How the Tikvatenu Solidarity Mission Trip Changed My Mindset
by Jamie Hurewitz
“Witnessing the surge of antisemitism and global anti-Israel demonstrations underscores the imperative of a Jewish state as a sanctuary for Jewish existence.”
I have been a member of Bet Shalom for 20 years. My husband Matthew and I have 4 children (Joey-19, Mia-17, Brandon-14 and Warren-7) who participate or have participated in the religious school program. Over the past two years I have served on the Board of Trustees and as the Chair of the Social Action Committee. Recently I was honored to serve on the Rabbi Search Committee and assisted with the most recent Spring Fundraiser Silent Auction.
Throughout my life I have been deeply committed to advocating for social justice, driven by a profound sense of responsibility to amplify the voices of those in our community who are marginalized and under-served. This conviction has guided my endeavors, from advocating for inner-city youth who are in state guardianship to championing equitable treatment for marginalized communities. I feel I have a moral duty to help others fight for the opportunities that I've been fortunate to access.
Despite having family living in Israel, my personal connection to the nation had been subdued. My focus primarily rested on addressing local issues before venturing into global concerns. But my perspective underwent a transformative shift following the events of October 7th.
In the aftermath of October 7 I found myself grappling with a profound sense of isolation. Former allies I had previously been quick to stand up for had now turned against the Jewish people. Even my closest non-Jewish friends have remained deafeningly silent about the atrocities that were committed against men, women and children, simply because they were Jewish. For this reason I chose to participate in the Minneapolis Federation Tikvatenu Solidarity Volunteer Mission to Israel this past February. I just didn’t feel I was able to do enough to support Israel from my computer in Minnesota. I needed to show up for them and do more to help.
The Israelis we met on our mission trip are also feeling isolated, that the entire world is against them. Nearly everyone we came across showed an outpouring of gratitude towards us for traveling to Israel during a war, just to show our support. Our solidarity offered a semblance of solace to a community paralyzed with grief.
During our mission we worked on farms like Moshav Beit Ezra, helping to harvest crops since most of the migrant workers left at the onset of the war. I had not known previously that as part of the agreement with Thailand to have Hamas release their hostages, Thailand was required to recall all of their citizens, leaving the Israeli agriculture industry vulnerable.
We also visited the Nova Music Festival site and car cemetery where all of the cars were disposed of after clearing the wreckage and carnage left behind by the terrorists. We could still smell the fire of the burned out cars. While visiting the site of the bomb shelter where Hersh Goldberg-Polin was abducted, we could hear the sounds of artillery being launched into Gaza from a few miles away. We heard the testimony of family members desperately awaiting the return of their loved ones who are still being held hostage in Gaza. We spent the evening with a young woman who is grieving the loss of her brother who was killed at the Festival. This tiny little woman will only wear her brother’s clothing. It is how she stays close to him. We had several meals with IDF soldiers, listening to their stories and giving them a bit of a distraction from the horrors they have encountered. I attended the funeral of a lone soldier. We were there not only to lend a helping hand but to bear witness to the atrocities so we can help combat all of the lies and misinformation being spread about Israel.
On the fourth day of our trip, I woke up to the news of 3 terrorists who had gotten out of their cars during rush hour traffic just outside of Jerusalem. The terrorists ran from car to car, parked on the highway with nowhere to escape, shooting into the cars. That morning, a young man was killed and 8 others were injured before bystanders took down the terrorists. A short time later, our group traveled to Tel Aviv on our tour bus during rush hour traffic. All I could think about during the drive was, that could have been us. We could have easily been those victims shot to death while sitting in rush hour traffic.
Many people might question the soundness of living in Israel considering the pervasive threats faced by Israelis in their daily lives. Yet that is the reality for Israelis every day, just going about their daily routines. They can be murdered by terrorists at any time; while waiting at a bus stop, stuck in traffic or heading to the grocery store. No one should have to live like that.
I used to think of Israelis as strong and resilient for putting up with what they do. During our trip I came to understand that the resilience of the Israeli populace has been born out of necessity amidst perpetual adversity. But everyone has their breaking point, and right now, the strong people of Israel are broken. The Israeli community remains in a state of suspended animation. It is still October 7 in Israel. The citizens cannot move forward while 134 of their sisters, brothers, parents and children are still being held captive in Gaza. The people are yearning for support amidst perceived abandonment by the international community.
This sense of abandonment extends beyond the borders of Israel, reverberating within the diaspora. Like the Israelis, part of me is frozen. I may have returned to the safety of my sheltered community, but my mind and heart stayed behind in Israel. Witnessing the surge of antisemitism and global anti-Israel demonstrations underscores the imperative of a Jewish state as a sanctuary for Jewish existence. Despite the tumultuous landscape punctuated by terror attacks and existential threats, Israel emerges as a beacon of safety for the Jewish people. Israel provides a collective Jewish support system. The government has spent billions of dollars to protect the lives of the Jewish people from becoming extinct, and the community is always willing to step up and lend a helping hand to one another.
As we grapple with this collective abandonment, I am compelled to redirect my focus and support towards Israel. Since October 7, I have shifted my priorities by focusing on fostering solidarity and extending assistance to my fellow Jews in Israel, ensuring that they are not left to weather the storm alone. I also look forward to making many return trips to show my support, and I encourage others to do the same. We need to show up for Israel because one day that may be our only safe haven. Am Yisrael Chai! Am Yisrael Echad!