Helen Freedman

Mixing Euphoria with Emergency Needs

A report on the AFSI Chizuk Nov. 10-16 Mission to Israel

By Helen Freedman, Co-Executive Director, AFSI

The November 2016 AFSI Chizuk mission began November 10 with the usual high expectations.  AFSI’s Co-Executive Directors, Helen and Judy, were once again leading the group, with Glenn Richter’s able assistance, and Ami Dadon, our beloved driver, at the wheel. We had many returnees, but also, a number of first-timers. The mix was terrific. The camaraderie and friendship continued throughout the trip.

We started in Beit Horon, meeting the extraordinary, courageous, soldier and emergency medical responder, Yehudit Tayar. We saw the ugly wall which supposedly protects Beit Horon from its unfriendly neighbors, but Yehudit showed us the memorials to many of the victims and told us the courageous stories of many of the residents. We were taken to the bee keeper’s special workshop and enjoyed some treats while we listened to the story about beekeeping in Beit Horon.

We then left to drive to the 9/11 memorial which Israel built in memory of the WTC terror attack in NYC. We were probably the first busload to arrive at night to view the memorial. Most Israelis we spoke to about it didn’t know it exists and had no idea how to find it. We trusted Ami to do the job for us. We drove over unpaved roads and arrived at the memorial, which, even in total darkness, was powerfully impressive. The names of all the victims are etched in bronze plaques surrounding the memorial.

Dinner that night was at the popular Piccolino restaurant in Jerusalem. Arieh King, our favorite Jerusalem Councilman and founder and Chairman of the Israel Land Fund, joined us for dinner and then spoke to the group. He was one of the Israelis we met who was amazed and delighted by the Trump win, believing that the restraints placed on Israeli building of Jewish homes in eastern Jerusalem and throughout Israel, would now be lifted. He was opposed to Mayor of Jerusalem Nir Barkat’s plans to build 7,000 more apartments for Arabs in Jerusalem while illegal Arab building has continued unabated. In 2014, Barkat had approved the building of 7,000 apartments for Arabs and King had appealed to the court to stop it. When asked why Barkat would initiate such anti-Israel actions, we were told to follow the money.

Friday, November 11

The day began with a visit to Oz V’Gaon in Gush Etzion. This park, created in memory of the three boys killed in June, 2014, Gilad, Naftali and Eyal, is one that AFSI has partnered with through its leaders, Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katzover. Ariel Kahane, political commentator for Makor Rishon, was the guest speaker. He, too, believes that Trump’s election has opened an incredible window of opportunity for

Israel. He urged the people to pressure Bibi to act now as the leader of a right wing government and to present a plan to Trump for Israel’s future.

Our next stop was the Efrat medical Center, a state-of-the-art facility established in 2001. Rabbi David Marcus guided us through the impressive center which is totally self-sustaining. Rabbi Marcus continued to tell us about the new, 80,000 square foot facility being built in Binyamin. It will be a dialysis center treating those with kidney failure. Since Arabs are susceptible to that, they will be treated at the center.

We then drove on to Aleh, an amazing treatment center for physically and mentally severely impaired children and adults. We were taken to see the special pool under construction for hydrotherapy treatment. Our good friend, Cherna Moskowitz, has made this one of her projects, and it is so rewarding. We were also taken to see some of the children, so badly damaged, but tenderly cared for by the staff at Aleh.

We returned to our hotel, the Leonardo Plaza, for Shabbat preparations. Dinner was in the dining room, and we were joined by NIra and Ken Abramowitz. Ken gave us a great talk on the threats to western civilization, and the remedies.

Shabbat, November 12

Following morning services at synagogues of one’s choosing, the group enjoyed Shabbat lunch at the hotel and then walked thru the shuk to the Kotel and our meeting place with our host for Shalosh Seudot. Barak Weinberg met us, as arranged by Dan Luria of Ateret Cohanim, and escorted us through the streets of the Old City. We stopped at Beit Har Nof, the latest acquisition, and climbed to the roof for an extraordinary view of the Old City. We then went to Barak’s home, Beit Zion, where we met his wife, Irit, and their eight children. They treated us to a beautiful shalosh seudot and havadalah and then escorted us back to the Kotel. We learned that both Barak and Irit had been expelled from Gush Katif. Despite the fact that they now live in a beautiful apartment in the holy city of Jerusalem, they both said they would return to Gush Katif if that were possible.

After returning to the hotel and wishing everyone a shavua tov, we got into taxis to take us to the Avraham Bernshtein Klezmer happening in a basement at 52 Yermiyahu Street. This was our third time there, and great fun, as always.

