My most important and constantly recurring glimmer is my husband’s daily thoughtfulness. As he calls friends to make sure everyone is OK, dropping everything to rush to another’s aid, daily reminders to take our vitamins, which he assembles and places by our breakfast places, (the daily list goes on and on), he is a constant reminder of why we feel Blessed and how each of us can do better for and to each other. Just watching his daily thoughtfulness brings joy and peace.
-Anonymous
My glimmer is realizing at my age I can let go of unnecessary clutter, enjoy the ordinary, and understand no is not a bad word. I need to end now, it's time for me to do nothing.
-Ann Light
In April, Al was told he needed a heart valve replacement and that if he didn’t get it, he would have one to two years to live. The choice was simple. I accompanied him to his first visit with the Interventional Cardiologist, and not knowing what to expect, we were apprehensive as we waited to see the doctor. Coincidently, seated across from us in the waiting room was a man whom we overheard talking to another patient about his experience with the same surgery. He was confident, full of praise for the doctor and enthusiastic as he described the procedure, his easy recovery, and how good he was now feeling. As we listened to his experience, it felt as if a great burden was being lifted from our shoulders. Sitting within earshot of that man was truly a fortunate stroke of serendipity, and provided us with a very meaningful “glimmer”.
-Paula Kirwan
When is Adonai?
By Nanette L. Avery
When is Adonai?
When willow lulav boughs are bent
And early crocus laced with ice
Appear like silver fleur-de-lis
And
Footprints marble earthen floors
Flickering sapphires keep vigil over
Palm thatched sukkas
Frothy milk set in a frosty glass
A look, a glance from dewy blue eyes
Warms a parent’s heart
And
The rhythm of raindrops
Perform concertos during
Topaz haze days
When is Adonai?
When a dreamy whisper of life remembered-
Forever-in clear Yahrzeit glass
Gentle hands mask a Sabbath face
And
A blessed tallit, fringed with mitzvots
Unfolds for the first time
Embracing young shoulders
Eating an alphabet of fruits, Holy Day, holidays
Currents, mango, pomegranate, and kiwi,
Hunting pimentos from pea green olives
When is Adonai?
A walk up the Milky Way
On silver arced stars
Detecting explosions in prisms of rainbows
And
Whiffs of brisket ascend from onion-lined pot
And company coming turkey don
Fluted paper slippers
Goodnight kisses under a warm blanket
Cold sheets, a soft bed of sparrow wings
A lap-covered gingham apron
When is Adonai?
When the beat of a heart nests inside
And the silence of time breaths low
Flames extinguish a cornucopia of life
When is Adonai?
Yesterday, now, then, and tomorrow…
On April 26, 2024 my best friend of over 50 years, Lucy passed away from metastatic ovarian cancer. She was 52 years old and died 6 days after her birthday and 6 days before my 52nd birthday. Although her diagnosis was terminal and I knew that (she was diagnosed in September 2020). I was not prepared to lose her, though I knew it was going to happen. We discussed her thoughts, feelings, and concerns about her dying as well as mine. No matter how much you discuss someone you love dying I don’t think you’re ever truly prepared or ready to let them go. To say that I was devastated the day she died is an understatement. I don’t think I have ever felt as much sadness as I felt that day and the months following. I am still sad over her loss and will always be, but the intensity of my sadness has slowly lessened over time. I am not a particularly spiritual person, however the day that Lucy died I began to see a red cardinal at least once a day. I didn’t think much of it at first, but then it occurred to me that I was continuing to see a red cardinal because it represented Lucy. I would see a cardinal most frequently at home or in my neighborhood, but not always. At first I would see a cardinal daily, and as time has progressed I have seen a cardinal several times a week, or once a week, or a couple of times a month etc. For at least the first several weeks following Lucy’s death, seeing a cardinal would immediately cause me to break into tears. However, over time I noticed that seeing a cardinal no longer makes me tear up and most of the time I now smile whenever I see a cardinal. I consider a cardinal my “glimmer” because for just that brief moment of seeing a cardinal I am able to think of Lucy and smile and feel her presence and actually look forward to seeing another cardinal soon. Lucy was amazing person and was a perfect example of an authentic life well-lived. She was incredibly giving of her time and philanthropy and was loved by many. I hope that 5785 brings me closer to continuing to live my life with her as my example of how to live and be.
-Jen Duben
Whenever I see Mother Nature, I'm amazed. Whether it is Joshua Tree National Park, the mountains and waterfalls in Croatia, cicadas 🫣, or just everyday shrubbery, it reminds me of how this all came about. What "created" all this and the wonder of it all compared to any man-made "structures", some of which are magnificent (Machu Picchu or the temple in Egypt), but don't generate the "awe" that a simple waterfall can. So I'm looking forward to more "amazing glimmers" from a spectacular fall to blooming flowers and shrubs in the Spring.
-Anonymous
As a genealogist, researching someone's ancestry gives me great satisfaction. That is especially true when I help people either discover their ancestral past, find previously unknown relatives or, as was the case with your father-in-law, Tom Rice, re-connect with relatives with whom we have lost touch. Through my research, I was able to contact the wife of Tom’s first cousin with whom he had not had contact for over two decades. Because of that connection, his cousin called Tom on his birthday. Knowing this occurred through my efforts affords me great joy. It is results like this that make doing what I do so worthwhile and energizes me to continue to do the work.
