 6 version of me and an October 7 version of me. I am forever changed. I am a different person.“

That hits home for me as there is no question that October 7th changed me forever.  I have always been a passionate Zionist.  My grandparents and parents raised me that way.  They were passionate about have a Jewish homeland, my grandparents living in America during the Shoah and my parents being born at the end of it.  I will never forget my grandfather telling how they listened to the UN vote on a transistor radio and how they celebrated when the vote came in that ensured a Jewish state would be created.  It was dream to visit Israel and after I graduated college, my present was a 4 week trip to Israel.

I have been back to Israel 19 more times since then (total of 20 visits) and can never get another or stay long enough.  There is something in the air, on the ground, that is special.  The food is amazing, and I love the people, the beaches, the green of the north, the beauty of the desert.  My favorite place changes all the time.  Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, the Galil.    On my last visit I fell in love with Ir Yamim, a southern suburb of Netanya.  Suffice it to say that I love Israel and am a proud Zionist.

Horseback riding with my friend Remo Eyal in Netanya on the beach of the Mediterranean Sea in Netanaya.

As a proud Zionist, I got involved with AIPAC (The American Israel Public Affairs Committee) more than 25 years ago.  I was awarded the campus ally one year and been to many conferences.  With the shift away from the big 20,000-person policy conference to the much smaller 1,400 Policy Summits, I have still been invited and have attended the first two that have been held.  This week was the second and it was truly incredible.

AIPAC gets important politicians to address the summit.  As a non-partisan organization that works in a bi-partisan manner, that means we hear from leaders of both parties as well as leaders of Israel.  This year was no exception. 

We heard from all four leaders of the House and Senate.  Representative Leader Hakim Jeffries and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson as well as Senators Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell.  All were powerfully pro-Israel.  It made Thursday’s speech by Senator Schumer hurt even more as he was so positive when he spoke on Monday night.  To call on Israel to replace their democratically elected leader in a country that has had more elections in the past few years than we can count and not call on the Palestinian Authority to have elections to end the 19 years that Mahmoud Abbas has served in his 4 year elected term is offensive. To meddle publicly in the politics of a key ally in the middle of an existential war is unacceptable. It is a reminder of why we have the challenges we do. Israel remains held to a different standard than anybody else in the world. Compared, to House Minority Leader Jeffries, who doubled down on Israel needing to eliminate Hamas, it was quite a contrast. 

Representative Hakim Jeffries, Minority Leader in the House
Senator Mitch McConnell, Minority Leader in the Senate
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson
Senator Chuck Schumer, majority leader in the Senate

Senators Rick Scott and John Fetterman were two of the leaders who attended the special dinner on Monday night, each holding court with attendees to talk, answer questions and support Israel.  Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Brian Mast were also there, and I am sure there were many others that I didn’t get to see.

Representatives Don Davis (D-NC) and Rep Young Kim (R-CA) spoke together with incredible passion.  Rep Davis is African American and Rep Kim is an Asian American.  They showed that Israel is not just a Jewish issue and I hope many others follow their lead.  It was inspiring to hear them speak.

Representative Young Kim and Representative Don Davis

Brett McGuirk, Deputy Assistant to the President and National Security Council Coordinator for the Middle East and North African gave us incredible insight into what’s going on.  It was incredible to hear directly from him and we learned a great deal. 

Israeli Opposition party leader Yair Lapid spoke to use by satellite from Israel.  He was powerful and inspired us all.  Israeli Ambassador Michael Herzog spoke to us in person, inspiring us as the Israeli Ambassador.  At the end of the conference, Prime Minister Netanyahu also addressed the crowd by satellite, although I had to leave before then as I had lobbying appointments on Capitol Hill to get to. 

Israeli Opposition Leader Yair Lapid
Israeli Ambassador to the US Michael Herzog

Two of the best we heard from were Wesley Bell, running against Rep Cori Bush, a vile antisemite, and George Latimer, running against Jamal Bowman, another vile antisemite.  Both members of the squad are behind in the polls and hearing Bell and Latimer speak gave great hope for a different Congress in 2025 that is more pro-Israel and one that is more educated on the issues and the realities. 