Sunday, November 13

We awakened early in order to make signs protesting the Amona expulsion. At 10 AM we joined the hundreds of children from Amona who had come to the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem with their parents to ask that their homes be spared from demolition. The scene was too reminiscent of the efforts made to stop the Gush Katif expulsion. We failed there. We pray these efforts will not be in vain and the severe decree, scheduled for Dec. 25, 2016, will be cancelled. As we were demonstrating, the Knesset was meeting to pass legislation that would replace demolition with compensation for the Arab claimants.

We left the demonstrators and went on to Beit-El to meet with Yehuda HaCohen. Yehuda is an “alternative peace activist.” While touring ancient Beit-El with him, he spoke to us of his new Zionist vision. This includes teaching children values and making them feel they are real characters in Jewish history. Independence from the U.S. would be another essential.

We then traveled to the caravan community of Amona, established in 1996, with 40 families and 200 children. We were greeted very hospitably by Elad Ziv and other activist leaders in the community who are working tirelessly to save Amona. They voiced appreciation for our support and we promised to help in every way possible. They, too, are looking at Trump’s election as a positive factor in their personal plight.

Continuing on to Ofra, we met Yoav Elitzur and Aharon Lipkin, community spokesmen. They explained that Ofra started under Peres in an abandoned Jordanian army base. Immigrants came from Ethiopia and many other countries. Aharon moved to Ofra in August of 2000, one month before the second intifada started. It was explained that nine homes, similar to so many of the homes in the lovely community, are scheduled for demolition. Ofra has joined with Amona in working for the compensation bill in the Knesset. Again, we promised our help.

It had grown dark, but we knew that Rabbi David Marcus, Eve Harrow, and Yael Weissman, with her one year old daughter, were waiting for us in Michmas at a new Pina Cham, a welcoming, warm place for soldiers. Yael, 23 years old, was widowed when her husband, Sgt. Tuvia Yanai Weissman, bravely confronted a terrorist at the Rami Levi grocery store on February 18, 2016, and was killed. The Pina Cham, although unfinished, looked as though it would be a very special place for the soldiers. We returned to our hotel and dinner, keenly aware of the bravery and determination of the Israelis we were meeting. Kol hakovod to them.

Monday, November 14

The day began with our 7AM departure for the Temple Mount, where, with the help of Aharon Pulver, head of the Israel Independence Fund, we were scheduled to meet our guide, Yaakov Hayman. We were anticipating the usual abusive treatment we had received in the past from some of the Israeli police in charge of giving permission to Jews wishing to ascend Har Habayit. To our great pleasure and surprise, we handed in our passports, were invited to proceed inside, had our passports returned, and were “free” to walk around the perimeter of the Mount. Of course, as always, we were escorted by Israeli police who prodded us along, as well as some members of the Islamic WAQF, who carefully watched us to ensure we were not praying. Despite being encircled by guards, this was one of our most pleasant experiences on the Mount. We understand that the Minister of the Interior, Gilad Erdan, is responsible for the improved situation. Motti, the policeman who was the most discriminating against the Jews, has been demoted to being a traffic policeman. We trust he’ll do a good job in that position.

We then drove on to Kiryat Arba/Hebron where Yehudit Tayar and Ayal Gelman took us into the Security Center where women doing community service monitored the TV screens. Ayal lost his brother and brother-in-law in terror attacks, but he spoke to us without bitterness and left us to join his wife who we learned gave birth that very night.

In Hebron, we visited Beit Shalom, which has a long history of court cases on ownership. Finally, the court decided the building did belong to the Jews and although it is in decrepit condition now, three families have moved in and made it their home. The Akobis and Gelmans are two of those families. The need to renovate the place is extreme and anyone interested in helping should contact AFSI.

We then joined our good friend and guide, David Wilder, for a tour of the Maarat HaMachpela, the Cave of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs in Hebron. For many of us, this was a welcome return to a familiar and beloved location. For the newcomers it was eye-opening.

David then took us up to Tel Rumeida where Jews are living in double-decker caravans, side by side with ancient ruins tracing an almost continuous Jewish presence of 4,000 years. Anyone doubting the Jewish claim to the land of Israel need only visit these ancient ruins to learn the truth about Jewish history.

We continued on into the southern Hebron hills to the community of Otniel. The names of the many victims of terror,some very recent, like Daphna Meir and Mickey Mark, are on the wall of the Yeshiva as one enters the building. Rabbi Yaakov Nagen, the Rosh Yeshiva, greeted us and briefly explained the five year Hesder Yeshiva program which combines study with military service in the IDF. Otniel, and Rabbi Nagen, are promoting a program of love and peace based on living together with the Arabs and establishing interpersonal connections. To promote this, rabbis and sheiks meet regularly. The residents of Otniel, although suffering from the many personal losses, support the idea of learning to live with and even love their Arab neighbors. They believe that 80% of the Arabs want peace. Tragically, 20% are ready to commit terrorist acts. Learning to deal with this situation is a great challenge, but Rabbi Nagen believes a small group of people can change the world.

