January 31, 2024

The Greensboro Israel Solidarity Mission is halfway over and it’s been a whirlwind couple of days.

Our delegation of 16 has spent the last two days immersed in the current reality of life in Israel, hearing from individuals representing multiple organizations and perspectives.

Upon arrival, we were met with posters of hostages – 136 women, men, children, elderly – still held in Gaza. It was an immediate and stark reminder of the October 7 attack and the reality that for Israelis, life remains paused on this terrible day. Much of our first day was dedicated to the hostages. We visited Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, where we encountered multiple pieces of public artwork showcasing the longing, sadness and anger felt by loved ones who still await the return of their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, daughters, sons, grandchildren, grandparents, and friends. We heard from Sharon, a resident of a kibbutz in the Gaza envelope, about her experience that day and about her brother-in-law Ofer who is still being held in Gaza. We also visited the Hostages Family Forum and learned about their efforts to #BringThemHomeNow.

In addition, we spent time at the headquarters of Brothers and Sisters for Israel, a massive civilian mobilization effort created in the aftermath of October 7 to support the dynamic needs of the citizens of Israel. The individuals who established Brothers and Sisters for Israel had dedicated months of their lives to the protest movement that dominated much of life in Israel in 2023. These incredible Israelis completely shifted focus and unified thousands and thousands of people (today, there are 12,000+ individuals volunteering daily to support multiple efforts around the State of Israel), to provide a wide variety of programs and services.

On the second day of our mission, we learned about the vital work of JFNA in Israel during “normal” times and in the aftermath of October 7. Our dedication to and support of Israel and Overseas partners and initiatives through our Annual Campaign allocations process is more important than ever. We also visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and spoke with two diplomats, one of whom is an Israel Muslim who shared her perspective and hopes about the future of Israeli Arabs in an inclusive society.

Later in the day, we visited the United Hatzalah headquarters and learned about the critical work of civilian volunteers to ensure emergency response is never more than 90 seconds away and met with a Member of Knesset from Sderot who shared her harrowing personal story from October 7.

In the evening, we learned about our hotel’s efforts to support displaced Israelis who have been living in our hotel for the last four months and will likely be here for the next two-six months. These guests are amongst 218,000 internally displaced Israelis from the Gaza envelope and the North. 

I’ll look forward to sharing another update after the conclusion of our solidarity mission and sharing how you can learn more about our experiences and the ways our community can support Israel and Israelis in the coming months. Am Yisrael Chai!

L’Shalom,

Glenda Bernhardt

Chief Executive Officer