This past February, I had a wonderful and unique opportunity to travel on the Heart to Heart Women’s Mission to Israel, which was planned and coordinated by the Jewish Federations of North America.
Twelve other women and I representing our Milwaukee Jewish Federation joined 100 more women from across the United States for this trip which was billed as more than a mission, but also “an opportunity to explore Israel, learn from its people, become inspired and deepen your engagement with Jewish life, both in your own community and worldwide.”
Being a busy working mom, it was difficult to think about going away for a week without my family, but with the support of my husband, my coworkers and a final push from an anonymous donor who provided a generous mission subsidy, I found it impossible to pass up this opportunity to experience Israel for myself.
The Heart to Heart mission gives women opportunities to see things and meet people that are not on your average travel itinerary. Every moment of our day was planned so we could fit in as much as possible in the five days we were there. It was like a sampler platter that left me wanting to return for a full meal.
We explored Tel Aviv and were introduced to business people ranging from young entrepreneurs with new ideas to Ofra Strauss, the CEO of the largest food-and-beverage company in Israel.
We were exposed to Israeli arts and culture through a workshop and performance with the percussion troupe, Mayumana; taking a private tour with photographer Sharon Ya’ari of his recent exhibit; and prepping a gourmet meal with Chef Nir Margalith.
An inspirational morning with Micha Feldmann, chief architect of Operation Solomon, who helped transport more than 14,000 Ethiopian Jews to Israel in 1991, was followed by a visit to an absorption center where we learned about the challenges of transitioning to Israeli life.
As we ascended to Jerusalem, more than 100 women shared an emotional Shehechiyanu. Our day in this touchstone city included personal moments of spiritual and emotional importance during visits to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and museum and the Western Wall.
A morning briefing with investigative journalist Ilana Dayan-Orbach, and a lunch meeting with new members of Knesset, helped us learn more about political issues affecting Israelis.
Our Milwaukee group even had a chance to share dinner with some of our community’s former emissaries and other Milwaukee friends in Israel.
A day trek to the Negev was a chance to meet brave women blazing new trails. A visit to Lakiya Weaving introduced us to Bedouin women finding ways to use traditional crafts to create new economic opportunities for themselves and their families.
A stop at an Israel Defense Force air base to meet a young soldier serving as the first female navigator found us climbing up to peek inside the cockpit of her F-16. Even though we couldn’t take any photos of this stop, I will never forget this unique opportunity.
Traveling with the women of JFNA was an experience in and of itself. Working at the Harry & Rose Samson Family JCC, a partnership agency of our Milwaukee Jewish Federation, I think I have a pretty good handle on what the MJF does in our community. But representing JFNA in Israel gave me a much broader picture of what the MJF does around the world.
We went on site visits to social service agencies that receive funds from JFNA, and everywhere people were grateful for the support they receive.
At all of these stops, we could see our Federation dollars in action helping support communities in Israel in the same way that my JCC and other local organizations partner with the MJF to build a strong Milwaukee Jewish community.
One of the best things about making my first trip to Israel on this particular mission was that I got to share it all with an amazing group of women from our community.
They included one relative (my sister-in-law), a handful of my closest friends, women I have known in the community for years but now know a lot better, and a couple of women that I first met through this experience.
The bonds that we created by traveling together on this unique and incredible mission, I believe, are only the beginning to the work we can continue to do together here at home.
I know that this experience will enhance my Jewish communal life for many years to come, and I encourage any woman who would like to see Israel for the first time, or to revisit in a new way, to consider participating in this annual mission.
Julie Lookatch is family engagement and outreach coordinator at the Harry & Rose Samson Family Jewish Community Center.
Loading ...