Moving along, we traveled to the Har Shemesh farm, run by Shushi and Moshe, their son, and son-in-law. The family started the farm 25 years ago under very difficult conditions. Arab thieves were a constant threat to their sheep. The Shomrim Hadash, begun by the Israel Independence Fund, under Aharon Pulver, has now been taken over by the JNF. Daniel Mitchell, an employee of JNF, explained that all the Shomrim are volunteers. They stay on the farms during the night to protect the sheep and allow the farmers to get some rest. Another such group operates in Judea and Samaria and again is supported by IIF. JNF will not go into the disputed areas so the Shomrim of J&S will not be receiving any financial help except that raised by IIF.

Tuesday, November 15

Our first stop was Sederot. Unfortunately for us, Mayor Alon Davidi was out of the country, but we were met by Daniel Berkley. He led us up a hilltop so that we had a commanding view of Gaza in the distance. We could easily see the smokestacks of the power center in Ashkelon which provides electricity to Gaza and Israel. We had predicted that this power plant would be targeted if Israel was forced out of Gush Katif. We were not surprised when rockets were launched against Ashkelon and came alarmingly close to the power center.

Sederot, built in the 1950’s with Olim primarily from Morocco and Iraq, was a community of 10,000. In the ‘80’s, Olim from Russia doubled the size. In 2001 rockets from Gaza became commonplace. To date, over 20,000 rockets have landed in Sederot. Although the city has grown wonderfully under the leadership of Mayor Davidi and the Hesder Yeshiva leader Rabbi Fendel, there are still so many adults and children traumatized. To ease this, teenagers volunteer to work with the children in public  shelters. Sapir College is growing, and with 300 Zionist families, the student village is invaluable.

Our meeting that afternoon with Josh Hasten, new director of Regavim, was filled with anticipation. We were to have the very special opportunity to go down into one of the tunnels that had been dug by Arab terrorists from Gaza into Israel. We met Josh at Kibbutz Ein HaShlosha, along with Rav Shatz (security head) Elan (Keith) Isaacson. Keith, whom we had met previously in a failed attempt to enter the tunnels, had arranged the event with the IDF. The army had closed off the portion of the tunnel coming from Gaza. We descended on steps created by the army. When we reached the bottom of the ladder, many feet underground, we saw the tunnel extending into the darkness. Keith advised us not to go further since the tunnel could collapse on us. Of course, we too his advice and happily returned to ground level and the warm, wonderful sunshine. One cannot begin to imagine what was involved in digging the tunnels. It’s a nightmare scenario. Shachar Butler, a Rav Shatz from a nearby community, Kibbutz Nir Oz, then guided us through the kibbutz, only 20 miles from Egypt, established in 1955. First he took us to a large field filled with creative sculptures made by residents of the kibbutz. Standing there, we heard periodic explosions coming from Egypt, and saw Israeli tanks stationed nearby. Despite the obvious dangers in living so close to the border, we saw a beautiful community with lovely trees and flowers, where we were told the people live traditional kibbutznik lives. What a tribute to the Israeli spirit.

Nightfall came early, as it does in November, but we had one more activity scheduled. At  the suggestions of Rabbi Alan Schwartz of Ohab Zedek in NYC, combined with the efforts of Glenn Richter, we met with Rabbi Shlomo Raanan in G’var Am,  a secular community near Ashkelon. There, amongst the hundreds of residents, there were a handful who wanted to have mezuzot on their doorposts. With the mezuzot Rabbi Schwartz had given us, we went to five homes, previously designated by Rabbi Raanan, and hammered mezuzot onto the doorposts while reciting the appropriate blessings. The experience was heartwarming for all involved.

Rabbi Raanan explained that his organization, Ayelet HaShachar, has 200 employees dedicated to helping secular and religious people  live together. Forty synagogues were built in five years, because, he explained, attitudes are gradually changing. Starting 25 years ago, younger people began bringing a new spirit to the communities. The soldiers in the army bases nearby needed synagogues. Sefer Torahs were beginning to be donated. Although the kibbutzniks are hard to convince, the Rabbi believes that a growing acceptance of religion will take place. That is his mission.