-Roy Hiller
Wife suddenly short of breath following a minor surgical procedure. A call to 911, an ambulance ride to an emergency room and hospitalized immediately in the intensive care unit where the blood oxygen level is noted to be less than 90. The usual hospital sounds now secondary to the beeping of a bedside monitor. Forty eight hours of observation reveal no change in the numbers.........then, slowly, slowly, slowly, oxygen levels start to approach normal. A "glimmer"? No! A blinding flash of light! She will be well and so will I.
-Anonymous
With all the events this year affecting our people in Israel, the US, and across the globe, the most memorable glimmer was the immediate solidification on 10/7 of who I am as a Jew, my connection to Judaism and Israel, and the profound gratitude I felt to be a Jew in spite of the enormous pain of that day and the events since. This gratitude remains an almost daily glimmer growing and appearing with news stories, watching services at Micah, participating in Torah study, and other Jewish events I’ve taken advantage of. For 5785, I continue to wish for this glimmer to become even stronger and that it helps reinforce where my Jewish identity is leading me in this adventure we call life.
-Leah Golden
Congregation Micah has a long standing tradition of having a volunteer choir for the High Holy Days.
Conducted by Maestro John Sevier along with Cantor Josh Goldberg and accompanist, Chris Smallwood, joining the Micah Choir is a great way for Micah Members to engage meaningfully with the community, have a robust musical outlet with support from three professional musicians, and get the satisfaction of contributing beauty and majesty to our High Holy Day Services.
If you are interested in joining the choir for this High Holy Day season, please reach out to Cantor Goldberg at: jgoldberg@congregationmicah.org
If possible, please indicate your voice type (Soprano, alto, tenor, bass).
This Friday, Jewish Life Television network will debut its newest show, Music City USA Shabbat, featuring our very own Cantor Josh Goldberg and a cameo by Rabbi Flip Rice!
Catch it at 9pm Central on Channel 481, or go to https://www.jltv.tv/watch
JEWISH LIFE TELEVISION TO PREMIERE
MUSIC CITY USA SHABBAT
FROM CONGREGATION MICAH IN BRENTWOOD, TN WITH CANTOR JOSH GOLDBERG
Friday, June 28, 2024, 6:00PM CT and 9:00PM CT
For Immediate Release, June 24, 2024 (Los Angeles, CA): When the world shut down as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, Jewish Life Television/JLTV heard from its large North American audience that they were yearning for spiritual support during these difficult days. The network’s Jewish viewers who regularly attended in person Friday Night Shabbat services were unable to turn to their local synagogues for that spiritual support.
Working with Rabbi Mark Blazer, Executive Director of the Jewish Life Foundation (JLF), JLTV launched a one-hour Friday Night Shabbat Service, which immediately became popular, interestingly with both Jewish and non-Jewish viewers. Jewish viewer Barbara G. said, “My husband and I especially enjoy the Shabbat services.” Non-Jewish viewer John B. commented, “Although my religion is other than Jewish, the Friday Evening Shabbat is a Blessing that surpasses any other religious program.”
Because the Shabbat Services were so well-received, JLTV decided to continue working with the JLF as the pandemic lifted and Friday Night Shabbat Services have remained a mainstay on the network, airing at 7:00PM ET and 10:00PM ET.
Moreover, Rabbi Blazer decided to take Shabbat Services on the road, working with spiritual leaders from around the nation, including in Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix, San Francisco – and now Music City U.S.A., Nashville, Tennessee. “When we were presented with the opportunity to produce a Shabbat Service in one of the nation’s most historic, iconic cities for music, we could not pass up this chance,” said Rabbi Blazer. “And believe me, this Shabbat Service does not disappoint.”
Cantor Josh Goldberg of Congregation Micah in Brentwood, Tennessee, heads up JLTV’s Music City U.S.A. Shabbat Service, premiering Friday, June 28, 2024, 6:00PM CT and 9:00PM CT. “I am thrilled to be partnering with JLTV on Music City USA Shabbat. We put together a wonderful group of musicians, engineers and videographers to bring JLTV viewers the most cutting edge shabbat-from-home experience possible. All the melodies we recorded are ones that I have written over the years—my own modern spin on our centuries-old liturgy,” said Cantor Goldberg.
In addition to Cantor Josh Goldberg, performing on Music City USA Shabbat are Josh Alterman (Keyboard), Brett Fromson (Vocals, Harmonica, Mandolin), Melissa Greene (Vocals), Amber
Ikeman (Vocals), Nioshi Jackson (Drums), Rabbi Phillip “Flip” Rice (Spoken Word), Russell Somer (Electric Bass), and Camden West (Electric Guitar).
For more information, imagery and/or interviews, please contact JLTV’s Brad Pomerance at brad@jltv.tv or 310/266-4437.
About JLTV
Jewish Life Television/JLTV is North America’s largest and most robust 24-7, English language, Jewish-themed television network. More cultural than religious, JLTV is available in over 50 million homes through both traditional (Charter/Spectrum, Comcast/Xfinity, Cox, DirecTV, NCTC) and non-traditional (Amazon Freevee, Local Now, Roku, Xumo) video providers. To find JLTV’s channel position in any community, please sign onto www.jltv.tv/channels.
