Special Report
ON THE COVER/FEDERATION'S FAMILY MISSION
Connecting With Israel
Detroiters on family mission express solidarity with embattled nation.
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Eileen Sherman of Birmingham at the Armored Corps Museum in Latrun: "I was transformed the moment I put my hand on the wall of the fallen soldiers ...
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Rabbi Joseph H. Krakoff
Special to the Jewish News
M
asses of excited people, many
representing several generations
within their families, arrived
early for a 3 p.m. special El Al charter flight
from Detroit Metropolitan Airport to Ben-
Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv.
It is an exceptionally rare occurrence to
see that beautiful blue and white airplane
with the Star of David on its tail sitting on
the tarmac in Detroit.
Close to 400 people had signed up more
than a year ago to be part of the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's Family
Mission, an opportunity to explore Israel
together for 10 days from Dec. 25-Jan. 4.
Once airborne, we recited Tefillat
HaDerech (the traveler's prayer) and adjust-
ed our watches to reflect that Israel is seven
hours ahead of Detroit. This meant it was
no longer 3 p.m., but 10 p.m., and it was
suddenly the fifth night of Chanukah.
Rabbis Eric Yanoff of Congregation
Shaarey Zedek of Oakland County and
Joshua Bennett of Temple Israel in West
Bloomfield began our Chanukah celebra-
tion at 35,000 feet by taking the battery-
operated menorah from cabin to cabin,
giving everyone the opportunity to chant
the blessings.
Next came sleep for those who could
manage it during the long flight. Soon the
sun was rising on a new day in the Middle
East.
After getting our luggage, our first stop
was Beit Guvrin, where we dug in and
explored underground caves that dated
back to the time of the Phoenicians. Parents
and grandparents not only encouraged
their children to get dirty, but they also
enjoyed getting dirty themselves. To be
fair, this was not true dirt. It was holy earth
in caves that served as storerooms, burial
crypts and safe havens during the times of
the Jewish hero Bar Kochba's revolt against
the Romans.
To connect with the Land of Israel in
such a direct way right off the plane helped
us to feel deeply connected to our ancestors
from the very first moment. With a chisel
in one hand and a bucket in the other, we
actually found pottery from the days of the
Maccabees. This could not have created a
more perfect connection to the holiday of
Chanukah.
After settling in at the hotel in Tel Aviv,
it was time for Shabbat. Rabbis Michael
Moskowitz of Temple Shir Shalom in
West Bloomfield, Paul Yedwab and Joshua
Bennett of Temple Israel, Eric Yanoff and I,
along with cantorial soloist Neil Michaels
of Temple Israel, led a rousing Kabbalat
Shabbat where candles for the sixth night of
Chanukah and Shabbat were kindled.
Bombing In Gaza
At our post-Shabbat celebration, we heard
the sobering news that a war was on the
horizon. Around 11 a.m. Shabbat morn-
ing, Israel had begun bombing Gaza after
months of sustaining rocket attacks and
after Hamas broke what was supposed to
be an agreed-upon cease-fire.
Perhaps it was best said by the Jerusalem
Post: "A llamas spokesman made Israel the
following proposal: You keep the stream of
humanitarian aid and supplies flowing into
Gaza, and we will keep launching rockets
and mortars at Israeli civilians."
Ironically, we had a briefing already
planned for Sunday morning on the current
mood of the country with Israeli journalist
Alon Ben-David, who spoke in his presenta-
tion about the need for Israel to be strong
and to show in a serious way that they had
had enough.
Connecting on page A20
January 8 2009
A19