Standing with Israel in Israel

By Iris Kraemer, ImmediatePast President of Jewish Federation & Foundation of Northeast Florida

JFNA Leadership Mission to Israel House in Sderot destroyed by Hamas rockets

At the end of June, just weeks after 40 percent of Israelis lived under rocket fi re, I was invited to join a three and a half day leadership mission to Israel. Throughout the days of violence in May, many Israelis endured almost constant trauma. Our Jewish Federation sent emergency funds and messages of support, but by participating in this unique mission, I was able to Stand With Israel…in Israel.

Together with twenty other Jewish Federation professional and lay leaders from across the US, we met with Knesset members, victims of terror, new Olim (citizens) on the Sderot border, and the CEOs and representatives from two of our Overseas Partners, The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and The Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). We saw the impact of our overseas allocations in the faces of victims of terror, new Ethiopian immigrants, Haredim who are receiving higher education and entering the workforce, and Israelis and Arabs who strive for peaceful coexistence and equality.

Our day in Sderot, on the Gaza border, included a visit with the director of the Israeli Trauma Coalition (ITC) and the counselor who lived next to Ido Avigal, the fi ve-year-old boy who was killed by rocket shrapnel while sitting in the safe room of his apartment. They explained that ITC counselors are continually working on recovery and preparedness, as they know that future rounds of Hamas rocket fi re are inevitable.

The city of Lod, with a mixed Arab and Israeli population, experienced some of the worst riots in May. Our group visited a center run by the JDC where we spent time with a diverse group of Israelis and Arabs who are dedicated to coexistence through shared lives, education, social mobility and mutual respect. Despite the recent turmoil, they continue working to meet the many challenges of their societies by closing social and economic gaps, resulting in better lives for ALL of Israel’s citizens.

Knesset members expressed profound appreciation for our presence as well as their concern that the global Jewish population is facing extraordinary levels of anti-semitism. Nir Barkat, a former mayor of Jerusalem, often referred to the “collective” and the Israelis’ need for our continued support. Amira Aharanovich, the CEO of the Jewish Agency for Israel, stressed the deepening relationships and engagement with Israel created through our Israel Partnerships. The fi rst Druze shlicha (emissary)will soon be in Washington, D.C. sharing her life as part of a minority in Israel.

Each government minister who sat with us, listened to our concerns and shared that the majority of Israelis and Israeli Arab citizens want to work for peaceful coexistence. There are no easy or quick solutions to the many challenges Israel faces, but there is much optimism about the new Israeli government.

Throughout our brief but impactful experience, we heard from people who expressed resilience, ingenuity, and compassion. I’d like to express my thanks to the Jewish Federations of North America, our Federation umbrella organization, for providing me with the opportunity to go home to Israel, once again. The face-to face and heart-to heart experiences were indelible and I will continue to share the stories I heard and the optimism I feel.

A PATH TO JEWISH-ARAB PARTNERSHIP

By The Jewish Agency for Israel

Michael Mensky has long been an avid biker. Originally from the UK, Michael lives in the Jezreel Valley in the north of Israel and is an active volunteer in The Jewish Agency’s Partnership2Gether Michigan–Central Galilee partnership. A few years ago, he had an idea to create a regional bike trail that would cross through fi ve northern municipalities: Migdal Haemek, Nof Hagalil and the Jezreel Valley (all Jewish communities) and Yafi a and Nazareth (two Arab communities). “I wanted us to do something that would have an impact and help build relationships,” said Michael. “And early on, I realized that for a path to connect the Jewish towns in this region, you need to go through Arab communities — and so I saw this as a great opportunity to join together. And we were thrilled when the Arab mayors of these towns were onboard.” And so the 35-mile Partnership Path or “Naim Beyahad” was born. To make the trail happen, Michael and his team would need some help. Enter Hesham Bsharat, an Israeli Arab and the current co-chair of the path. Hesham lives in Yafi a and is a serious biker. His experience building trails and interacting with youth made him a great fi t to be a part of the committee to develop the path. “I didn’t realize at fi rst that the partnership was really a Jewish partnership,” recalled Hesham. “But I saw that it was important to Michael and everyone involved that the Arab community be active collaborators, and the Arab community wants to be more involved. Yes, this is the Jewish State, but Arabs also live here and want to contribute.” Both Arab and Jewish Israeli adults and teens came together to work on the trail construction. When a Detroit youth delegation came to visit a few years ago, they pitched in too. “We could not get this done without working together,” said Michael, noting the COVID-19 pandemic slowed the completion of the path. “And now the trail serves as a platform for people to meet. Something about the physical aspect and the shared nature of the path really helps facilitate connections being formed between American Jews, Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs.” Today, the path is used daily by both Arabs and Jews, with various events organized on the trail. During the May 2021 rocket attacks by Hamas

and violence perpetrated in mixed cities during Operation Guardian of the Walls, all the mayors (Jewish and Arab) of the region came together and denounced the rioting. “As you can imagine, Jews and Arabs are a bit more cautious about each other but people also tend to Hesham (second from left) and Michael (third from left) on the trail with other riders | Photo provided by Michael have short memories,” stated Michael. “I think from this turmoil, it really became clear that we are not separate and cannot continue like this.“ “We need to fi nd things in common and there are so many groups within Arab and Jewish communities,” added Hesham. “We need to come up with better terminology and talk about the ‘Israeli’ community because that encompasses everyone.” At the end of May, after a ceasefi re was reached, nearly a hundred riders, both Arab and Jewish, gathered on the trail to take a ride together and show solidarity. Guardian of the Walls also prompted the partnership to become further engaged in initiatives that build a stronger shared foundation for the future by including diverse Arabs and Jews. “The more exposed diff erent communities are to each other, the more they see each other for who they are and not their labels,” said Michael. “And that’s what’s so great about the path. Being on this trail is about more than just riding a bike; it’s about bringing communities together.”