Rabbi Yoshi and Jacqueline are leading a Stephen Wise Temple solidarity mission this week in Israel.
Each day Rabbi Yoshi will share reflections on the visit.
February 8, 2024 – 29 Shevat 5784
Today we learned about resilience. We left our hotel early in the morning for our two-hour drive along the Gaza Strip to Talmei Yosef, a small agricultural community five miles from the border with Egypt, just opposite Khan Yunis.
The first lesson was taught by Uri Alon who runs “The Salad Trail,” an educational experience about high-tech agriculture accompanied by opportunities to taste varieties of strawberries and tomatoes right off the vine. But in addition to these lessons, Uri taught us a lot about how one can face difficult situations with grace, determination, and courage. He told us his own October 7 story. He and his wife and grandchild were at their small farm alone when the massacre began and apart from hearing rockets overhead and some gunfire, they really didn’t know what was happening just a few miles away until hours later. Thankfully they were spared: no Hamas terrorist entered their community.
But their children and grandchildren living on Kibbutz Kfar Aza weren’t so fortunate. Their son’s wife grew up at Kfar Aza along with several of her siblings who remained members of the community. One of her sisters, Hadar, was brutally murdered along with her husband Itay leaving their twin ten-month old boys orphaned. Uri’s son and daughter-in-law have adopted their nephews and are raising them as their own along with their three biological children. One lesson of resilience is that we must be there for each other, willing to take responsibility for one another when called to do so.
Another lesson is that, even in the face of challenges and difficulties, we keep on keeping on, doing our work day by day. Uri has continued to take care of his high-tech aeroponic crops even without any tourists showing up to help. When the Thai laborers returned home, he and his wife just worked harder. He’s tried–successfully I think–to hold on to his sense of humor and “can do” attitude, playing music as we sampled his produce, proudly declaring that his own variety of tomato recently won an award.
At the end of our visit he showed us Judaica that was made out of shrapnel taken both from Hamas rockets designed to harm them as well as remains of Iron Dome rockets designed to protect them. From the fallen and twisted metal, a local artist has fashioned mezuzot, Hanukkiot, and beautiful sculptures featuring maps of Israel and Jewish stars.
On our way to our next stop, we came upon a roadblock supervised by four young Jewish female soldiers. We leapt off the bus and showered them with gifts we had brought from America that we had been waiting to distribute. Each soldier received a 3-pack of brand new wool socks, a gift card that they could use to pamper themselves to a nice meal, and a handwritten card from one of our Wise school students. They smiled and laughed at the attention – clearly not too many tourist groups make it to their little roadblock, none so far offering gifts. This lesson was about generosity. When someone you love is experiencing a difficulty, show up with a warm smile, a hug, and even a little present.
Then we spent a few hours volunteering in a greenhouse in Talmei Yosef whose Thai laborers had returned home in the days following October 7. Our job was to pull weeds in a giant cauliflower patch. For two hours our group of non-agricultural workers did a pretty fantastic job clearing the field.
On the bus ride back to Tel Aviv after our work, one of our group members asked if I thought our efforts actually helped or were they designed just to make us feel better. “Both,” I replied. “That field wasn’t going to weed itself. We actually did great work and, due to our numbers and enthusiasm, accomplished a lot more than their skeleton crew could have in the same time. AND it felt good to do something with our hands for a place and a people we love.”
We were literally on our hands and knees in the soil of Eretz Yisrael like the pioneers of old helping to make the desert bloom. The lesson is that we must be willing to roll up our sleeves and toil for what we care about. (And there are many ways to give back. Dozens and dozens of our community members who were unable to travel with us have made contributions that have helped us to spread our support and love on our visit.)
We don’t give up or give into despair. We show up and do the work that needs to be done. We maintain our sense of humor and “can do” attitude.
Together we are an amazingly resilient people.
Am Yisrael Chai
Rabbi Yoshi