Wednesday, November 16

Unbelievably, we had come to the last day of our mission. Laurence Beziz, our dear friend from the former Gush Katif communities, met us at our hotel in Ashkelon and led us to the Shai Yemeni greenhouses in B’ar Ganim, outside of Ashkelon. Shai and his father had been farmers in Gadid, one of the 21 Gush Katif communities destroyed in the 2005 garush (expulsion). They are amongst the very few who had the courage and strength to start farming again after everything they had was destroyed. Shai proudly showed us his bug-free lettuce, sold under Alei Katif or Alim Yarokim. Shai explained the arduous work that goes into his farming, all under rabbinical supervision.

We were distressed to hear that tomatoes grown in Gaza were being brought into Israel by the IDF and sold in the Israeli markets while Israeli grown tomatoes would go unsold. Uri Ariel, Minister of Agriculture, was a great defender of the Gush Katif communities before their destruction. It’s hard to understand why he would support Gazan agriculture over the produce of the struggling former Gush Katif farmers. The subject bears investigation.

We then drove to Nitzan, a caravan community that once housed 600 families from the garush. Fortunately, in the eleven years that have passed, many of the families were able to move to permanent homes. Unfortunately, 200 families are still living in the caravans. The barren spaces where caravans have been removed, the sewer-pipe bomb shelters, and the air of despair that permeates the remaining areas is incredibly sad to see. The community leaders, like Dror Vanunu, are doing all they can to help the remaining families find new homes, so the blight of Nitzan can be removed.

However, the expellees do not want people to forget what happened to them in August 2005. Nor do they want to forget the beautiful and thriving communities that had been created. Therefore, in Nitzan, one can find the Gush Katif Heritage Center near the very entrance to the community. Laurence left us there in the care of Dror Vanunu, a leader of the Gush Katif community before during and after the garush.

The Heritage Center tells the story of the government sponsored settlement of Gush Katif, starting in 1969 under then Prime Minister Golda Meir. Prime Ministers Rabin and Sharon continued to encourage the growth and in the ‘80’s the twenty-one communities flourished. All of that ended on August 15, 2005. We saw films of the people resisting the expulsion, but refusing to raise arms against their own soldiers. The pain and suffering of the evacuees, as well as some of the soldiers who had to follow their orders, was difficult to watch.

Over the years, Dror has taken us to see the eleven new communities that have been created, as the Gush Katif expellees insisted on remaining together, attempting to re-create their community living. The unnatural edict against Gush Katif, proclaimed and enacted by PM Ariel Sharon, will forever be a stain on the history of the Jewish people in Israel.

After a sumptuous lunch at the Ulpana in Nitzan and meeting some of the teachers at the Ulpana, we drove to the new community of NETA, where expellees from Kfar Darom and Tel Katif are planning for 300 families. Riding in trucks over the area of Lachish, where 1000 caves remain from the Bar Kochbar era, we came to an overlook point. We saw the synagogue under construction and understood that monetary support is needed for its completion. We also saw the many Arab minarets and sprawling homes of the 100,000 Arabs surrounding NETA in this southern Hebron area. The need for co-existence, expressed by Rabbi Nagen of Otniel, and Yehuda Ha-Cohen of Beit-El, came to mind as one realizes the realities on the ground.

Our last visit of the day, and the mission, was with our dear friends, Rachel and Moshe Saperstein. Formerly residents of N’vei Dekalim, where they had a beautiful home and Rachel taught in the girls’ Ulpana, Rachel became the spokeswoman for the community in the days leading to the garush because of her good English and ability to speak for the people. She and Moshe now live in B’nei Dekalim, a developing community in the Lachish area, where once again we learned of the need for monetary support. AFSI has always worked with the Gush Katif expellees and will continue to do so to the extent possible. We thank the many participants in the AFSI Chizuk mission for their support over the years.

After our traditional farewell dinner, where appreciation was expressed for every participant in this Nov. 2016 mission, as well as for our always loyal and competent bus driver, Ami Dadon, we said our good-byes, knowing that many of us will be reunited in the May, 2017 mission. At that time we’ll be celebrating, with all Israelis, the 50^th anniversary of the 1967 victory that brought the reunification of Jerusalem and the restoration to Israel of Judea, Samaria, and the Golan. Reservations are being taken now. Don’t miss out on a great experience. Call Judy at 212-828-2424; judy @afsi.org

Helen Freedman
The Shabbat following the conclusion of our Americans for a Safe Israel/AFSI Chizuk mission was Shabbat Shlach, where the sin of the spies is revealed. We read that Moses picked twelve of the leaders of the tribes to enter the promised land and scout it out. Of these great leaders, only two, Joshua and Caleb, returned with a favorable report.

The other ten were filled with fear and saw themselves as grasshoppers in the eyes of the “giants” of Canaan. Despite the assurances of Caleb and Joshua, the people were persuaded that entering the promised land would be too dangerous for them. Their punishment for their lack of faith was forty years of wandering in the desert , until their generation died out.

