Last week, I was privileged to attend the Rabbinical Assembly convention in Israel. It was my first time in Israel since October 7, and admittedly, I did not know what to expect. On one hand, I expected to see a nation paralyzed by war and the struggle to bring back the hostages, with grief and trauma at the forefront. On the other hand, Israel is known as a country with great resilience, so that even as Israelis continue to confront the reality of their lives in the aftermath of October 7, which for many is a daily struggle, somehow, life moves forward. I felt the presence of both perspectives over the course of my time in Israel before and during the convention, with opportunities to revisit the sights and sounds of the Israel I have always known and loved and the Israel that is in deep pain, still stuck on October 7 until all the hostages return and the war ends.
This was the setting for a gathering of over 200 Conservative rabbis from communities in North America, South America, Europe, and Israel. It was clear that regardless of each individual rabbi’s personal opinions on Israel’s politics and experiences of October 7 and afterward, we were united in a desire to show that the Conservative/Masorti movement stands with Israel and fulfill our obligation to bear witness to the lived experiences of Israelis on October 7 and since then.
During the two full days of the convention, I was able to join my colleagues on excursions in Jerusalem and the Gaza envelope region. In Jerusalem, through tours of Mt. Herzl, the Mahane Yehuda Market, and the Old City, I learned about the divisions that exist among Jews in Israel and how they have shaped Israel’s history. In the Gaza envelope region, at the hard hit Kibbutz Kfar Azza and the site of the Nova music festival on October 7, I saw first hand the destruction caused by Hamas terrorists and heard and read stories of the lives tragically lost on that day. I could share my pictures and the stories I am still thinking about, but since each of us relates differently with the tragedy of October 7, I urge each of you to find an opportunity to visit the Gaza envelope and see for yourself what happened there.
Relevant to my role with USY, I had the opportunity to talk with colleagues who are concerned about and invested in the future of USY in their communities, ranging from those who are starting fresh to those with long established chapters looking to maintain what they have. While some are eager to see a return to elements of USY’s traditional programming, there is consensus that USY has a unique opportunity to reinvent itself and stay relevant for current and future USYers. I will be continuing many of these conversations, and will continue to offer ways for rabbis to engage in the conversation about the present and future of USY.
To conclude, going to Israel is always an emotional journey. We each bring a different perspective to Israel when we step off the plane, which shapes the way we see the land and it’s inhabitants. Our role as rabbis and educators is to send our teens to Israel with open minds and open hearts, knowing that we will be there to help them answer the tough questions about Israel that are central to the development of their Jewish identity.
