12 | JUNE 20 • 2024 

L

ong before Oct. 7, I wanted to go on 
the 2024 Yeshivah Beth Yehudah’s 
Partners Detroit moms’ mission to 
Israel. After that tragic day, I was less 
certain. But by February, 
I felt it was imperative to 
go and do my small part 
to show support. As ner-
vous as I was, the thing 
I was most afraid about 
was telling my 81-year-
old mother — figuring 
her anxiety over my safety would keep 
me home. The words she said changed 

everything: “If I was 30 years younger, I 
would be right there with you.” I knew 
then that I had to follow my heart and 
join Partners Detroit on the Dembs 
Mission to Israel.
This was not easy for me. I had no 
close friends going, I had never been 
away that long from my husband, and 
I was taking a leave from work at our 
busiest time of year. What I didn’t real-
ize then is that I would make 40 new 
amazing friends and all the rest would 
fall into place. The theme of our mis-
sion was “faith over fear.” This is my 

story of hope, resilience and faith.
The trip was both heart-wrenching 
and joyful. On the fourth day, we visit-
ed southern Israel, where the terrorists 
attacked on Oct. 7. We toured Kibbutz 
Nir Oz, where one out of every four res-
idents was murdered or taken hostage. 
We also went to the Nova Music Festival 
site, and I could not stop sobbing. In 
every picture of the victims, I saw my 
daughter’s face and those of her friends. 
They are the same age. They would have 
been there. All I wanted to do was go 

Randi Berris

continued on page 14

A memorial to Oct. 7 
victims and hostages at 
the Nova Festival site

OUR COMMUNITY
ON THE COVER