The Moods in Israel: Despair and Resilience

I met with many members of the Western Galilee Now consortium. I can’t begin to tell you how grateful they are for our help keeping their small business alive during the past 9+ months — with our outright purchases, use of their products, and our Soldier Packages. Here’s a letter I received from Tamara Herbs:

“Thank you for the exciting meeting with you and what you represent. It warms my heart to know that there are people who still believe in us and in our place here. Somehow you restored my faith that this is not the end of this place.

“Since October I have gone through so many new emotions and feelings, from feeling that I really don’t have another home to unbearable thoughts that we have no chance here neither from outside nor from within. It’s like on one hand desperation threatens all the time to take over, and on the other hand the insistence of bringing light all the time. What I felt in our meeting is that you brought some fresh air, showed us the light, and the spirit and vision you manage to create and the possibilities for us all is simply overwhelming and inspiring and, in a strange way, promotes faith in me.

“Looking forward to our next meeting.”
Wow.

Re’im (which means friends in Hebrew) is a secular kibbutz. On October 7, more than 100 armed terrorists infiltrated the kibbutz. Six members of the kibbutz’s civil defense team fought to protect all the residents. Seven people were killed on the kibbutz and right next door in the Reim Forest, 364 people were killed at the Nova Music Festival and many were taken hostage.

The Re’im survivors relocated to Eilat for 10 weeks and then moved to Tel Aviv. We’ve met with the kibbutz leaders several times, and at last week’s meeting they turned to me and said: “We are coming back, but we need your help.” I have to say the determination amidst the destruction, and the hope and resilience they show, is nothing short of awe-inspiring. They will be receiving money from the government but there is a $7 million gap between what they need to entice people to move home and what they will get. We committed to bridging that gap, and I hope you will help. We need to be their light.

Our Build Together plan includes construction of a world-class Regional Sports Complex in the Israel Envelope. More than just a facility, it is a statement that says: “We stand with our friends in the region,” and it shows our enemies that we are here to stay. It will be a real game changer for quality of life in the area, providing physical education, sports leagues, recreational activities, and resilience programs to area students and families. It will bring strength through cheering crowds, spirit, physical activity, and more. Beyond the recreational value of the complex, the facility will be an educational tool to help children and adults alike develop skills such as teamwork, self-confidence, and athleticism, as well as provide an outlet to relieve stress. The center, which will be named in memory of the regional mayor Ofir Libstein who was murdered on October 7, will also attract tourists, provide jobs, and become a beacon of hope for the region.

Next week we will be issuing an RFP for the construction. In our meeting last week, the residents turned to me and said, “we would never have thought this big. Thank you.”

A few weeks after October 7, 142 12^th graders from the Israel Envelope banded together, found a vacant boarding school in Ein Gedi and moved in for the year, living together and using the curriculum the Education Ministry sent them. When I met with them last week, they said that it saved their lives: “We would have been so screwed up had we not done this,” were their words.

One girl told me that she was trapped in her home on October 7 for eight hours lying next to three dead terrorists, waiting to be rescued and giving her sister CPR. There are no words, but these kids were smiling at me as they spoke of their plans. Now, 28 of them have delayed their army service for a year and are staying in the region to help with the rebuilding efforts. These young people rose above their friends and families murdered, taken hostage, hurt… and here they were thinking positively about tomorrow. Heroes to a person.

They are making a movie about their lives since that horrible day, and we are going to put it on IZZY TV. Watch for it. In the meantime, they need $300,000 to fund their year of service and $500,000 to renovate the space they’ll be housed in.

For the first time in the Galilee, its residents have developed a cross-political, civil lobby that unites communities from the Western and Eastern Galilee, the Golan Heights, cities, kibbutzim, and moshavim—all working together for the common goal of restoring security to the Galilee. Called Lobby 1701, it was established in response to their demand from the Israeli government and the international community to enforce UN Resolution 1701, which calls for a demilitarized zone free of Hezbollah from the Lebanon border to the Litani River, 25 km deep into Lebanon, through either diplomatic means or a proactive military campaign. We are working with them as it is clear that we MUST build a secure and prosperous future for the Galilee.

The group is currently focused on creating the conditions to alter the security situation and on shaping the future of the Galilee in terms of civil, economic, and social aspects for the day after. They need $500,000 for meetings, PR, events, and daily life.

For all these initiatives, please visit jnf.org/supportisrael to donate.

I am thrilled that momentum continues to grow around our $350 million World Zionist Village, with the leading Israeli architecture firm, HQ Architects appointed to design the visionary project.

The World Zionist Village will be a global gathering place that educates and enhances the connection and values in Zionism across cultures and generations, fostering a new conversation on shared values and common destiny. Never before has it been so important to educate, to converse, to excite, about the true meaning of Zionism – its beauty and its place in the world. The Village will also feature the Southern campus of the Alexander Muss High School in Israel, which is expected to welcome 5,000 students annually in the coming years.

The Israeli-based design firm’s spotlight projects include Sheba Medical Complex; The Negev Desert City; Jaffa Gateway; HaMaon Complex; Jerusalem Hall of Justice; Jerusalem Academy for Music and Dance: the Ari Kushner Building; Bezalel Academy of the Arts – new campus design; Tennis Center Jerusalem; Sharona Tower; Fein 1 Central; and more.

Erez Ella, the founder and CEO told me he is thrilled to be working on the project. “We strive to design the World Zionist Village to be a groundbreaking learning lab of technological innovation and climatic resilience that offers academic excellence and exciting learning opportunities, in addition to being a hub of inspirational discourse on the future of Zionism.”

As an Israeli firm, HQ Architects is uniquely positioned to design a project that captures the essence of the founding fathers of modern Israel. This project does not merely pay homage to the historic idea of Zionism; rather, it celebrates the creation of a sovereign nation, serving as a guiding light behind Israel’s success and community-driven innovative spirit. Stay tuned as more details develop.

Oh, and if you haven’t registered for our Global Conference for Israel, what are you waiting for? It is shaping up to be THE place for Zionists to be. Register at jnf.org/global.