Over winter break, I had the opportunity to travel to Israel on a mission trip with United Synagogue Youth (USY). The trip was aptly called Chidush, which means renewal. The purposes of the trip were to see firsthand how Israel has been affected and has since adapted to the atrocities of October 7 and for us to bear witness to the repercussions of that devastating day. I, along with thirteen other teenagers from around the United States, embarked on a one week journey where we volunteered and learned about how Israel, as a whole, has changed since the war began. The trip was filled with new experiences, and the juxtaposition of seeing the changes in the country alongside the Israel that we know and love so much made the trip even more meaningful.  I am grateful to USY for giving me this extraordinary opportunity. 

Every day, we volunteered at and learned about different organizations in Israel. Many of these organizations are dedicated to helping those who have been affected by the war or soldiers who are currently fighting in the war. The food organizations that we volunteered at included Pantry Packers, where we packed around 150 non-perishable meals, Citrus and Salt, where we prepared and cooked meals for soldiers, and Shuva Ahim, an organization that was started by three brothers at the entrance of Kibbutz Shuva as a place for soldiers and families to come enjoy a home-cooked meal. We also picked grapefruit that were brought to a factory to be made into grapefruit juice. This was so much fun. The owner of the grapefruit farm was about to return to active duty in the IDF and was so grateful for our help that day.  In addition to the food-related organizations, we also volunteered at a sports center for the disabled, where we played wheelchair basketball, and Save A Child’s Heart. Volunteering at Save A Child’s Heart was one of the most meaningful aspects of the trip. This organization is dedicated to bringing children from underdeveloped countries, such as Ethiopia and Rwanda, to Israel for heart surgery. All of the children are so resilient, and my group had the opportunity to paint and dance with them. Even though we did not speak the same language as the kids, we communicated by playing, which is something that I have never experienced before. 

An important aspect of the mission trip was visiting the Gaza Envelope, specifically the places that Hamas directly attacked on October 7. We visited Sederot and learned the heartbreaking story of the Swissa family, who tried to escape. Both parents were killed, but the young children were saved and survived. We also visited the site of the police station, which was burned down and destroyed. The site has become a memorial which includes ruins of the police station and the names of all of the residents who were murdered. After Sederot, we made our way to the site of the Nova Festival. On our way to the site, we drove down Road 232, which is known as the “Road of Death,” as that is the road where all the Kibbutzim were attacked, some of which include Be’eri, Nakhal Oz, and Kfar Aza. On our drive to Nova, it started pouring rain, but right when we pulled up to the site of the festival, the rain stopped and a beautiful rainbow appeared. Seeing that rainbow made me realize that G-d was with us and keeping us safe on our journey. 

The Nova site includes memorials for all of those who were murdered at the festival and those who were taken hostage from the festival. We had the opportunity to walk around and see all of the precious souls who were taken from us too soon. It was heartbreaking. We then conducted a ceremony and placed candles by some of those killed. My friends and I decided that we wanted to put a candle near the memorial of Hersh Goldberg-Polin z”l, as he was an American-Israeli who was taken hostage and killed in captivity. Following the lighting of his candle, Hersh’s dad and two sisters walked over to his picture. When I realized they were standing only a few feet away from me, my heart skipped a beat, and their presence made the visit so much more meaningful. I did not just see his dad at Nova; I saw both Jon and Rachel at a shul in Jerusalem on Shabbat morning. We had our choice of many shuls to daven at that morning and had no idea that we had randomly chosen the one that they would be at. Being in Israel for the sole reason of bearing witness to the October 7 atrocities made sharing Shabbat in the same shul as them a very powerful experience for me. Since we were only in Israel for one week, I did not think that I would see them even once, let alone twice. After visiting Nova, we went to the bomb shelter that Hersh was taken from. The bomb shelter has turned into a memorial for those killed and taken hostage. There are no words to describe the feeling of being inside it and knowing what happened there. 

On our last day in Israel, we visited the ANU Museum. That morning, I had read on the BringOmerHome WhatsApp chat that the Neutra family was going to be at a Chanukiah lighting ceremony for the eighth night at the museum at the exact time that my group was going to be there. Omer z”l was a member of USY and served on the New York Regional board. I knew how important it would be for the group to attend the candle lighting, so I asked the group leaders if we would be able to go, and of course, they said yes. Before the lighting, I had the opportunity to go over to the Orna and speak to her, which made the event even more meaningful. 

From walking through the Old City to the Kotel on Shabbat evening and seeing the Chanukiot all lit up in the windows to volunteering, shopping at the Shuk, and meeting a friend who is on a gap year, I had such a powerful experience on this trip. I am eternally grateful for USY for giving me the opportunity to go on Chidush. Although there were emotionally difficult days, Chidush showed me how life has continued and that the Jewish nation is so connected and resilient. After surviving the deadliest day in Jewish history since the Holocaust, the nation has come together and is stronger than ever. I know this experience will stay with me forever, and I can not wait to return in May on the Schechter Senior trip.  - January 2025