On AFSI’s trip, we did not meet with “leaders,” but with the real people who, like Joshua and Caleb, celebrate the beauty of the land and are determined to settle it, farm it, own it. They do this despite the failure of the government to help them, and indeed to overcome the incredible obstacles placed in their way by the leadership.

Joshuas and Calebs

Who are the Joshuas and Calebs of today? Here is a partial list of those we met, with only a brief description of their remarkable work and efforts, in the face of government obstructionism:

Sarita and Dror Maoz, were expelled from Yamit, wounded in a terrorist attack, expelled from Gush Katif – lived with the Elei Sinai community in tents at the Yad Mordechai junction for a year, became wanderers, and now, almost ten years later, they are in their new home in Palmachim, working to get more homes and a synagogue built.

Chavat Kashuela is a farm in Gush Etzion where Arab thieves constantly threaten the sheep and goat herds. The volunteer ‘shomrim,’ or guards, of Judea and Samaria, devote hours of their time to relieve the farmers from standing guard duty every night. This is the only way to keep thousands of acres of land in Jewish hands.

Nadia Matar and Yehudit Katzover of Women in Green are heroines who responded to the terrorist murders of Gilad, Eyal and Naftali last year, by immediately establishing a visitors’ center in their names. Oz V’Gaon, in Gush Etzion, is near the scene of the murders. Thousands of people have responded by helping to clear the area and build it up to receive hundreds of visitors each week.

Feeling blessed

David Wilder is always ready to guide people through the marvels of the 4,000 year old Hevron. Beit Hadassah, Tel Rumeida, and the Cave of the Matriarchs and Patriarchs (Me’arat HaMachpela) are only some of the treasures retained in the 3% of Hevron’s area that is allotted to the Jews. Arab growth and industry in the remaining 97% spreads out as far as one can see.

Dan Luria and Mati Dan, leaders of Atret Cohanim, have devoted themselves to preserving Jewish life in the Old City of Jerusalem. Tamar and Asaf Weinrab and three other families hosted us on Shabbat in theirnew home, Beit Gavriel, in the Arab section of the Old City.

Despite needing guards for their children and themselves as they walk through the area, they feel blessed to be reviving Jewish presence in the pre-1948 area. Enjoying Havdalah with Mati Dan and his family in theirhome in the Christian area provided a perfect ending to a beautiful Jerusalem Shabbat.

Avraham Bernshtein and his Basement klezmer musicians were a delightful motzei Shabbat special treat.

Rabbi Chaim Richman, head of the Temple Mount Institute, led us on our traditional early morning visit to the Temple Mount. The usual discriminatory anti-Jewish practices were in place. Our group of 12 was surrounded by 12 Arab and Israeli guards as we were moved quickly along on our tour. Arabs photographing us and yelling at us continued from start to finish. No consequences existed for them. Instead, we were hurried away.

Local heroes

Jerusalem Councilman Aryeh King has become a hero for his outspoken demands that the law be applied equally to Jews and Arabs. He blames PM Binyamin Netanyahu and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat for the deteriorating situation in Jerusalem. Despite rampant illegal building, Arabs are getting thousands of new apartments built for them while Jewish building is frozen. He calls for individuals to campaign against the leadership.

Ari Briggs of Regavim led us to the E1 corridor, connecting Jerusalem with its northern outskirt city of Maaleh Adumim. We saw an endless stream of Bedouin Arab huts put up illegally by the European Union. The EU flag was prominently displayed on plaques placed on the buildings. The government appears afraid to demolish the huts and establish its sovereignty for fear of being sued by the EU and being condemned by the international community.

Regavim is working to sue the government for failure to enforce Israeli law.

Self-sacrifice and betrayal

Moti Yeger and Rabbi Eyal Grayna lead the Tefahot Hesder Yeshiva in the Galilee, the finger in the dike, preserving Jewish life while it is surrounded by Arab and Druze villages. Jews are the minority today in the Galilee, where 70% of the children aged 0-3 are not Jewish. This can be attributed to governmental neglect of the Galilee.

Kibbutz El Rom, 40 miles from Damascus, specializes in dubbing for films. We viewed the amazing film about Avigdor Kahalani and his tank units battling overwhelming odds against the Syrian tanks in the ’73 war. It was a costly victory for Israel in the Valley of Tears and drove home, once again, the incredible bravery and self-sacrifice of Israel’s young men and women.

The Pardes Rimoni pre-military academy (or “mechina”) and Moti Peretz are closely united because the boys from the mechina help Motti to guard his animals from Bedouins who burned down his barn and try to steal his sheep. Presently he has 1,000 acres near Tzomet Golani and hopes that by being there he will help to stop the give-away of Jewish land to the Arabs.