About Cantor Josh Goldberg
Josh Goldberg is an accomplished vocalist, prolific songwriter, music producer, filmmaker, and ordained Cantor. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Josh moved to Los Angeles for his undergraduate and graduate studies, earning a Bachelor of Music in Popular Music Studies from the University of Southern California and a Master of Sacred Music and Cantorial smicha (ordination) from the Academy of Jewish Religion, CA. Josh now serves as Cantor and Music Director at Congregation Micah in Greater Nashville, TN.
About Congregation Micah
Congregation Micah, located in Brentwood, Tennessee, is an inclusive, innovative synagogue exploring and celebrating Jewish life, and committed to building community and repairing the world. Congregation Micah is affiliated with the Union of Reform Judaism, a part of the Judaism’s Reform movement.
Below are a few articles recently published about Israel in the Tennessean - one even penned by the Rabbis that went!
ENTRY 1
We began the morning meeting with evacuees from Kibbutz Or Ha-Ner. Or Ha-Ner is just north of Sderot near the northern tip of Gaza. The evacuees are currently living at the Orient hotel in Jerusalem where they have been for the past two months. You might think that it would be quite luxurious to live in a 5-star hotel, but it's the opposite environment from a lush, nature-filled kibbutz. We met with Hadas, T'chelet and Shani, three women from the community of 950 of which 500 are here in the hotel, 200 of which are kids ages 0-18. There is another concentration from the kibbutz in Tel Aviv and then scattered all over Israel.
Hadas:
"On Oct 7th, missiles landed in the kibbutz, but everyone was ok in their safe rooms. No terrorists came there. They were across the street in Kibbutz Eretz. Our people helped fight there. From Sderot to our kibbutz is just 20 min walking in the field. We feel lucky. We mostly left Saturday the 7th. On Sunday the 8th, we were told we must evacuate.
T'chelet:
"Parents with little kids are scared to go home. The elderly and teens want to go home as quickly as possible. Kids with special needs are struggling. For so many reasons, we all need and want home. The community is our biggest strength and support for getting out of shock and depression. The first week was a nightmare. Little by little, we started volunteering and doing what we could to chip in even in the hotel."
Shani:
"It’s tough and difficult and everything is more complicated. The community has really allowed us to not go into the dark place. We all help each other."
They anticipate moving home in shifts. Those most urgently who need to go back will go first. They share that there is a trust that was breached by the government, and they (the government) need to give them some certainty that they will be safe when they go back. "We lost the trust in many institutions in Israel."
We asked: What will it take for you to feel safe to go back?
They have a list of conditions on which they would go back home and there will be a vote by the community, but some are going back anyway because it’s a challenge to live long term in a hotel.
Those who grew up in the kibbutz and whose whole extended family lives there cannot imagine living anywhere else, but still don’t feel safe enough to return right now. The new families are more afraid and not inclined to go back so quickly. They all long for the community of the kibbutz. Some are asking for a small army all the time guarding the kibbutz, fully equipped to protect. Other community members worry that such a presence is not healthy for the kibbutz kids to see all the time. They all want a new electronic fence with all the newest technology surrounding the kibbutz.
Shani chimes in: "How do we know there aren’t still terrorists in the fields? We can't be sure. Being in Jerusalem is a gift AND makes it crystal clear for us that our community is perfect. We want to go home. My four-year-old just wants to go home. She doesn’t understand the war. The 9-year-old knows more. His friend was kidnapped from Kfar Azza."
T'chelet adds: "The worst impact of the war is for the teens. Without a doubt. They are lost. They don’t have their social club with activities and here they are bored and completely out of their regular routine. And they know classmates and teachers and others who have been killed. They know. There’s lots of regression with older kids out of trauma. Some are full of rage. Another can’t hear any Arabic. Others sleep in their parents' bed."
All the adults are in therapy. Literally, every adult. Right now, it’s trauma therapy. When they get home, it will be post-trauma therapy. As long as they are displaced, the trauma is ongoing.
We ask: How does the government help with costs? It turns out, most things they have are from donations from civilians. They tell us that the government has done nothing. And any money that has come is “be quiet” money. It’s not a lot and it's not so helpful. The dismay and distrust in the Israeli government is a sentiment we have heard several times on this trip.
Hadas leaves us with these sobering parting words: “We won’t win the war because we already lost on the 7th of October. But we hope to go back to zero, if that makes sense. The uncertainty is the worst part of all of this. Four months later, we must decide: do we want to live in a war zone or not? But I know we will be ok because there is no other option.”
Another recurring refrain.
And then an elderly gentleman from the community who has been sitting and listening to our conversation quietly this whole time adds: “We have to be always powerful and there are very few places in the world we can live safely.” Indeed.
ENTRY 2
We arrived at the Ichilov Hospital in central Tel Aviv. The Rabbi of the hospital greets us. He is appreciative for our visit and acknowledges: “We are not two different communities. We are in two different rooms on the same boat (diaspora and Israel).”
And then he adds: “We will win. This belongs to us. In the Bible it is written.”
The hospital holds 1500 beds. Every kind of unit. 35 surgery rooms. More than 8000 people are working here.
