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10 | JUNE 20 • 2024
J
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standing up in a way that the people of
Nir Oz could not, announcing boldly
and defiantly that Am Yisrael Chai, and
we will stand vigil until the time when
you can finally return home, and the
healing process can begin.
After several other difficult stops,
including the Nova Festival site and a
“car graveyard,” our day ended at an
army base where 60 young women live,
work and train together. We spent the
evening getting to know these brave sol-
diers, helping them set aside their fright-
ening reality, if just for a few hours.
It’s easy to forget how young these
heroes are, 18-22 year-olds who are (or
will be) risking their lives, not only out
of duty, but also because they feel so
strongly about the State of Israel that
they are willing to put their lives on the
line for it. These are some of the tough-
est women I have ever met. However,
they spoke to us openly and animated-
ly, sharing their fears and the trauma
they’ve experienced in the last eight
months. At the end of the evening, there
were hugs and tears as we said our fare-
wells. We brought them much needed
joy, and they did the same for us in turn.
The world has changed since Oct. 7.
My world has changed. But I didn’t know
quite how much until this experience.
During my 10 days in Israel, I met some
of the country’s greatest heroes, men and
women literally putting themselves in
harm’s way to protect our homeland and
their fellow humans. I spoke to the fami-
lies of hostages and fallen soldiers whose
tangible grief is itself a living, breathing
entity. I sat with injured soldiers and lis-
tened to their stories, knowing full well
that even once their bodies have healed,
their minds will still have a long, hard
road ahead.
I felt conflicted about my love and
loyalty for my surrogate country coupled
with my intense sadness about the ongo-
ing humanitarian crisis that is devastating
the people of Gaza mere miles away. I
cried. A lot. I met 40 incredible women,
and our shared experience will bond us
together forever.
Our collective job now is to synthe-
size this experience in a way that we can
share, not just in our own community,
but beyond it. It’s important that people
across all ends of the social and political
spectrum know what happened there
last fall, and that in spite of the evil, we
are not victims, but survivors. As one of
our speakers, Ilana Cowland, said, it is
our responsibility to be ambassadors for
strength and goodness in our homeland.
“Don’t let the loud mosquitoes make
more noise than the sleeping lion,” she
said. “Roar really loud.”
Every day we have a choice about how
we view and react to the world around
us. Ryan Dembs taught us that. A loving
husband, father, brother and son, Ryan
was a faithful Zionist who wore his faith
proudly but privately. I didn’t know Ryan
personally, but he has made an indelible
impact on my life, and I’m grateful to him
and his family for their love, generosity
and, most importantly, their faith in the
fact that 41 Zionist lionesses, in the face
of fear, would roar.
Marni Raitt is the Executive Director at the Detroit
Jewish News Foundation.
Mission participants at the Kotel in Jerusalem
ON BEHALF OF THE
JEWISH FEDERATION,
WE WANT TO THANK OUR
SUPPORTERS FOR MAKING
OUR 2024 ANNUAL
CAMPAIGN A SUCCESS.
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connected community. Whether it’s helping families in need,
supporting our fellow Jews in Israel, or funding educational and
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Thanks to all of you who donated, volunteered and participated
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TODAH
RABAH!
OUR COMMUNITY
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