Two weeks ago, Aviva Kessock, Debra Burger, Samantha Burger, and I went to Israel on a Bnei Akiva mission.
Since Oct 7, I’d been searching for a way to give to Israel. Over the years, I have developed a deep love of Israel and wanted to feel connected to what has been happening there. Going on this mission gave me the opportunity to give support to the people of Israel. But the truth is, I think the trip strengthened me even more than I strengthened them.
Throughout this trip, we were involved in many different types of volunteer activities. One volunteer activity that I really connected with, was when we planned a carnival for young Israelis who have been displaced from their homes. The entire community of Neve Ilan, which is where these people had lived before October 7, is now living in a hotel together. When we first walked into the hotel lobby, one of the first things I noticed was that there were no men anywhere. All I saw were women and children everywhere. It was a reminder of another way these families have been impacted, as all the men were away serving in the IDF. I also saw that there were basically kids running around everywhere. These small children had nothing to do all day. They had lost their normal structure and routine, and they were just stuck inside the hotel.
Together, all of us participating on the mission quickly got to work on giving these kids a positive, fun experience. We started off with fun carnival food like popcorn and slushies, and then I set up a table with lots of nail polish, where I painted little girls’ nails. As I did their nails I was able to practice my Hebrew by talking to them. I introduced myself and asked their names, and then talked to them about silly things like their favorite color or hobbies, and I told them about how I came from New York to visit them. My goal was just to connect with these girls and entertain them, while giving their parents a break. After that, we created a drum circle where each of us was paired up with a few Israeli children to dance with them. I danced with one of the little girls, and later on her brother also joined us. No matter how imperfect our Hebrew was, or how little English they spoke, we had the best time dancing to Israeli music together.
After the carnival ended, we brought out bouquets of flowers and I helped give them out to the women living in the hotel. To come all the way from the US and then be able to give out something beautiful to brighten these Israeli women’s day was incredible. After all that they had been through, the thought that so many people in the US and Canada were davening for them and supporting them, made such a difference to them.
Going on this mission was truly an experience that I will never forget. In general I am not one to say that everything I’ve ever done was “life-changing.” But this mission really was. It gave me a new perspective on so many things in my life. I now understand more than I did before that there is no other home for the Jews, and that we belong in Israel. No matter how successful we are in chutz laaretz, or how comfortable we get, that will never really be our home. We really belong united with the rest of Am Yisrael.
I feel so grateful to Bnei Akiva for creating this mission, and my parents for being so supportive in sending me. I look forward to returning to Israel again soon, and hope my next trip will be in a time of peace.