The Rabbi is not so much a chaplain and more an administrator of halachic issues in the hospital. Every day he fields multiple questions about kashrut. It’s the most common topic. Second most common are questions about kohanim, those who descend from the priesthood and are not permitted to be near a dead body according to Jewish law. “How do I visit when I can’t be near a dead body?” Third most common topic? What can or can’t we do regarding my loved one’s medical care?
There are 70 soldiers at Ichilov, mostly in rehabilitation. There is a helipad on top of the hospital and it’s less than an hour from Gaza to the hospital and 70 minutes until a soldier or injured individual can be in surgery.
We met with several soldiers in recovery. One was fighting in Khan Younis, Gaza and he got involved with a grenade but is thankfully doing well. Matan ended up with major shrapnel in his calf and thigh, and after several operations and a skin transplant, he started walking again. Roi is a reservist who is a second-year medical school student as well. He is the equivalent of a Navy Seal in the army… special forces. We were not allowed to photograph him. One of the less experienced members of his team started shooting in the direction of what he thought was a terrorist but instead shot Roi in the back and shoulder while Roi was shooting at the actual terrorist. He noted that the Special Forces in Israel and US Navy Seals share knowledge. And he bears no grudge against his fellow unit members. He looks forward to full recovery and wants to go back and fight more. “Anyone who saw what happened on 10/7 needs no more fuel than that. No one in our team has any motivation problem.” He receives psychological help and a therapy dog as part of his recovery. (We met the dog— beyond precious!)
What message do you want to send to America? “We need your support and help— hazbarah. We risk our lives for the Palestinian people and the hostages. We have no problem risking our lives for hostages and Palestinian civilians, but if Hamas keeps existing, they will do what they did every day. We must eliminate them. I have seen a Hamas soldier pushing a stroller with a baby because he knows we won’t shoot him because he is pushing a stroller. The IDF does everything in our power to limit civilian casualties. We risk our lives to do that. We could have finished this war from the air, but we risk our lives for the Palestinians and hostages so to limit unnecessary casualties. That’s the most important thing to know.”
We met an old friend for lunch after our hospital visit. Originally from California, he lives in Israel and has voted in several elections. He shared that “in 2016, Avigdor Leiberman, running for the Prime Minister position, warned the government that Hamas needed to be dealt with or the southern communities in Israel would pay for it. He was ignored. Again, he said the same in 2018. Again, ignored. Then October 7th. Avigdor Lieberman makes Bibi Netanyahu look like a progressive liberal. But he wasn’t wrong.”
ENTRY 3
We walk over to what’s called Hostage Square outside of the Tel Aviv Art Museum. There, via art renderings and various tents set up with folks paying homage to kidnapped members of their family or community, Israel sits watch, waiting for the return of the hostages, 136 still suffering inside Gaza. One of the stolen was a baby named Kafir Bibas. Kafir turned one today and family members came wearing orange shirts (Kafir has red hair) to “celebrate” his birthday.
From Hostage Square we walked two blocks to the Headquarters for Hostages and Families, an organization constructed to wrap a solid structure around and provide support for the families. Their goal, of course: to bring the hostages back as soon as possible. And, to keep the hostages in the headlines.
We met Shelly. Shelly is Omer’s mom. Omer is her youngest. His birthday is October 31st and he turned 20 last year. “It’s been 104 days since he saw daylight. We are in a long, long nightmare. Omer went to the Nova festival. Last time we talked to him was 8:45 am. He said they were trying to escape. He got to the car and there were shootings. He said he would call back. He sent a live location. Then the phone stopped. Then we saw the point of live location was moving to Gaza. 8pm one of his friends called and sent us a video that Hamas sent and said I think Omer is there. We opened the video and saw Omer on the floor of a pick-up truck with his friend, hand cuffed.”
That was the last time they saw Omer.
“Time stopped on Oct 7. We are not working or sleeping well. All we are doing is trying to bring Omer back home. As a parent you want to help your son physically, but we cannot. So, we are shouting it all over the world that we are in the mission of our life to bring Omer and the hostages back home.”
“We call him sunshine. Because everyone wants to be with him. He has a lot of friends. He loves life. He loves music.”
“Two friends who were kidnapped with Omer came back. One was with him 52 days. They said Omer was their big brother while in captivity and gave him strength. He was shot and Omer helped him heal his wounds, kept him going. Omer would daily do ktzat… a little bit more.”
The newly freed friend reported: “Omer likes to do the kiddush on Shabbat and one time he got a bottle of grape juice and bagel with salt, so he took the salt from the bagel and Friday he did the kiddush with a tissue on his head. The most powerful thing he has is faith. There he also did the kiddush. And he said he knows his mother is getting stronger spiritually.”
Shelly added: “I have left the light on in his room and every morning I go there and tell him what the day is, and the date and I am praying in his room and telling him we are waiting for him to come home.”
Shelly tells us that all the families of the hostages are a big family. “Only between ourselves do we know what we are going through. This place gives us the power to go through another day. From 9 am to 9pm we are here doing everything we can do. The volunteers here are true angels. No mother or father needs to feel like we feel now.”
Merav, one of the “angels” at the Headquarters shared that a generous funder bought the building and gave them four floors to use, and the funder did not have press around it. So, so humble. “And we have put beauty into such agony in this building.”
70 psychologists aid families. They have a legal team. They have a PR and communications team, their own spokesperson, their own foreign diplomacy team. They help families financially with donations.
