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Rahat, the Arab Bedouin city in 
southern Israel, where they sat 
and listened to the Bedouin and 
heard their stories. 
Another stop was visiting 
Kibbutz Kfar Aza, where the 
rabbis witnessed the remnants 
of the massive devastation and 
horror of Oct. 7. 
They also went to the site of 
the Nova Music Festival massa-
cre and Kikar HaHatufim, the 
hostage square. 
“The experience was over-
whelming but incredibly 
important,
” Rabbi Loss said. 
“
As much as you hear the sto-
ries, until you stand there and 
become aware of what hap-
pened, it sometimes feels a bit 
distant. When you’re there, you 
know what happened in a very 
direct way.
”
Since their return, the rabbis 

have had opportunities to share 
their experiences — what they 
witnessed and heard on the 
trip — with their communities. 
An important aspect of that is 
spreading the message plastered 
everywhere in Israel right now, 
reflecting Israeli society’s sin-
gular focus: Bring the hostages 
home. 
“That was part of this, the 
opportunity to come back and 
make sure this still is front- 
page news for people,
” Rabbi 
Schwartz said. “There are 134 
hostages still being held in Gaza. 
We want to make sure it’s part 
of daily conversations, that we’re 
still working to bring the hostag-
es home.
” 
Rabbi Schwartz, reflecting on 
the trip, says he’s amazed by the 
resilience and unity of the Israeli 
people. 

“From the wounded soldiers, 
to survivors of the music festival, 
to the Bedouin community, it 
was one story after another of 
bravery, love and making sure 
nobody was left behind,
” he said. 
 
While the trip was solemn 
in many respects, Rabbi 
Rubenstein says meeting with 
wounded soldiers who were 
making strides in their recov-
ery process gave him a feeling 
of hope.
 “Their sense of a future is so 
strong you can’t not feel hope 
and determination,” he said. 
As part of the trip, each of 
the rabbis made a donation to 
those in Israel on behalf of their 
congregations. The donations 
were in the form of massive 
duffel bags filled with goods and 
supplies needed by IDF soldiers, 
including long underwear, socks, 

hats, sleeping bags and more. 
Some donated supplies also 
went to evacuees living in hotels. 
While the tangible things 
brought by the rabbis were 
important, Rabbi Kantor says 
even more important was the 
emotional and psychological 
support they brought there and 
then brought back for their 
communities at home. 
“To be able to come back and 
to relate those stories in a way 
that is intimate and real is very 
powerful,
” he said. 
Many of the rabbis are already 
making plans for their next trip 
to Israel, and stress the need for 
volunteers there right now. 
“If people can make it, they 
should go,
” Rabbi Loss said. 
“These opportunities are 
important. The impact of our 
presence is significant.
” 

Entire mission group

Across construction sites and blank walls
everywhere are calls to bring the hostages home.

Rabbi Kantor on his 
way to the airport 
with two full
duffle bags of
donations

Rabbi Schwartz 
dropping off 
donated supplies 
to Israeli evacuees 
staying in hotels

Detroit rabbis meet with an Israeli soldier wounded in 
Gaza who was going through rehab at a Tel Aviv hospital.