We learned about JNF betrayal of their mandate. 4600 acres of JNF land in the Galilee may be leased to Arabs . In the new Arab city of Rawabi, JNF has donated countless trees purchased by Jews for Jews. This traitorous activity demands full accountability from the JNF.

The Emunah Sarah Herzog Children’s Center in Afula works with at-risk children ages 6-18. All the children become Bar and Bat Mitzvah and 83% go into the army. The Center is rightfully proud of its success rate.

Ayelet and Akiva Cohen, who established the hilltop community of Shalhevet Ya in Yitzhar, are enjoying watching their little community grow. There are now six houses and an almost completed synagogue. Their flour mill, once a small operation, has grown successfully. We are proud to be partners to a small extent in this success.

From Netzarim to Ariel

Od Yosef Chai Yeshiva in Yitzhar has finally been returned to the Yeshiva boys. The army had commandeered the Yeshiva and left it a mess when they left. A broken water pipe needed repair and broken doors and windows, as well as piled up garbage, all required attention. However, it was exciting to see the students back at their desks and out of the caravans which had served as the temporary replacement for the Yeshiva. We pray they will not be tortured again by the military command of the area.

Netzer Ariel is the new community of homes being built in Ariel by the families expelled from Netzarim, in Gush Katif, and others who wish to join them. Touring the area with Yehoshua Rhinefeld, who joined the community as an outsider, we saw that it will be quite beautiful, but we also saw that construction was going very slowly. We pray that by August, the tenth anniversary of the expulsion from Gush Katif, that all the families will finally be in their permanent homes.

Michael Teplow from Honenu is a volunteer attorney working for the organization created in 2001 to protect Jews accused of nationalist crimes. Honenu has dealt with over 15,000 cases. Teplow was full of praise for the youth who suffered through the traumatic experiences of the expulsion from Gush Katif, the Amona demolitions, and the Beit Shalom lock-out in Hebron. The “crimes” of the youth were participating in protest rallies and building “illegal outposts.” For this they had to endure government orders to “break bones.” Teplow feels they are a stronger generation because of what they have endured and they will prevail over the failed leadership.

Nimrod Segev was a soldier killed in the Second Lebanon War, along with five others from Rosh Piña. His father dedicates himself to telling his son’s heroic story, and that of two who were injured and two kidnapped from the same city. We visited the beautiful memorial garden which the community helped to build. It was deeply moving.

Gamla, rising like a camel’s back amongst the mountains, reminds us again of Jewish courage in the face of the enemy. When the Romans attacked just a few years before the destruction of the 2nd Temple the Jews put up a valiant fight, similar to that on Masada, until the tragic end. The sacrifices of our ancestors should give us pride and strength to fight today’s battles.

From Itamar to beit El

Itamar and the Hesder Yeshiva named after Udi Fogel, who was brutally murdered by Arab terrorists four years ago, along with his wife and three children, is a beacon of bravery. Led by Dorel Abramovitz, we visited the Fogel family house and then the thriving Yeshiva. From the lookout point at Gideon’s Tomb, we saw Shechem, the home of Joseph’s Tomb, now off limits to Jews, sprawling in the sunshine, lying between the Mounts of Blessing and Curses.

Givat Olam, the famous organic farm in Itamar, continues to host countless visitors and delights everyone with its dairy treats.

Kfar Tapuach, once strongly identified with Rav Meir Kahane, and home to his son Binyamin, before he and his wife were murdered, is growing into a desirable suburb of Ariel. Gone is the shepherd’s tent and the donkey that once inhabited the garden of Lenny Goldberg, one of the first residents of the community. Lenny took us outside the fence to visit the small synagogue on the hilltop. We talked about the sin of the spies.

Arutz Sheva offices in Beit El were our final stop of the mission. Founded in 1978 and forced to broadcast from a ship, the Internet has now freed them to reach into millions of homes. Their reporting, which does not depend on Arab reporters feeding their fallacious journalism to the wire services, has become one of the most important sources of information for proud Zionists.

Uzi Baruch, Editor in Chief, and Ari Soffer, Managing Editor, greeted us warmly. Eliran Aharon interviewed a few of us and put it right out for the readers to see and hear.

Please know that the above list only reflects some of the people and places visited on our 8-day June, 2015 mission. The list would be much longer if we included all the wonderful people and places visited over the past 20 years.

Conclusions 

The AFSI Chizuk participants have been witnesses for over 20 years to the encroachment of Arabs into every area in Israel. We are appalled to see red signs, put up by the Israeli government, even in Jerusalem, warning “Israeli citizens” or Jews, not to enter PA territories for fear of threat to their lives and safety.

