AUGUST 10 • 2023 | 25

graming included a talk with psychologists Lior Yonai 
and Tammy Goren on how to best support our children 
and a tour of the Isuf Kravi army base for Gedud Zikit at 
Machane Ofer.
But we also had fun! Highlights included Guru Zuzu 
(silent dancing) through the Dizengoff Center Mall in Tel 
Aviv, a visit to the Ethiopian Heritage Center, mindfulness 
exercises on a Tzfat rooftop, a musical desert experience 
where we celebrated some women receiving a Jewish 
name for the first time and, of course, visiting the Kotel. 
Everywhere we went, we were received with so much 
love and appreciation. When locals learned we were a 
group of moms of Lone Soldiers from around the world, 
many had tears in their eyes and emotionally told us how 
much they appreciated us and our sacrifice. They have to 
do this, but we don’t, and our kids are right there on the 
front lines with theirs. 
Israel, I’ve learned, is a place where you’ll make random 
connections that are not really so random. On Day Three, 
we explored the mystical city of Tzfat. At one point, I 
was in artist Avraham Loewenthal’s studio, admiring his 
unusual tekiyah (Shofar blows) artwork. 
I decided to purchase a small piece for my friends who 
were looking after my three younger kids back home. As 
Avraham packaged the artwork, we chatted and I quickly 
learned he was from Detroit. It’s always such fun to ran-
domly discover a fellow Detroiter when you’re thousands 
of miles away! 
“Which school did you go to?” I asked him. 
“
Akiva, now Farber.
”
Eager to find a common connection, I tried to think 
who I knew at Akiva/Farber 30 years ago (not so easy, 
since I wasn’t even in Detroit yet then myself!) Finally, I 
asked, “Did you know Rabbi Eliezer Cohen?”
Avraham lit up. “Of course! He tutored me!”

continued on page 26

Rochel happened to 
meet former Detroiter 
Avraham Loewenthal at 
his art studio in Tzfat.

Rochel was met at the 
airport by her son’s 
host mom, Leah Torem, 
and then met her son 
Natanel in Tel Aviv. 

The Momentum moms 
with their T-shirts and 
berets in Jerusalem

The mothers are 
reunited with their 
Lone Soldiers. 