George Latimer and Wesley Bell – hopefully they defeat Jamal Bowman and Cori Bush, two vile antisemites.

Senators Kirstin Gillibrand and Joni Ernst were on a panel with Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz.  They each spoke powerfully and beautifully about Israel, the evil of Hamas, and the need for Israel to destroy Hamas. 

As you can see, it was a powerful group of leaders who spoke to us.  But that wasn’t the most powerful part of the conference.  The most powerful part of the conference were the Israeli’s we heard from who were there on October 7th.  Who experienced the terror, who lost loved ones, and parents whose dual citizen son, Omer Neutra, remains a hostage.  Omer graduated high school and decided to spend a gap year in Israel.  While spending his gap year in Israel, he decided that rather than return to the US for college, he wanted to enlist in the IDF and serve Israel.  On October 7th he was taken hostage and has not been heard from since.  Omer is all our children.  We can all related to a child taking a gap year and being inspired while doing so.  He could be in college right now, but instead chose to serve the Jewish people in the IDF.  He has not been a hostage for nearly 160 days.  As we listened to his parents, all we could think of was that Omer could be our child and he quickly became our child and our cause.  When we heard a dual citizen hostage was found to have been murdered on October 7th and Hamas still has his body, we were all horrified and fearful it was Omer.  Our hearts broke for the family of Itai Chen, who learned of his death FIVE MONTHS after it happened.  Who don’t have his body to bury and the ability for closure. 

Omer Neutra’s picture as his parents spoke to us. It was heartbreaking. Bring them home NOW!

We heard from a young woman named Or Tzuk who lives in Kfar Aza.  I want to warn you that this story is graphic.  She and her husband were away on holiday the weekend of October 7th.  Hamas terrorists broke into her house and murdered her father, mother, and their dog.  Her brother, who in her words is like a ‘big American’, hid under the bed and wasn’t found.  Hamas shot bullets all around the house with a number of them grazing him.  He laid in his parents and their dog’s blood and urine for 7 hours before being rescued.  7 hours lying in his parent’s blood and urine, looking at their dead bodies and the dead body of his dog.  When rescued, he took off his shirt to be examined and they found that his mother’s teeth were embedded in his skin.  I can’t even imagine.  She now wears combat boots all the time.  She has to have an exit strategy in every room she is in.  She has difficulty sleeping.  Listening to her talk was heartbreaking. 

Or Tzuk speaking on the Israeli news 10 days after the Hamas massacre of October 7th. Her pain wasn’t any less when she spoke to us 5 months later.

We heard from a Nehoray Levy, a young man who was at the Nova Music Festival.  He ran and was able to escape.  He hid for hours alone.  When things got quiet, he got up and ran to where he saw others who had escaped the music festival and hid together with them until they were rescued. 

Nehoray recorded a farewell message to his parents and family during the Hamas attack. It’s painful to watch as he says his goodbyes, not sure if he will survive.

Daniel Waiss, who sang Hatikvah, lost both his parents on October 7th, part of the time lying between the dead bodies of his friends.  I can’t imagine spending hours lying between the dead bodies of my friends, hoping and praying that the terrorists don’t come find me and kill me too.  He had decided to use his music as a way to heal not only himself but others who have been traumatized.  He has gone back to the area where the terrorists murdered his family and performed a concert for them.  He sang beautifully and while Hatikvah is always powerful and meaningful when I sing it, this one was the most meaningful I have ever sung. 

Daniel Wais singing on YouTube

After this, filled with energy and passion on behalf of the American-Israel relationship and Israel itself, we went to the Hill to lobby our Central Florida Senators and Representatives.  All support Israel.  Almost all agreed that Israel must do whatever it takes to defeat Hamas.  They all listened to us and heard our message.  I hope they all support the aid package to Israel.  I hope they all understand what Israel faces.  Most do, but not all.  I spent Tuesday on the Hill, doing my part to advocate for Israel and the American Israeli relationship.  When my future grandchildren ask me what I did after October 7, 2023, I have an answer for them.  I didn’t sit silently.  I didn’t hide.  I became more publicly Jewish.  I worked with our legislators.  I attended the rally in DC.  I took action.  I hope that you will have answer for your grandchildren as well. 

