Sinai Trip to Israel: Amplifying Strength & Resilience

Reflections from Dale Bearman

The trip officially started on the rooftop of the Carlton Hotel at 5:30 pm  The group arrived using a multitude of travel pathways. Some had been here for several days, visiting with family and friends. Fantastic views of Tel Aviv skyline and the Mediterranean coast made the L’Chayim and Shehekianu a great start to the trip. Rabbi Natan Trief shared a poem from an Israeli poet that beautifully framed the purpose of the trip.

We are not here simply as tourists but as visitors seeking to understand and support the incredibly resilient people of Israel as they work to rebuild their lives following the tragic aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 10-7-23. After sharing a meal during which we got to know each other a bit, hearing from our guide Yoav Rotem, and enjoying the incredibly clear views of this beautiful city, we turned in early to get some rest after our travels. Everyone is excited to have this very special opportunity to learn, share, support Israel, and gain an understanding of how our lives, security, and future are inseparable from Israel’s people and society.

After a massive breakfast buffet at The Carlton, we met for a lecture from Eran Shamir-Borer. He is an attorney with a PhD in International Law. The largest portion of his professional career has been spent in the IDF as a legal attaché on the team of attorneys representing the State of Israel at the International Court in The Hague as well as representing Israel to multiple foreign governments’ diplomatic services. He gave us a fascinating discussion of the legal basis and challenges of the conflict in Gaza, along with legal activities which are ongoing at The Hague. The legal principles governing combatants and the frustration stemming from the non-state status of the Palestinians were reviewed. Evidence of the use of civilian institutions (hospitals, U.N. Agency facilities, etc) as military participants was presented.   Eran was a great speaker whose passion for Israel was clear.  It stimulated a lively discussion and the group didn’t want it to end.  

We then went to the Carmel market for a taste of the sights, sounds, and smells of the shuk. We regrouped after lunch for a trip to an industrial/warehouse/workshop area for an exploration of graffiti art. Our guide for this was Maya Yehezkel, whose impassioned explanations of the graffiti installations were fantastic. Since October 7th, there has been a commonality of themes for the pieces and Maya used the artist’s feelings to educate us on the events, the heroic actions of so many of the victims, and the societal frustrations of continued conflicts. She told their stories through the art and we all felt overwhelmed by the insights she provided.  

Left early today for the drive south to explore and understand more about the 10-7th attack on the communities surrounding the Gaza Strip. First stop was the city of Sderot, which has been a perpetual target for rocket attacks from Gaza for a couple of decades based on its proximity to Gaza. The number of shelters was overwhelming. These are separate from the shelters built into individual homes. We learned about how they help protect in case of a rocket attack, but did nothing for a terrorist attack where they actually trap victims inside.  

We next visited the site of the Sderot police station battle, where Yoav beautifully explained the monument and its symbolism, which now sits on the site. After that, we climbed a small hill for a look at the Gaza security fence and a view of Gaza. Leaving Sderot, we stopped for a visit to a private memorial to the female military “listeners” whose warnings, unfortunately, went unheard on October 7.  

Our next stop was at the Re’im Forest, a JNF project, unfortunately, now engraved in our thoughts as the site of the Nova Music Festival, where so many lost their lives or were taken as hostages at the hands of Hamas terrorists in the early morning of October 7th, 2023. The site tastefully presents itself, honors the fallen and provides a quiet forest for reflection. Members of the group presented brief discussions about the lives of a few of the victims, and we held a short memorial service in their honor. Our driver, Benny, told us of his experience on 10-7 while trying to deliver Israeli troops to the area and he retold the horrific scene on highway 232, where the road was littered with destroyed vehicles and dead bodies of those ambushed trying to leave the Music Festival.

Following a brief stop, we visited the car cemetery where the thousands of burnt-out cars have been assembled as a lasting memorial. Seeing the vehicles used by those martyred and depicted in yesterday’s graffiti tour gave the stories a very tangible context.  The day ended with a visit to Kibbutz Be’eri where Nieve Higgins gave us a tour of a destroyed neighborhood, where we witnessed the utter destruction of lives and property in the kibbutz which is in extremely close proximity to the Gaza fence and was one of the most heavily attacked of the Gaza Envelope’s kibbutzim.

We witnessed what a safe room looked like and, as is the case with the public rocket shelters, provided no protection from terrorist invasion. The solution to future security is not in building safer protections but in prevention of future attacks. Only through a transparent assessment of the failures leading to October 7th can this be accomplished. As shocking as the destruction appears, the hope for a thriving future in this community was clear from Nieve’s spirit and optimism. Temple Sinai and others have formed relationships with Be’eri and certainly other kibbutzim have done similarly. This is at least one way that we as American Jews can help with the rebuilding effort to bring these vibrant communities back, even better than before.