Then we met Natalie. Natalie is 19. Both of her parents were kidnapped on October 7. Her mom came back after 54 days. Her father is still there 104 days now.
Merav made sure we understood: “They are everybody’s children and everybody’s father. Don’t just give us a hug. Ask what you can do. Who do you know? How can you influence?”
With that, our trip ends. More than a trip, a mission. More than a mission, a chance to witness, to understand, to empathize, and to be strengthened by the resolve, the heart and the grit of our family who is in trauma and in need of deep healing in Israel. As Rabbi Schiftan reflected at our final dinner: “We are an Am Kodesh—- a sacred people, an Or l’goyim— a light unto the nations. The commitment to life, to not stop until every hostage is brought home to Jewish soil— that is our gift to the world, that reverence for life that stands in stark contrast to our enemy.”
All of us count the days until we return. May the war be over and the hostages home safely long before we can board another plane back. Am Yisrael Chai.
Day 3. January 17th
ENTRY 1
We set out in the morning heading north from Jerusalem to Moshav Azaria which is just east of Tel Aviv. We went to a packing plant for produce and agricultural products. Because of the war, many factory workers are serving on the front lines and in the military and are not able to do their everyday jobs. Additionally, many Thai workers who come to Israel and often work in the agricultural and farming fields fled back to Thailand after October 7. As a result, volunteers are heavily relied upon to carry out jobs otherwise done by those who are currently absent. We spent roughly 3 hours cutting, packaging, stacking and organizing broccoli, romaine lettuce, dill, mint, corn, and spinach. It was gratifying to contribute, even if just a small amount, and we chuckled at the very little prep we all received (here, wear these gloves and don’t put your hands or arms in any of the machines—no waivers, just get to it!).
We make our way, now, back towards Jerusalem to the Ichud Hatzalah headquarters for a tour and explanation about their vital work. This is the ground zero for all ambulances and medical emergency response in Israel. One of our trip participants, Bernie Pargh, and his son Franklin, have generously donated an armored ambulance and we will have a dedication. Israel learned, unfortunately, on October 7 how important it is to have armored ambulances available.
ENTRY 2
We made our way back to Jerusalem, to the headquarters for Ichud (United) Hatzalah (UH), an amazing non-profit, volunteer EMS organization that revolutionized the ability to offer fast and free life-saving care for every one of Israel’s citizens. UH has over 7000 volunteers all over Israel ready at any moment (their average response time is 90 seconds) to be alerted and respond to an emergency near them. Think Uber for 911. Example: I have a medical emergency. In the US, I call 911 and wait for the ambulance to arrive, and afterward, receive a huge bill for the service. In Israel, you can call the equivalent of 911 and Magen David Adom might respond, for which you will be charged, or you can call 1221 and UH will send a signal to its 7000 volunteers country-wide, and the closest responder acts, and it’s entirely free. They have every manner of transportation to serve the community: ambulances, all-terrain vehicles, boats, ambu-bikes, and armored ambulances, which is what the Nashville Jewish community and Temple members, Bernie and Maria Pargh generously donated. It was a special treat to share the dedication with Bernie and his son, Franklin, on this trip.
On October 7, UH responded to the tragedy in the south. Two of the volunteers lost their lives, a Christian who went to the Nova festival to save lives, and the second, a volunteer from the Shin Bet security agency. What is unique about UH is that it not only serves all Israelis regardless of religious background, but the volunteers represent the totality of Israel’s population: Jews, Christians, Druze, and Arabs.
Our presenter, Dovi, said that he responded to over 50 suicide bombings in his tenure at UH and nothing prepared him for what he encountered and what happened on the morning of October 7. As he drove from the synagogue where he was celebrating Simchat Torah and Shabbat that morning with his community, he looked around at every other car on the road (which would be very abnormal for Shabbat morning in Jerusalem when there would otherwise be no cars on the road) and every driver was someone in uniform heading to check in to their unit or base due to the attack in the south. And Dovi thought, “This is just like the Yom Kippur war.”
There were 3000 terrorists that had infiltrated Israel. It seemed impossible. But the calls kept coming into UH. They sent as many volunteers as possible, and as much equipment as possible. 1000 volunteers went south that day. They saved hundreds and hundreds of lives. The numbers killed would have easily grown by 400 or more had the UH volunteers not risked their lives and shown up. Over 2000 victims got to hospitals via private car that day because of UH volunteers. “Such is the power and culture of the people of Israel to take care of your neighbor and to jump into the fire to help,” said Dovi. Indeed, it is. Am Yisrael Chai.
We left United Hatzalah and traveled a short distance to Mt. Herzl, the cemetery that serves as the resting place for Israel’s greatest leaders such as Yitzhak Rabin and Golda Meir. It is also the cemetery where those fallen in all of Israel’s battles and wars are buried, as well as some victims of terror. And now, there is a new area dedicated to the burial of those who have fallen in military service on and since October 7. Our guide personally knew many of those who had been buried and had been to too many funerals to speak about it without tearing up. Our visit happened to coincide with the funeral for a young soldier and so we stayed and honored his life as a way of paying honor to all the lives lost thus far. We read the gravestones of those there. Lives lost too soon. Lives that were born in 2000, 2002, 2003, 1999, etc. Just kids themselves. And we cried for the sacrifice Israel must pay to exist. And we cried for the hostages who we pray are still alive and will come home, including the two just announced no longer living from Kibbutz Be’eri. And we cried for all those parents who sent their children to the frontlines in an act of unbelievable sacrifice and faith, as the poet Yonatan Alterman so eloquently wrote, “as the silver platter upon which the State of Israel is served up to the rest of us.”