Representative Darren Soto
Representative Daniel Webster
Representative Maxwell Frost – I did a bad job taking the picture

As a proud Jew and a proud Zionist, I have struggled greatly since October 7th.  One image I will never forget was on the news that day.  It was a minivan on the side of the road.  The driver, the father of family, had been murdered and was slumped over the steering wheel.  His young daughter was also murdered, slumped over him.  It’s an image that will never leave my mind.  I saw the Hamas 47-minute video and there are many images there that I will never forget and that will never leave my mind.

Since October 7th I have ordered a special Magen David (star of David) from Israel that I wear daily.  I got my ‘Bring Them Home Now’ and ‘We will Dance Again’ dog tags from Israel that I wear every day. I got a new “Am Yisrael Chai’” pendant.  As requested by Rachel Goldberg, the mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, the American Israeli who lost an arm at the Nova Music Festival and was taken hostage, I put the masking tape over my heart and use a sharpie to chronicle how many days the hostages have been in captivity.  I get asked about that more than anything else. 

My newest necklace

This AIPAC Policy Summit was powerful for me as it wasn’t just an opportunity to learn about policy, hear from politicians, lobby on the hill, and see some cool Israeli things.  It was a chance to hear from Israeli’s personally impacted by October 7th.  To hear their stories from their own mouths, in their own words.  I’ll never forget their faces, their voices, or their stories. 

When he was Hillel International President, Avraham Infeld used to say all the time that ‘Judaism is NOT a religion.’   He would step back, say it again, and then say, ‘See, I wasn’t struck by lightning.   Judaism is a mishpacha (family) who share a common religion.’  Ambassador Michael Oren reiterated this in his column today. As a mishpacha, the people murdered on October 7th are my family.  The people taken hostage on October 7th are my family.  The people currently still being held hostage are my family.  The IDF soldiers fighting and dying to eliminate the evil that is Hamas are my family.  The civilians attacked in the streets in Israel and stabbed are my family.  I stand with my family.  I stand with Israel.   Am Yisrael Chai.

With Michael Oren at the Orlando JNF event. He is truly a brilliant man and worth following his writings.
Am Yisrael Chai – The people of Israel live!

Sunday was an Israel day

Posted on by Keith Dvorchik

Sunday turned into a significant Israel day for me in a wonderful way.  Since October 7th, most Israel days have been focused on things like the hostages, the war, relatives of friends who were hostages or who were murdered, the IDF soldiers who were killed in action and both hoping that they weren’t people that I knew and being sad that they are people I will never get to know.  It’s writing the number of days the hostages have been held on a piece of masking tape that I wear over my heart, my two dog tags that say, ‘Bring them home now” and “We will dance again”.  It’s following the rocket attacks from Hezbollah in the north and hoping that there won’t be a war in the north.  Checking on my friends in Israel and their loved ones who are serving.  Following Congress’s lack of ability to pass the needed aid package for Israel (and Ukraine).  The inane demands for a ceasefire now without a demand to release the hostages now.  Seeing social media posts from friends who have no clue what’s going on, advocating against Israel, and believing the lies.  I love Israel and it’s a heavy burden on a daily basis even in America.

Sunday was a day of joy.  My childhood friend, Grace Rodnitzki, was in town for the BBYO International Convention on behalf of the Ethiopian National Project (ENP), where she has worked for nearly 2 decades.  I have previously written about not needing ‘new, old friends’ and being grateful for the long-term relationships I have.  Grace is one of those people as we have been friends since the early 1980s when we were in BBYO together.  She brought her boss, Roni Akale, with her.  Roni is the Director General of the ENP and made the walk from Ethiopia to Sudan in 1983 at the age of 20.  I’ve met Roni many times and he is a truly amazing person. 

My friend Grace – it’s always so good to see her either here or in Israel.

Roni Akale. I love seeing him and hearing his stories. The work of ENP is amazing.

