I returned from Israel about a week ago.  It was my second trip this summer and very meaningful on many levels.  I love going to Israel and being in Israel.  Everybody in my family knows how much I enjoy being there, how meaningful it is to me, and I’m sure there are some who expect that one day I will make Aliyah and live there.

This trip was highlighted by a few things that I think are very important, not just because they mean so much to me but because they highlight a bigger picture of Israel and the meaning to the Jewish people.

We got off the plane and after changing, the first thing we did was go to work the land.  There is something about Israel and working the land that is incredibly gratifying.  We went to pick apples that will be given to those in need.  It was a hot morning, and we had our water and hats and off we went.  There were two huge bins to fill that looked daunting when we began.  Yet working the land in Israel meant that we worked hard.  Very quickly the first bin was halfway full.  We talked, we laughed, and we picked apples.  Halfway through filling both bins, we took a break to eat some fresh watermelon.  By fresh, I mean it was picked just to cut up for us. 

Israel was founded by working the land.  “Making the desert bloom” remains a key goal and catchphrase.  There is something about getting your hands dirty in Israel by picking fruits and vegetables that is incredibly rewarding and meaningful.  It ties you to the founders of the State of Israel.  It ties you to 3500 years of Jewish history in the land of Israel.  I’ve been to farms in the Negev where they are growing fruit and vegetables in the sand and picked them.  I’ve helped with lemon trees in the Gaza envelope.  I’ve been to a friend’s Moshav near Gaza growing all sorts of fruits, vegetables, and nuts.  Now I have picked apples.  It’s incredibly rewarding, and I can’t wait to do it again.  I learned about Israel Food Rescue, an opportunity to volunteer picking fruit and vegetables in Israel to help harvest the food needed since the loss of so many Thai workers and Palestinian workers since October 7.  Israel gives you an opportunity to really give back, not just with money or time, but with your hands and sweat equity. 

I had the opportunity of this trip to meet and do some work with incredible leaders of Israeli civil society.  I went to the Knesset to meet with MK Sharron Haskel, an amazing leader who represents a new generation of Israeli leaders.  As we reach a crossroads in Israel with leadership, she is part of a new generation that will shape the future.  I met with former Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, who I met a number of years ago and is a friend.  Fleur is also part of this new generation of Israeli leaders who will change the shape of the country.  Fleur spoke to our group and captivated them with her brilliance.  Her analysis of the possibility of a 2-state solution, a 1-state solution, and other options for peace was fascinating.  She recently debated former Ambassador Dennis Ross on the topic and I can’t wait to watch it when it is released on August 2^nd.  I met with Brigadier General (ret) Amir Avivi and my friend Lt. Col. (ret) Yaron Buskila about the future of leadership in the IDF and the Jewish world.  They are doing some exciting work and I have the opportunity to be a part of it and learn from them.  I met with Lt. Col. Rabbi Yedida Atlas who oversees the religious aspect of the IDF.  He gave me a pair of the IDF’s tzitzit (ritual garments worn under your shirt) that since October 7, IDF soldiers, regardless of their religion, want to wear for spiritual protection.  Later that day, I had the chance to help make tzitzit for the IDF which was incredibly meaningful.  I am working with him to get enough mezuzahs for the IDF due to the war and all the reserve call-ups.  I was on a zoom call with my friend Roni Ekele, the Director General of the Ethiopian National Project (ENP) and childhood friend, Grace Rodnitzki, the Director of International Relations for ENP.  ENP provides critical services for the Ethiopian Israeli youth to ensure their success in Israeli society. 

In Israel, you have the ability to meet, befriend, and work with incredible leaders.  They are accessible.  They are friendly.  They are passionate.  I have great hope for the future of Israel because of these leaders – the future leaders of the country.  In America, we are very concerned about the future of our leadership.  We wonder where the quality leaders are and where they will come from.  In Israel, we see them emerging in all aspects of society. 

This was a leadership trip for 19-26 year olds. We had a very diverse group on the trip. Some graduated Jewish Day School. Some were entirely secular. Some knew nothing. Throughout the trip, we learned something with everything we did. The Torah study was interesting as we explored the ‘why’ of the first verses in the Torah. Not the story but what the lesson is behind the story. The things that affect us today. Services were not about the ritual of the service but the meaning of the prayers. Not just what we say, but why we say it. We sang, “L’dor V’dor”, from strength to strenth, throughout the trip, reminding us of our place in Jewish continuity. We sang Acheynu ,the prayer to free captives, for the hostages. As we stood under the Kotel, on original flooring from over 2,000 years ago, we sang it, one of the more powerful experiences I have had in Israel. At our last dinner of the trip, everybody had a chance to share their feelings about the trip and the experience. It was powerful listening to what everybody got out of it. I’m excited to see what this group of leaders is going to do. Just like the future of Israel is bright with their future leaders, I believe that American Jewry can also have a bright future with these type of leaders. It takes effort. It takes work. It’s not easy to find them, recruit them, train them, and pay for all of it. But we must. I have seen the impact of this trip for the past 26 years. I have seen what engaging the future of Jewish life in a meaningful way means and does. It is something I am committed to and I look forward to sharing some exciting plans for 2025 in this area. This trip, seeing what happened for these future leaders, has inspired me to do more. So pay attention, something very exciting is coming in the very near future in regards to young leadership!!

Israel is a special place. If you haven’t been to Israel, I can’t really explain to you what it’s like. If you have been, I don’t have to. There is something in the air. Walking the streets of Jerusalem is unlike anywhere else in the world. Floating in the Dead Sea, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, doing a water hike in the lower Galilee, eating on the edge of the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee), looking at the Golan Heights, being at the Kotel, working the land – each is so much more than just an activity. There is a connection. There is deep meaning. Israel isn’t just a place you visit. It visits your soul. It visits your heart and your mind. As we sat in Machane Yehuda one night, the traditional middle eastern market that turns into a nightclub, the buzz was amazing. The music was pumping. The energy level was high. And then they played ‘Am Yisrael Chai’. It touched us all in our hearts and in our souls. We knew it was more than just a nightclub. We knew it was more than just a fun place to be with friends. It was home. It was a connection to thousands of years of history and of family. Israel changed us all for the better. Am Yisrael Chai.