Day 2: January 16th
ENTRY 1
We began our morning after some hours of sleep with the recent former editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post, Avi Mayer. Avi was born in New York and came to Israel at the age of 6, moved back to Maryland at 16, and then came back after college to the IDF, worked for the Jewish Agency, and then the Jerusalem Post.
On October 7, Avi woke up to air raid sirens which is highly unusual. He turned on his phone which he wouldn’t usually do on Shabbat, and saw the news about the rocket barrage in the south. He decided to go to shul and anticipated that services would be full because it was Simchat Torah. Very few came. They stayed home due to the sirens. It was a surreal experience. The first report of casualties came in and it said that ten people were killed. He couldn’t believe that such casualties would happen from rockets because of the Iron Dome. Something felt off. Ten became 22 and 22 became 50 and 50 became 100 and Mayer realized something different was going on. “We had no concept of what was happening that day that—it was beyond the realm of possibility that something like that could be happening.”
“We are in a state of constant and ongoing collective trauma. Hundreds of thousands of reservists on the front line, over 130 hostages still in captivity, and every single day we are learning more details of what happened on October 7, of the conditions of hostages and the horrible things they have endured. Every moment it feels like we as a society might be healing, and then the scab is scraped off again.”
Mayer talked to us about the largest internal displacement in Israel’s history from south and north. He spoke of the overall paralysis in Israeli society. The court system stopped operating for a period and has just reengaged, the Prime Minister’s legal situation is becoming part of the national conversation again. Politics are jumpstarted again in the national conversation, specifically Netanyahu’s political future.
This period is affecting all Israelis: First and foremost, the family members of those killed and taken hostage. Secondly, the economy has taken a significant hit and essentially has been frozen since Oct. 7. Many start-up companies have collapsed because employees have been on the front lines for months. As American Jews, we don’t always understand the unique ways this affects so many people within Israeli society. We have the luxury of changing the news channel and turning it off, but Israelis, for example, don’t have that option.
A week after the massacre, Mayer went to the Gaza envelope and toured Kibbutz Be’eri which was brutally attacked. Mayer: “What I will remember the most that day was the smell of death, even a week later. And we are aware that there is a second front of this war taking place in communities around the world. A significant rise in antisemitism. Most comforting during this time are the expressions of love and support from Jews and non- Jews around the world. And there is no greater expression of support than coming here and being here during this time. Thank you”
We asked Mayer, “How does this end?” It remains to be seen. “We entered without a clear endgame which is a challenge we are dealing with now. There are three goals in mind according to government leaders. One: bring the hostages home. That’s the immediate goal. Second is securing life for those who live on the borders so they can return home safely. Third is the eradication of Hamas. This third goal is interpreted in various ways. One: Eradication of all members of Hamas (at least 30000 military operatives alone.) Second: eradicate their military capability so Oct. 7 never happens again. Third: eradicate their ideolog—a seemingly impossible task.
Mayer noted that to date, 8-9000 Hamas combatants have been killed with 23000 citizen fatalities. While that number of civilian causalities sounds awful, “the ratio is quite strong as far as war goes” (see https://jewishjournal.com/commentary/opinion/366983/indiscriminate-bombing-what-is-israel-doing-in-gaza)
What will give people the confidence to come back home? UN resolution 1701 is supposed to dictate that the southern part of Lebanon will be demilitarized. Israel intends to require that that resolution be upheld so the North can be safe.
We asked Mayer: What about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza? What are Israelis saying or doing about that as a priority? Mayer shared: There aren’t that many images of human suffering in Gaza in Israel like there are in other countries. Yes, the papers do cover it. But for Israelis, Oct. 7 was a watershed moment and their priority is on their own soldiers and hostages. Their focus is insular. There is an awareness of the humanitarian crisis in the Israeli consciousness, but there is a general sense that Israel must do what it needs to do to eradicate Hamas within the bounds of morality and international law.
Some have asked us as Micah’s rabbis: Is the cost of maintaining a Jewish state worth it? (see: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/14/us/israel-jewish-america-diasporism.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare) According to Mayer, that’s not even a question. “Was the West worth maintaining during Dresden and Hiroshima? Is American democracy worth the causalities in Iraq and Afghanistan? War is horrific. No doubt about it. There is a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, no doubt. And while that must be addressed, should Israel be called into question as having a right to exist because they were attacked and are defending themselves? Israel was called into question before the response began. Before October 8th dawned, there were celebrations throughout the world. It was a celebration of genocide. Remember: There was a ceasefire in effect on Oct. 6 and it was broken.”
Post Script: We discussed the fact that there is no right to bear arms in Israel. Israelis have always been baffled by American gun culture. But that is changing. More Israeli citizens are considering owning and carrying a gun. This is a conversation Israelis are starting to have. Israel’s very defense and security doctrine is going to have to be totally revamped. Military service will likely be extended. More soldiers on the borders.