Roni as a child in Ethiopia

I have visited a few ENP sites in Israel and was amazed at the work that they do for the Ethiopian Jewish community.  Having an opportunity for Roni and Grace to discuss the work of ENP and share Roni’s story with members of the Central Florida community was a privilege.  We spent a few hours before the event talking and catching up.  It was so meaningful to be talking about Israel, hope, and the future after October 7th. 

Watch the video of us learning Ethiopian dancing at an ENP site years ago. So much fun and such a great memory.
Another video of us dancing at an ENP site. Visit an ENP site and it will change your life.

There is so much misinformation and disinformation about Israel.  The antisemites want to paint Israel as a white, European, colonial effort.  It’s so inaccurate that it would laughable if people didn’t believe it so easily.  Walk the streets of Israel and experience the beauty of diversity.  Mizrahi Jews (those descended from Jews in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia), Ashkenazic (Eastern European) Jews, Ethiopian Jews, Arabs, Druze, Christians, and B’hai all call Israel home.  If you explore the Ethiopian Israeli culture, you will experience a vibrancy that may surprise you.  There are now approximately 175,000 Ethiopian Israelis with 47% of them born as Sabras (born in Israel).  It’s a growing population just like all the diverse groups within Israel are growing.   

Israel is a growing and thriving country.  Not only is it the only democracy in the region, it is also the only place where equal rights exist for everybody.  I often get very frustrated by people who I know and like who believe the propaganda put out by those who hate Jews.  They aren’t bad people; they are simply misinformed.  When I have the chance to have a real conversation, face to face, it’s usually not only productive but personally meaningful.  I have chosen not to engage with them on social media because it doesn’t go anywhere and is often more harmful than helpful.  Finding ways to get them to experience the diversity of Israel is more productive through conversation, meeting with different Israeli populations, and serious dialogue rather than simple hasbara (advocacy).   

My favorite story that Roni tells is how during the walk from Ethiopia to Sudan, the man leading them did not continue and left the group with a donkey and his son.  As they walked through the jungle, they were robbed and had everything taken.  No food, no water, no supplies.  When they asked the son who was leading them how to get to Sudan, he didn’t know!  So how did they get from the middle of the jungle to where they needed to be in Sudan?  Because the donkey, who they had with them, knew the way!  It was the donkey who led them from Ethiopia to Sudan!  

I also had another wonderful surprise on Sunday.  My friend Yaron, who is in the IDF reserves and was recently released from duty in Gaza, was in town.  We got to spend time together before the ENP event and he even participated in the ENP event, sharing his experience that the Ethiopian community were incredible resources and merely needed the support and education that ENP provides to excel academically, in the IDF, and afterwards in university and in business.  Yaron and I then spent a few hours together catching up and touring Decision Tactical, a truly amazing place.  I encourage you to visit Decision Tactical and learn self-defense and more from them – you will be amazed.

My friend Yaron. So good to see him and know that he is safe. He is a true hero.

While touring Decision Tactical with Yaron, it was fascinating to see his reactions and hear his insights.  While we were touring, we had an opportunity to meet with some Israelis who have new technology with virtual reality and self-defense and law enforcement training.  I loved the fact that it was Israelis who designed this technology and that it will be available for our law enforcement to use as training and for civilians to experience and learn.  There is so much that Israel gives to the world that is not appreciated by those who are ignorant.  Those who use their iPhone to tweet about Boycott, Divest, and Sanction (BDS), not realizing they are using Israeli technology.  Those who text not knowing it was Israeli technology that created SMS.  People who lives are saved by Israeli medical research and technology that are on the front line of Jew hatred and BDS.     People who use their computers to spread hate against the Jews and Israel, not realizing their computer chips come from Israel.  The list goes on and on.

