By Gedaliah Borvick
JERUSALEM — We just completed an extraordinary trip to New York and New Jersey, where we introduced two exceptional projects in emerging neighborhoods in Jerusalem.
From the outset, we knew this trip would be unlike anything we had ever experienced. Just days before we left, tragedy struck: my partner, Eliezer Goldberg, unfortunately lost his brother, Rav Avi Goldberg, who was killed in Lebanon, Al Kiddush Hashem, while protecting Am Yisrael. Rav Avi was a remarkable teacher and role model who embodied Torah values and had a profound love for all Jews, always seeking the good in everyone. When I suggested postponing the trip, which was scheduled to begin immediately after Eliezer rose from shiva, he adamantly refused. He felt a deep obligation to continue his brother’s legacy of strengthening the bond between Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael.
This sense of purpose set the tone for what became a remarkable journey.
The next sign of the trip’s significance came when I received a phone call from the president of the Young Israel of Staten Island, who informed me that Palestinian supporters planned to demonstrate outside the shul during our event. When I offered to cancel, he firmly declined and explained that the shul’s leadership decided to run a gathering to “express our unwavering support for Israel and our gratitude to the United States.”
The rally drew 500 Jews proudly waving Israeli and US flags, singing songs of hope and unity, drowning out the 50 or so Palestinian demonstrators’ angry and off-putting chants against Israel, Jews and Americans. Eliezer Goldberg shared stories of Rav Avi’s values and life mission and then the cantor led prayers in memory of Rav Avi and for the safety of the IDF. It was a deeply moving evening, setting the stage for what followed.
On Thursday night in Bergenfield, a similar scene unfolded. Again, about 50 protesters gathered, but they were met with hundreds from the Bergenfield and Teaneck Jewish community. The rally turned into a joyful block party, complete with Israeli and American flags, spirited music, kugel, and heartfelt words from Eliezer Goldberg and Rabbi Zev Goldberg. The sense of unity was palpable.
Our final stop was in West Orange, where the community once again rallied to stand with Israel. Replete with hot dogs, kugel, singing, words of inspiration from Eliezer and Rabbi Marc Spivak, the crowd rose with pride to celebrate Israeli and American values.
This time, the crowd was bolstered by a large delegation of Christian Zionists from the Philos Project. Their presence was profoundly moving, a reminder that we are not alone in this fight. Their message of solidarity resonated deeply: millions of Christian Zionists stand shoulder to shoulder with us in unwavering support of Israel and Judeo-Christian values.
Although the Jewish community is experiencing an unprecedented onslaught of global antisemitism, the Jewish nation is strong. After 2,000 years in exile, we have returned to our ancestral homeland, where King David established Jerusalem as our capital and his son King Solomon built the first Temple.
The Almighty has blessed our generation, allowing Israel to flourish once again under Jewish sovereignty. We have an extraordinary opportunity – one that previous generations could only dream of – to continue building our nation with unity, exalted values, and hope for the future.
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Gedaliah Borvick is the founder of My Israel Home (www.myisraelhome.com), a real estate agency focused on helping people from abroad buy and sell homes in Israel.