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Israel Mission January 19, 2025

To read all of Rabbi Gewirtz’s dispatches from the Israel Mission, please click the button at the bottom of this post.

Timing and time are everything. How can it be this long? How can any of us fathom such a thing? All we can do is imagine. And we’ve been told not to project our own nightmares on to an experience we’ve never (thank God) come close to.

Timing…..as our group exited customs to those of us already here to greet them, the Red Cross caravan reached Israel’s border; with the first three hostages here to finally smell and feel home. Our group has arrived to our Homeland at the exact same time our captives will get to hold those they’ve dreamed of holding in their real nightmares. I couldn’t stop feeling the chills run my spine watching our TBJ family arrive as redemption is coming to fruition.

Everyone is plastered to their television sets. Everyone. No one can believe it’s true. Scenes of families hysterical with laughter and tears; disbelief that this day has come. So hard to describe it all; for anyone. And so, one commentator says to another, “What do you have to say?” The commentator answers, “There are no words in the Hebrew language to describe what is happening tonight.” And then as when he’s about to “pass” it back to the host, he says, “No, I’m wrong, there are words!” And then he goes on to say:
‏ ברוך אתה אדוני ……

Blessed are you God, Who gave us life; Who Sustains us and Brings us to this season; this time; this place.
Only here. Only here.

And as you will see below, that’s how we opened our first gathering, singing those exact words. Perhaps our redemption can be found in theirs.

We went to Hostage Square. It was that same paradox I’ve been describing over the last couple of days. Exhalation for redemption; and longing and fear for those who aren’t yet home. The worry for security by letting terrorists free; and the irredeemable feeling of bringing our brothers and sisters home. How can it be measured? It can’t. Because when we saw these daughters come home, one without some of her fingers (and who knows what else we will find) to finally be home again, how can that be measured? And yet, these are the decisions we have no choice but to face.

Our group’s first night could not be any more intense. I told them that this night could be paralleled to coming forth from the Sea of Reeds escaping from the Pharaoh of old. Our modern-day captives were only kilometers away, but the Hell they experienced was as deep as Joseph’s pit. We are here during the most intense days of history. It feels so whole and so empty all at once. How will these captives be whole again? Will the others come home? How will our nation heal? Will we ever have partners of peace? We feel empty and whole all at once. We feel lost and hopeful all at once. We will never forget this night of Jewish history. I pray that we do something important with it all. Not lose the ethical imperative. Not lose our hope.

My thoughts are running without cohesion and without thread, but I and we feel more connected than ever before.
Thank you for your patience and your willingness to read and follow and join our journey. Please continue to follow this space.
To life and redemption and more Shechyanu moments.

Love from Tel Aviv!

Israel Mission Reflections