Yaron’s story was told in a much earlier blog post when I was in Israel.  He spent 120 days in Gaza after October 7th as head of operations.  He shared with me how often he faced death during those 120 days, and it was truly unbelievable.  On October 7th, he ran from his house to fight the terrorists without a weapon.  He didn’t have one until he came across a murdered IDF soldier and was able to use his weapon.  I found it insightful and very moving when he shared that hardest part was actually on the flight from Israel to the US when it was quiet.  It was the first time he had quiet in 120 days.  It was the first time that he could actually feel his feelings.  He told me how difficult that flight was as he began processing everything since October 7th.  It highlights the big challenge facing Israel after this war ends.  So many Israelis will have PTSD to deal with.  The trauma didn’t end on October 7th.  It just began.  Besides being a friend and an amazing human being, Yaron is a true hero and a real badass. 

I told Yaron the story of my friend’s cousin, Hila Rotem Shoshani, who was taken by Hamas along with her mother as hostages from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7th.  You can read the story in this previous blog.  When I showed him the videos of her opening the birthday and Hanukkah presents that we got for her, the look on his face was priceless.  It’s one I will never forget.  You could see a bit of joy.  A bit of relief.  It was exactly why he put himself in mortal danger in Gaza.  It is why he spent his career in the IDF.  It is why he returned.  It’s the essence of the Jewish people.  Kol arevim ze la ze (all of Israel are responsible for each other.) 

Hila opening the suitcase and some of her presents. Look at her face – how can it not warm your heart?
You will smile as big or bigger than she is when you watch this.

Yaron and IDF soldiers like him inspire me.  I have too many friends who are serving in the reserves.  Too many friends who have their children serving in the IDF.  4 friends that have 6 relatives that were hostages.  Four have been released, two remain hostages.  Friends that lost relatives at the Nova Music Festival.  These IDF soldiers are not just fighting for the survival of Israel.  They are fighting for the survival of the Jewish people.  Their willingness to fight for Israel and the Jewish people inspires me to do what I can here in America.  They inspire me to go to Israel as soon as possible so that I can contribute in whatever way possible.  As we see the increase of antisemitism around the world and especially here in America, it is frightening to think of a world without Israel.  These IDF soldiers ensure that we don’t have to worry about a world without Israel.

This poem (translated from Hebrew) inspired me.  It’s a beautiful poem but more importantly it is true. 

The Real Israelis – Asaf Perry

(Translation Gadi Ben Dov)

The History teacher is really a Delta Force fighter.

The kindergarten teacher is a Military Intelligence Officer

None of us knew that the stuck-up neighbor is a company commander in the Tanks corps.

And that the contractor with the funny hat working at the house next door is an F16 pilot.

That the “always dressed perfectly” female lawyer from upstairs is a combat officer that is

working overtime at her post in the army, the funny owner of the neighborhood food market

is a trained sniper who is lying on a rooftop somewhere in Gaza right now.

Some say that the angry tough lady who is the bank branch manager is deputy regiment commander in the Home Front Command and is now working to organize all the housing by

the Dead Sea hotels for the evacuees from the villages near the border with Gaza.

That the friendly smiley bus driver that always takes the kids to school is a commander of a

battery of 155mm artillery guns stationed in the north and the fancy looking interior designer next door is a paramedic who is now stationed in the West Bank.

Legend has it that the geeky looking physics student is really a Navy Seal that performs some crazy operations in an undisclosed location right now.

They look like normal ordinary everyday people dressed like normal people with ordinary jobs but that’s really just their cover story. Because suddenly when they are needed, they open a hidden drawer or closet in their apartment or pull out a trunk from under their bed and take out their superhero cape, their reserve duty IDF uniform and go out to save theworld and protect us.

In Israel we all look like ordinary people – really we do, but deep down inside we are a country of SUPERHEROS.

Since October 7th I find myself longing to be in Israel.  It’s been very difficult not being there and not being able to do something in Israel for Israel.  I do what I can from America but it doesn’t feel enough.  Israel isn’t just a core part of who I am as a Jew.  It’s who I am as a human being.  It’s part of my core identity.  If you have never been to Israel, I urge you to go and go soon.  I’m happy to help you find the best way to go.  There are many opportunities to go on solidarity and volunteer trips now where you can experience Israel and make a difference.  If you have been, I urge you to go back.  Israel needs us more than ever to show that we are all part of the same family. 

Am Yisrael Chai