What will it take to get the hostages home? One camp within Israeli society says we have done as much as we are going to do militarily for the most part, that the bulk of the fighting is done, and it’s time to wrap it up and get the still-alive hostages back. A second camp says it’s the military pressure itself that pressured Hamas to give up the hostages they already have and Israel has to keep up the military pressure and to back off will be seen as a sign of weakness and we won’t get the hostages back if we do that. Ganz has sided with the first camp. Netanyahu is with the second camp: military pressure is the only language Hamas understands. This is a living, breathing conversation in Israel at this time.
ENTRY 2
We are traveling south towards Gaza to visit some of the communities hardest hit on October 7. We are on road 232 where many of the terrorist attacks and ambushes took place on Oct 7. We arrive at Kfar Azza, a kibbutz just one mile from Gaza. Here, 60 residents were murdered and 17 kidnapped. (https://www.timesofisrael.com/corpses-and-kids-bikes-burned-homes-and-death-in-kibbutz-where-hamas-butchered-100/amp/ (https://www.timesofisrael.com/corpses-and-kids-bikes-burned-homes-and-death-in-kibbutz-where-hamas-butchered-100/amp/)
We arrived around 11 am to meet Rachel, a resident and our guide for the visit. The first thing Rachel tells us as we get off the bus is “Tzeva adom. A red alert. It means there is a rocket attack, and everyone needs to take cover. If you hear it, please get on the ground and cover your head with your hands.”
Ok.
We can hear the fighting in Gaza. The booms. They come frequently.
Rachel tells us that living on Kibbutz Kfar Azza is 95 percent of heaven and 5 percent of hell. Sometimes they have just 15 seconds to get to a shelter. Normally, they go to a shelter for 3 minutes and the rocket is done and they come out. Not on October 7. On that morning, the attack didn’t stop. Rachel is also head of the Emergency Task Force for the kibbutz. On that morning, she sent an SMS to the whole kibbutz that there were terrorists in the kibbutz. That morning and throughout the day, she received text after text of murders or wounded or terrorists in the house, nonstop until she, herself, was rescued the next morning at 4 am.
The kibbutz is beautiful. Tranquil. It feels like sacred ground. The dissonance is heavy as we walk through. No one lives here now. Half of her rescue team was murdered. There was no help to be found. And as we walk, we hear the sound of booms constant from Gaza which is clearly in the distance, about a mile away from where we stand.
The army arrived at noon on Saturday the 7th, but the fighting went on through Tuesday afternoon, October 10th. The army does not allow kibbutz residents to keep guns in their homes because they could be stolen. They are required to be kept in the kibbutz armory. Some kibbutzim disregard this rule, but not Kfar Azza. And it was a big mistake. Those nearby kibbutzim also attacked that disregarded this rule fared much better.
We walked by house after house of murdered or kidnapped residents, some burned alive, others shot. Netta Epstein was living with his girlfriend and the terrorists threw a grenade into their house. He jumped on it to save his girlfriend. He died instantly and she survived and hid under the bed next to his dead body so if the terrorists came by, they would think they had already killed the residents and move on. She survived.
We asked Rachel: Will they rebuild? She said she doesn’t know. “On the one hand, it should stay as is. A memorial. On the other, we have to rebuild.” How can she talk about it? “It’s a mission for me.”
The devastation and carnage is everywhere on the kibbutz. We talk about how safe rooms in homes, and they are in all the homes, have no locks on the doors. Why? Because safe rooms are only to escape rockets. There was never any consideration or even thought of the possibility that there could be a terrorist attack that would require residents to lock themselves away. Such was the trust and certain faith in the Israeli government and IDF to protect its citizens on the border. Why else would people choose to live within walking distance from Gaza? Because it was never a consideration. Never.
Rachel seemed positive toward the younger soldiers in the army but not so taken with the “higher-ups” in the army. Asked if she thought things would change now, after October 7th, she paused, a slight shake of her head, and said, “We have a short memory.”
ENTRY 3
After a ridiculously indulgent homemade Moroccan Israeli meal at the home of a resident in the nearby town of Netivot, we came to a municipal building to help pack food boxes for soldiers. We also see a graveyard of cars collected from the Nova festival and those used to attempt escape on the morning of October 7th.
From there we continued on to Sderot, a symbol of Israel’s longstanding conflict with Hamas, to visit with Sderot council member and former vice mayor Herzl Shaubi. And a visit to the Chabad center of Sderot where they have a Hannukah/menorah out front made of rockets shot over from Gaza. The significance is that we as Jews make light from all that which is dark— that is our mission.
ENTRY 4
After a very full day, we left the hotel at 7:15 and traveled to the Jerusalem neighborhood of Katamon, the home of professional chef and Shalom Hartman rabbinical student Nissimmi Naim-Naor. The experience was nothing short of magical, both in culinary and spiritual terms.
After greeting us with Rose wine and homemade focaccia with fresh thyme, olive oil, and sea salt, Nissimmi asked each of us to introduce ourselves and answer the following question: what is your favorite carbohydrate? Seemingly innocuous, but it evoked a passionate set of responses from our group.
