It’s the 4th day of the Hebrew month of Shevat, 5784. The 100th day since the October 7th kidnapping of hostages on October 7th, 2023. The crew is set to depart from BNA – Nashville’s International Airport at 11:32 AM. Our intended destination: Israel. After a short layover in the capital of the Jewish Diaspora (NYC), we are expected to arrive at Ben Gurion Airport after 13 hours of flying. Our bags are packed thin for this sacred, difficult journey; clothes, snacks and other supplies were kept to a minimum by our fellow travelers:

Dr. Mark Cohen, Professor, Vanderbilt University
Rabbi Dan Horowitz, Executive Director,
Jewish Federation of Nashville & Middle Tennessee
Rabbi Joshua Kullock, West End Synagogue
Rabbi Shana Mackler, The Temple
Pam Kelner, Executive Director, Jewish Family Services
Bernie Pargh, Lay-Leader, Funder
Franklin Pargh, Lay Leader-Professional
Shai Rice, College Student
Rabbi Mark Schiftan, Emeritus, The Temple
Rabbi Michael Schulman, Educator, The Temple
Rabbi Saul Strossberg, Congregation Sherith Israel
Rabbi Yitzhok Teichtel, ChabaD

Our Hizdahut – Solidarity Mission will include:

Visits to:
The Nova Festival Tribute Exhibition in Tel Aviv, Kfar Azza, Netivot, Sderot, Shura IDF Base in Ramla, Ichud Hatzala, Hostage Square, Hamal Hayerushalmi, Ichilov Hospital, The Jerusalem Civil Coordination Center

Briefings by:
Our former Professor and previous Scholar-in-Residence at Micah, Dr. Paul Liptz
Col. Res. Grisha Yaakubovitch, IDF Civil Administration in the Gaza Region
Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, Parents of hostage Hirsch Polin
Tali Levanon, Director, Israel Trauma Coalition
Evacuated Families
Adir Schwartz, Jerusalem Community Leader

In addition to volunteering at a few other locations, along the way, we will take spiritual breaks to share emotions, study Torah, sing, and pray together as well as with local rabbis and community members. We will check in soon with our current position, course, and latest conditions.

The Rabbis Rice of Congregation Micah