24 | APRIL 6 • 2023 

it and continued to be impressed by 
every food item he tried, filling up his 
plate with small tastes of everything 
whenever meals were served buffet-style. 
Brooke wasn’t a big fan of some of the 
new foods, but she made an effort the 
entire trip to go out of her comfort zone 
and try as many new things as she could. 
She was excited when she loved some-
thing new, which included fresh juice, 
duck, pickled carrots and fresh dates. 
Other travelers on the trip warned her 
that the dates back at home wouldn’t be 
nearly as good! 

Marty Abrin and Ilene Silverman-
Abrin were also on the Mission trip to 
Israel and were celebrating their 40th 
anniversary. The Abrin’s made connec-
tions with both Brooke and Jonathan, 
who were on their bus. “It really warmed 
my heart to see how much they were get-
ting out of the trip and enjoying them-
selves,” said Silverman-Abrin. “It brought 
a special feeling to me to have them with 
us.” The couple, whose nephew also has 
special needs, shared how heartwarming 
it was to see everyone welcome Brooke 
and Jonathan into their lives.

Brooke and Jonathan both enjoyed 
looking at the variety of artwork and 
knickknacks in different shops at the 

markets they visited as they toured 
Jerusalem. There were local artists 
from the region at Kibbutz Sarid, where 
Brooke and Jonathan both found gifts for 
loved ones at home. During the entire 
trip, Jonathan was dedicated to finding 
gifts for his JARC home staff members 
and for his beloved, long-term house-
mate, Richard. It was in the Old City that 
he found a beautiful kippah for Richard 
and bought a matching one for himself.

Gottlieb said, “People loved having 
Jonathan around throughout the trip 
and shared with us that seeing him smile 
meant more to them than seeing some-
one else smile. They were so happy and 
impressed that he was able to come on 
the trip.” 

Woodside and Gottlieb shared that 
the most meaningful experience for 
both Brooke and Jonathan was seeing 
and experiencing the Western Wall. 
Both Brooke and Jonathan took time 
to write prayers and find a spot in the 
Wall to place them. The experience was 
meaningful for many, but especially 
so when Jonathan shared his personal 
prayer with Jacob: “I hope things will be 
better.” 
While everyone else was walking 
around the Western Wall, Jonathan just 

wanted to sit and observe the many peo-
ple around him and soak it all in. Right 
before they were going to leave, Jonathan 
went back and touched the Western Wall 
just one last time.
“Having Brooke and Jonathan on our 
bus was so special, and they made our 
bus that much better. Everyone was 
happy to see them be happy and to be 
enjoying the experience as much as the 
rest of us,” said David Glass, who was 
the captain of their bus. “I didn’t see 
them as anything other than Brooke and 
Jonathan. Their disabilities didn’t make 
any difference.” 

FEARS OVERCOME
Another of the many significant sites 
the JARC group visited was an import-
ant symbol of Jewish heroism and 
sacrifice, the Masada. While everyone 
loved the ride to the top of the moun-
tain on the cable car, it was especially 
significant for Brooke. It was here that 
Brooke overcame her fear of heights, as 
she was determined not to miss out on 
anything. This cable car experience was 
a breakthrough for her as the Masada 
cableway is an aerial tramway that goes 
approximately 300 meters high. Brooke 
was in awe as they traveled to the top, 

JOHN AISEN

JARC STAFF

Brooke is all 
smiles as she 
enjoys herself in 
the Dead Sea.

Jonathan 
touching the 
Western Wall

OUR COMMUNITY

continued from page 22

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