36
Federation Star
COMMENTARY
December 2023
My visit to Israel — heroes, sirens and broken hearts By Rabbi Fishel Zaklos
"L
ibi bamezrach, v’anochi besof maarav,” my heart is in the East but I am at the end of the West. These are the poetic words of Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, referencing Jerusalem from his place of residence in 10th-century Spain — and these words strongly represent how I, and many of us diaspora Jews, feel right now. Two weeks after the war broke out, I and some of my rabbinical colleagues felt a calling to bring the love and support of our communities here in Florida to our brothers and sisters in Israel. The Naples and Marco Island community rallied together with donations, supplies and handwritten cards. I arrived at the airport laden with 25 duffel bags of gifts, including iPads, G-shock watches and ceramic armored vests for the IDF. I felt as if I was bringing my whole community along, if not in person, then in spirit and encouragement. Upon arriving in Israel, our first visit was to a small-town hotel where the Israelis of Kibbutz Aza had been relocated to. Kfar Aza was a small Israeli farming community with beautiful green grass and tidy home gardens. Just under 800 people lived there, mostly families and young children. The residents tell me that in good times, Kfar Aza was a slice of heaven on earth. On Simchat Torah, Oct. 7, they woke up to hell. Seventy Hamas militants stormed the small community, starting from the side
where the youngest families lived, and continuing on a 48-hour murderous rampage. By the time we arrived, the community had held funerals and were sitting shiva for 52 friends and family, from babies and children to Holocaust survivors. They were praying for another 13 who were either kidnapped to Gaza or are still missing. My heart hurt. The people of Kfar Aza were sitting outside in many
The Cardozo Society is formed as a way to network the many existing and new Jewish attorneys in our legal community. The Jewish Federation of Greater Naples continues to reach out to raise awareness through this association of Jewish attorneys promoting professionalism, cooperation, and identification with our Jewish community. For more information contact Joshua Bialek at
jbialek@porterwright.com
OF GREATER NAPLES
circles. In each circle, another family sat mourning their loved ones as friends struggled to pull them through. I sat with them. There were no words to say that would heal such a wound but at least I could sit shoulder-to-shoulder and bring the love of our community from miles away. Then we went to visit the headquarters of families of the kidnapped victims. I spoke with mothers whose children were taken by Hamas terrorists. It was soul crushing. Each family hugged photos of their loved ones and begged us to do everything we could to bring their children and parents home. I promised we would lobby our lawmakers and hang signs everywhere. I knew our community would. On Shabbat, we have a poster of kidnapped victims on every chair and our congregation prays for each and every one. We visited the city of Sderot, where dozens of residents were killed by terrorists and the locals still live under constant rocket fire, with less than 15 seconds to get to safety. Amongst the many other important causes we donated to, I brought donations from our community to the Chabad center, which is a massive bomb shelter and became the city War Room, with a warehouse of food to deliver to each home.
We met reserve soldiers who have everyday jobs like you and me, and left their wives and children at home to fight for their security. In Be’er Sheva, on our way to Soroka Hospital, we had to run off the bus and lay flat on the floor when a missile was exploded by the Iron Dome overhead. At the hospital, we met heroes of Israel, who continued battling to save as many lives as they could, even after being shot multiple times. I delivered gifts, read the personal cards our community sent along with them and heard the same words again and again everywhere we went. “Thank you for coming. Thank you for bringing your love and showing that we are one people.” After a heart-wrenching, nonstop four days, I returned to Florida but my heart remains in the East. I’m humbled that our community trusted me on this important mission to bring their love, donations and huge gifts to our family in Israel and I know that from here, we will continue to support them and do everything we can for the safe return of the 241 hostages. Our community donated huge amounts to soup kitchens, victims of war and security needs in Israel. To continue contributing, visit chabadnaples.com/Israel. We are one nation, under one God, and we will rise from this together.
