“We are building a state, not martyrs,” Yael, my guide in Israel, told me. Despite the most horrific circumstances, Israel continues to thrive, holding its head high, with dignity, determination and resilience.
I recently spent five days volunteering in Israeli communities bordering Gaza, and I have never been more proud to be a Jew and a Zionist.
On October 7th, when Hamas unleashed brutal brutality on innocent families and music festival attendees, I didn't hesitate to look for a way I could help. I didn't just do that Need To be there. I king to.
Israel is the place I consider home, along with the United States.
My first instinct was to work on a kibbutz in the fields, as I did when I was 16 years old. At that time, I was assigned to Kibbutz Hatzerim, where I tied weaker avocado branches to stronger ones. It was hard work for a young girl who was not used to the summer heat in Israel.
Now, a few decades later, the impending war seemed scarier than the intense heat, so I looked for a group that would provide me with a tangible, meaningful way to help while also providing a measure of safety. This time, I joined JNF-USA on a mission to serve Israel in every way possible. Farming is guaranteed to be a big part of the week.
Gardening gloves packed and boots on the ground, I arrived on Friday in time to join a friend of mine at their house for the Sabbath. This is how it works: You tell someone you're headed to Israel, and the next thing you know there are three invitations waiting for you in your WhatsApp chat – Jewish geography at its best.
Walking around Tel Aviv, the trees filled with oranges, one cannot tell that the war is going on. Many soldiers were walking around, rifles slung over their shoulders, but such is daily life in Israel. It is worth noting that if it was not a weapon, it was a musical instrument. It's not a surprise, considering that Israel is home to one of the finest bands in the world.
The sidewalk cafes were filled with people having coffee or a glass of wine before heading home for the Sabbath. I walked the streets alone, feeling very safe.
The next day, I walked through the Old City of Jaffa and visited one of my favorite bakeries, Abu Al Afia. Open on Saturdays, Abu Al-Afia is Arab-owned, coexists with Israelis and bakes delicious, soft pita bread topped with thyme. As I happily savored my snack, my gait quickly turned sad as hostage posters were everywhere, a constant reminder of the pain our friends and family here are enduring.
Monday started with a trip south, where I picked clementines. Upon arriving at the kibbutz, the farmer couldn't stop thanking us for coming. Because of the rain that had fallen the night before, he had doubts about our abilities. However, after we had flown 6,000 miles, the rain and mud couldn't stop me and the rest of my group – we were ready to go.
Before October 7, there were about 25,000 Thai workers on the farms. It is a great opportunity for them to send money back home. However, after Hamas took 14 Thai hostages, most of them left on their own and the remaining few followed at the request of their government. The other workers were Palestinians and Israeli youth, who had now been called up to serve in the war. Therefore, farmers were in dire need of workers to help them maintain Israel's food security. Moreover, if the fruits are not picked, it negatively affects the following year's crop.
The farmers were in desperate need of workers to help them maintain Israel's food security. …If the fruits are not harvested, this negatively affects the following year’s crop.
Despite the mud and constant warfare a few miles away, we managed to pick 13 huge crates of citrus – a great achievement for our emerging group of growers.
The next day, I arrived at Nour Restaurant, owned by a Druze Israeli. I say this because many people were surprised to learn that many Arabs live peacefully in Israel. In fact, Basma, the restaurant owner, is an IDF widow, who proudly lives and works in northern Israel – the Galilee. Nour, named after her son, serves a beautiful traditional menu using fresh ingredients harvested from surrounding farms.
Due to the lack of tourists, Basma was financially unable to keep her restaurant open. So, she decided to make the restaurant kosher certified so she could cook for the Israeli military, which her son also serves. After several weeks of doing it alone, several people, including the Jewish National Fund USA, rallied to help provide her with the funds and volunteers needed to help her with her project.
I loved working with her and learning about her authentic recipes. We made grilled chicken, coleslaw, and mejedra (Warm lentil mixture topped with fried onions). Four hundred and fifty hot meals were prepared that morning with her staff. As a former restaurant owner, I can fully appreciate her passion, hard work, food quality and cleanliness. It was a pleasure.
On the Wednesday of my week-long volunteer mission, I found myself back in southern Israel, near Beersheba, on an Israeli army base preparing food boxes for soldiers in Gaza. I was surprised to see hundreds of volunteers from all over the world: Australia, Great Britain, South Africa, France, Mexico and others. It was very happy and confirms my belief that we are a united people and problem solvers.
All the volunteers at the base worked together on an assembly line, making boxes, adding labels, and filling them with canned foods and dried soup. We Jews never pity ourselves, we do what we have to do – a spirit that has sustained us for 4,000 years.
On my last morning, I arrived on the bus with my eyes half closed, knowing that I would be heading to a farm near Haifa to grow broccoli. Immediately, I felt energized because being in an open field on a warm day was definitely my happy place. We have finished planting broccoli seedlings. It's arduous but satisfying. The sandy ground was a wonderful color and soft smelling. Surrounded by the cypress trees, I literally felt like I was in an Impressionist painting.
That afternoon, I stopped at a café to find two Muslim women sitting peacefully at a table while a tall IDF soldier ordered his drink, rifle slung over his shoulder. Another unspeakable example of coexistence that most of the world either does not know about or chooses to ignore.
Although it has only been one week since my return, I look back on this very meaningful experience with great joy in my heart, with the hope that I will make a difference, no matter how small. I'm already planning my next trip with at least ten friends. I'm not entirely sure what the final outcome of the terrorists was that October day, but we Jews are strong and will continue to remain in Israel and pick up the tattered pieces they left behind with grace. We will never give up in numbers and spirit. I am Yisrael Shai!