Nissimmi proceeded to serve us a number of spreads for our focaccia, including Yemenite crushed tomatoes with olive oil and fresh herbs, Jerusalem's green fresh herbs tahini, Fresh olive oil from the Israeli mountains, and Sour cream and tomatoes. And then, he told us his story of October 7:
I heard the alarm. I was getting dressed to go to Simchat Torah services and I continued tying my laces. It was the last moment of normality in the last 102 days. I wanted so badly to think it was okay. Then another alarm. I opened my cell phone which I wouldn't normally do because it was Shabbat. Terrorists in Sderot. Can't be. I am sure it will be fine. Another alarm. No--we will stay. It’s Simcha’s Torah and we will be happy. Another alarm. We all knew something was happening. But we thought the IDF would take care of it. I texted my commander saying I was here and available. But we continued our prayer. And hakafah (circling with the Torah). More and more alarms and people being called to their units. We knew something big was happening but still didn’t open our cell phones because we figured it would be handled. Then we closed Shabbat with the ritual of havdallah and I opened my cell phone. I was immediately called in for an emergency.
70 funerals in one week.
35-hour shifts.
Some people in my unit collapsed because it was too much to grasp.
What was taken away was the feeling that our home was safe.
What gives me strength is to see the incredible heart of our nation who volunteered and came and helped and did everything they could and those who ran into the fire without blinking. All of our families—yours and mine--have a history of a pogrom from the Crusaders or Arabs or Christians… "Time to pack we are going!" This was the first time when Jewish people ran not FROM but TOWARD the fire. That’s incredible.
It feels like 100 years since Simchat Torah/October 7th. Everything before that moment seems so long and distant ago. Two terrible things are happening right now: 1) soldiers are fighting and dying and, 2) the hostages in Gaza.
This is like Nazi Germany. Hamas wants to do the same to us. What is the balance between fighting and releasing hostages? I don’t know. Hamas cannot exist because all they want is death. Hamas was democratically elected. No one in the Arab world or Palestinian world or from within Gaza said "This is a disgrace, this is not the Palestinian way of resistance." Not a one. Where is that poet or leader of peace? There is not enough room for the two of us. It’s us or them. Do the hostages get sacrificed? Thank god I don’t have to make that choice. I don’t know what should be done. I am praying they all come back. But if we want to live, we cannot allow this Hamas entity to exist.
A fellow soldier said before going to Gaza: “We are going to make history and making history stinks.”
Shalom Micah! After a delayed flight out of BNA to JFK which had us miss our original flight to Israel, we spent 7 glorious hours at JFK and finally boarded a 12:30 am flight. Some of us slept, some of us did not-- but we all made it to the holy land of Israel and what can I say... it feels like coming home.
The airport was eerily quiet. We landed at 6:30 pm. Normally, Ben Gurion Airport would be bustling and teeming with travelers. Not so. The airport was practically empty. No lines at passport control. We met our driver and joined the rest of the group who had arrived on an earlier flight at a lovely dairy restaurant in the heart of Jerusalem. There, we were reunited with our beloved professor from our time in Jerusalem back in 1996/97 and former Congregation Micah Scholar in Residence, Dr. Paul Liptz.
Paul is a special human being. He is from Rhodesia and has the loveliest accent, akin to a South African accent. He is incredibly bright, but also quite humble and conveys sweeping details and important ideas without the hint of condescension or ego. When we were Paul's students decades ago, we would ask him weekly, "Paul... what's the 411 on Israel this week? Are we going to make it?" It was both heartwarming and alarming to be asking him those very same questions tonight. Here are some of the points that Paul conveyed to our group:
A few points (and yes, he is still great):
Israel massively screwed up leading up to Oct 7. In the past few years, the army has grown weak. Elite people are not all serving in the army anymore as they once used to, but going into other industries like high tech, etc. Despite popular assumption, the number of reservists in Israel is rather small. All of this has to change. Israel also has to create stronger allies around the world. Israel actually has some strong allies in the Middle East, but Iran is a major problem, Turkey is not great, and Qatar is both home to major Hamas officials as well as the best partner we have in
negotiating to get the hostages back. As always, it's complicated. The sexism in Israeli society must be addressed because it is now well-known that several female officers warned their senior male officials of what was about to happen and their warnings were brushed aside and overlooked.
What else did Paul share? He said that there are definitely people moving back and forth from Gaza to Egypt. He thinks that many of the hostages are not in Gaza and have not been for some time. There are currently no clear orders about goals for this war so many of the reservists are getting fatigued and frustrated. The soldiers on the front lines are incredibly committed, but when they come home on leave, they see Israeli citizens who are wavering on the war and not as unified as we keep hearing they are back in the States. Apparently, there are those whose first priority is to get the hostages back and they are sometimes seen as not aggressive enough or committed enough to the war itself.
I asked my dear former professor if the Zionist experiment was doomed to fail. Does October 7th mean that Israel cannot be successful as a Jewish state? Paul said, unequivocally, NO. He said, "No, because when the Jewish people are tested the most, they rise the most. After the Holocaust. And again now. It will happen. He also said that Netanyahu (85% of Israelis against him right now) is terrible, that he is a dictator in a democracy and there must be no tolerance for that.
Bottom line: Paul says we (Israel) will be ok. Wounded, but ok. And truthfully, Israel has no choice but to be ok.
He also said we have to get the hostages back. It’s who we are and our reason for being. If we don’t, it will split the country.
After an evening of full bellies and full minds from the wisdom of Paul Liptz, we headed to the hotel to try and get some sleep before heading south to the Gaza envelope tomorrow morning.
Until tomorrow...
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
