Today, Jews are few in numbers and unfortunately, even
fewer know and fight for the truth of our cause. But the
Maccabees were also few in numbers, and just like them, we
are strong and persistent. With the brave souls we met, I
know that Israel will prevail and become even stronger.
We continued on to Kibbutz Nahal Oz,
on the Gaza border. We met with members
of Yatar, a volunteer group of highly trained
individuals who have families and jobs, yet
volunteer their time to help the IDF and
Border Police protect the people of Israel
and their land. We stood where rockets fell,
and learned about the tragic death of fouryear
old Daniel Tregerman, who succumbed
to his wounds after a terrorist attack. It was a
somber moment . . . there were no words.
The next day, we toured areas of Jerusalem,
including Ammunition Hill and the Mount
of Olives.
That evening we were in for a treat – dinner
at the Lone Soldier Center in Jerusalem, a
special place named for Michael Levin, z”l, an
American from Philadelphia who made aliyah
and fell while fighting in the Second Lebanon
War. We handed out thank-you letters to the
lone soldiers, written by students in the U.S.,
who let the soldiers know how proud and
grateful they were for the soldiers’ bravery
and service to protect the Jewish homeland.
We heard stories of courageous teens and lone
soldiers from our own neighborhoods, who
chose to go and defend the State of Israel.7
On Shabbat, we met with Khaled Abu
Toameh, a writer for the Jerusalem Post and a
senior distinguished fellow at the Gatestone
Institute, who gave us an insider’s view of the
situation with the Palestinian Arabs. It was
truly eye-opening.
Our last day started out early and for many,
it was the highlight of the Mission. We headed
to Shiloh12, an ancient city in Samaria, where
the first tabernacle stood. It was here where
we began to establish ourselves as a people in
our own land. It’s a quiet, special place, with
a significance that can be felt as you walk its
paths along the archaeological excavations
from thousands of years ago. Dayenu!
We then proceeded to visit a top-secret
undercover unit in the IDF, where we saw
how soldiers train for combat in Jerusalem’s
Old City, Arab villages, as well as
outdoor areas. Many said it was our “Fauda”
moment – a reference to an Israeli television
series. The visit was incredible, and we were
honored to have as our guide, the commander
in charge of all these units throughout Judea
and Samaria. Dayenu!
During this trip, it was fantastic to see how
much ZOA means to the people of Israel,
with my own eyes. When I walked into shops
on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem, people
would look at my name tag and ask where I
was from. When I told them, they expressed
such gratitude for ZOA! One woman went
on about other Jewish organizations and
how they are so detrimental to the safety and
security of Israel, and how much she appreciates
ZOA. A shop owner couldn’t extol
ZOA’s virtues enough.
40 ZOA Leadership Mission to Israel 2019
deb and suldier.jpg
7 8
During this trip,
it was fantastic
to see how much
ZOA means to
the people of
Israel, with my
own eyes.
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