FEBRUARY 8 • 2024 | 11
J
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ext year in Jerusalem are the time-
honored words we’ll recite at the 
end of our Passover seders this 
April. But Rabbi Simcha Tolwin, 
executive director of Aish HaTorah 
Detroit, can’t keep Israel 
waiting that long. 
Tolwin is preparing 
to lead his second Israel 
Solidarity Mission in 
the coming weeks, a 
humanitarian visit to help 
our beleaguered sisters and 
brothers, details of which 
are highlighted below. 
It would be an understatement to 
say Rabbi Tolwin is proactive. Just 
five weeks after the Oct. 7 attacks, he 
organized Aish Detroit’s first Israel 
Solidarity Mission. 
Aish is a leading global Jewish 
education and activism organization 
headquartered in Jerusalem with 
a presence in over 100 cities in 11 
countries on six continents. Aish 
Detroit is based in the Oak Park-
Huntington Woods area and runs about 
400 Jewish education programs a year.
Aish’s mission says Rabbi Tolwin, “is 
about doing good and connecting Jews 
to Judaism. And that means all Jews, no 
matter your personal affiliation.” 
The doing good has extended to the 
extraordinary missions by Aish during 
Israel’s greatest time of need.
 
INAUGURAL MISSION
The first mission from Nov. 14-19 was 
an ambitious undertaking that ended up 
including volunteers from seven states 
and Toronto. There was no requirement 
to be a member of Aish to participate. 
Approximately 50% of those who signed 
up were non-members and contributed 
to the first trip being a complete sellout. 
This was no ordinary mission that 
American Jews have become accustomed 
to during peace time tourism. The 
itinerary included stops that would 
test the emotional resilience of all who 
participated.

Aish Detroit Mission 
volunteers bring 
hands-on help and 
hope to Israel.

Alan 
Muskovitz
Contributing 
Writer 

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