We are horrified to see US AID signs signifying US taxpayer money going to the Arabs. We are bewildered by the EU signs that accompany illegal Arab building. We cannot understand Israeli orders to demolish Jewish tents, homes, and structures. We do not understand the government tolerance for the continuing illegal Arab building everywhere in the land of Israel. We condemn the growing discrimination against Jews and the growing groveling to Arabs, the US, and the international community.

Just as the ten spies – great leaders of their tribes – were concerned about being seen as grasshoppers in the eyes of others, so today’s leadership seems concerned about how they are perceived. This is a serious mistake. Israel must take care of itself, its land, its people, and trust in the biblical promise. Turning to false gods can only lead to disaster.

Helen Freedman is Executive Director of Americans for a Safe Israel

Frederica Barlaz

Frederica Barlaz

The Israeli sector of my second AFSI (Americans for a Safe Israel) trip began on  Yom HaZicharon (Day of Remembrance) which was a Monday.. Our first stop was in south Tel Aviv where we learned first-hand about the illegal immigrant problem there. Eritreans and Sudanese have been crossing over the Egyptian border to claim refugee status in Israel, and a number have been committing crimes. The local people including legal Filipino workers have been the unfortunate victims. From Tel Aviv we went to Sderot, a town that has suffered tens of thousands of missile attacks since the 2005 evacuation of Gush Katif. We met with the mayor and took a tour of the town. The playgrounds are equipped with colorful pipes that serve as shelters during the attacks from Gaza. There are shelters throughout the town; the residents have 15 seconds to get into a shelter after the alarm sound. Next we drove to Nitzan where we visited the new visitors’ center/museum to commemorate Gush Katif. The exhibits are very moving and we also met with Shifra Shomron, a former resident of  the former Neve Dekalim in Gush Katif, who wrote Grains of Sand: The Fall of Neve Dekalim. I have read this beautifully written book  and highly recommend it.  Shifra vividly portrays the months, weeks, and days prior to the expulsion of the residents. On to Hebron for another briefing by David Wilder and a stop at the Cave of the Machpela where Avraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebecca, Jacob, and Leah are buried. This burial site was purchased by Abraham–it’s in the Bible.  We then drove to Jerusalem where we spent the night.

The following day was Yom Ha’atzmaut  Some menbers of my group ascended to the Temple Mount. Some of us slept in!  Mid-morning we went to visit Samuel’s tomb in the Givon Valley and then we proceeded to the site of King Hussein’s summer palace which was never completed due to the 1967 war. This is considered to be the most important archaeological site after the City of David in Jerusalem. Artifacts dating back to the Second Metal Period have been unearthed and it is believed to be the site of King Saul’s Palace. (Hussein built over it.) Our next stop was Ammunition Hill and its museum. Many Israeli families were visiting on this holiday and the atmosphere was very festive. Late afternoon we visited a new yeshiva outside the Flowers Gate to the Old City and also made visits within the present Arab Quarter.

On Wednesday we first visited Beit Orot Yeshiva(religious school) on Har Hatsofim(Mt. Scopus). Then northward to Ma’ale Adumim which was established in 1982 by Rabin as a city. He wanted to have a corridor to French Hill in Jerusalem.  A beautiful, exceptionally clean city with a population of 40,000, it is the largest Jewish city in Yehuda and the Shomron (West Bank). Due to a building freeze for the past three years there isn’t enough housing for all those who would like to live in Ma’ale.Adumim. The environs of Jericho were next. Jericho marks the beginning of the Jewish people in the land of Israel. We stopped at a spot by the Jordan River where it is believed that the Jews crossed into the land at the end of the exodus from Egypt. Gilgal is the area where the first Passover was celebrated. A visit to Beit Hogla (the name hasn’t changed in 3,000 years) where a woman named Erna grows and sells olives and pomegranates. A follow-up stop in Brosh where Sraya Ofer had been murdered to visit with the seven young Israelis who hope to develop the compound into a tourist/guesthouse attraction.  These men and women rotate guard duty every night.  At last, we reached the Ruth Rimonim hotel in Tsfat where we spent four nights.

The Hesder Yeshiva in Kiryat Shemona which is very close to the Lebanese border was our morning stop on Thursday. (A hesder yeshiva is where religious boys learn before and after their military service.) Some of the boys spoke to us and it was clear that this particular yeshiva is thought of quite highly. out of 150-200 applicants taking the test about 50 are chosen.  They start at age 18 and study Torah for 11 hours per day. There are 1 1/2  years of learning followed by 1 1/2  years of Army service followed by 3 more years of learning. There are over 60 such institutions in Israel. In addition to their studies the boys are actively involved in community service. In the afternoon we visited Kibbutz Misgav-Am which is right on the border and heard about the situation there; fortunately, it appears to be peaceful. Back to Tsfat for some art gallery hopping before they closed. After dinner we had a provocative presentation by Ken Abramowitz on the future of western civilization. (Incidentally, Ken is committed to giving 100 of these talks during this year at no charge.  He will travel within the US at his own expense. He can be contacted at ksabramowitz@msn.com)

Friday’s program began with a drive to Kibbutz Merom Golan from where we took jeep rides to the Israeli-Syrian border.  We saw and heard a great deal of bombing on the Syrian side. The kibbutz itself is very lush and flourishing. I recalled the name of this kibbutz from when I lived in Israel (1972-73)–there had been ads in the Jerusalem Post  inviting people to join. I sort of wondered what path my life might have taken had I gone up to the Golan and become a kibbutznik!  We then headed a bit south to visit Mechina Hespid, a yeshiva and technical college.  This institution accepts students(many immigrants) whose prior school records were not sterling and gives them the opportunity to learn valuable skills prior to joining the military. This ensures them good military positions and  future employment prospects. Some of the boys spoke with us and we were very impressed with the work this mechina is doing.  We also made a stop at Um El Kantir, an archaeological site. It had been destroyed in 749 by an earthquake and was first excavated in 2003. We attended Sabbath services inTsfat and had a traditional meal at our hotel.

On the Sabbath we attended services at local synagogues and had lunch at our hotel.  In the afternoon we had a talk by David Wilder who was spending the Sabbath with us.. He spoke in depth about living in Hebron. Later on we had a walking tour of Tsfat and went to ASCENT, a Chabad institution for learning, the third meal and havdalah, a service that marks the end of the Sabbath and the beginning of the regular week.

We headed west on Sunday morning to  Kfar Vradim  where we enjoyed a home visit with Aharon and Susie Pulver.( Aharon is the head of the Israel Independence Fund which is involved in helping fund various Jewish communities and programs.) The mayor of nearby Ma’alot spoke to us in the Pulvers’ garden about his city. Some of you may recall that in 1974 three terrorists from Lebanon murdered 27 students who were asleep in a Ma’alot school. Ma’alot was established in 1957 by immigrants from Tunisia and Morocco and today has a population of 25,000. There are about 50 factories that provide local employment.  After his talk we visited the underground command center in Ma’alot and saw how it monitors the city. Impressive, but so sad that this is the reality. We also visited the Tefen Industrial Zone which provides a unique setting of sculpture  gardens to increase worker productivity. We were told that not one Israeli company has gone bankrupt due to boycotts and divestment efforts.. The sheer beauty of the North is breathtaking and we were all marveling at the scenery. As we drove we saw multitudes of unoccupied new multi-story villas and apartment buildings in  Arab villages for which building permits had not been obtained.  This is an effort to claim sovereignty over the land. Next stop was Rambam Hospital in Haifa where we were treated to the amazing new underground emergency 2,000 bed hospital. During normal times it is a colorful parking lot; in wartime, it converts to a fully functional hospital within 72 hours. They still need more hospital beds so if you’d like to donate…If anyone’s interested in statistics, about 25% of the Rambam staff is Arab, 30% of the patients are Arab, and the head of Nephrology is a female Muslim.  Dinner, a delightful dance performance , and overnight at our hotel in Ariel.

On Monday, our last day, on the way to Yitzhar we passed prosperous expansive Arab villages without fences. Yitzhar, in contrast,  is fenced in,  with an armed guard on duty, unpaved roads, small trailor homes.  One of the residents has been placed under house arrest for the crime of warning a neighbor that the IDF was going to demolish his home. The home was demolished by tractors because of pressure from the Arabs and the US on the grounds that he didn’t have the proper permits. (Leftist Israeli groups stir up local Arabs against the yishuvim–Jewish communities in the West Bank.) Our next stop was the community of Chavat Gilad.  Even though it was built on private land it is still subject to demolition.  Water and electricity are not supplied by the government. The trailer homes are very simple.  One member of our group had brought boxes of new clothing for the residents which were greatly appreciated. We then drove to  Ma’ale Rehavam in Gush Etzion Municipality where demolition of homes had taken place and more was scheduled. Just one more example of a double standard for Arabs and Jews. Our final stop was in Netzer with the Women in Green, a group that has been trying to halt illegal Arab building on state land between Jewish and Arab villages. (Under Israeli law , after 7 years of squatting by Arabs on state land, it becomes Arab private land.) We planted saplings on state land. Then it was time for our farewell dinner near Efrat.

AFSI is a remarkable organization giving both moral and financial support to worthy communities and causes  within Israel. I encourage you to join.