Yeshiva Beth Yehudah Special Edition NOVEMBER 3 • 2024 | 21
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Torahs, the rabbi in charge, a 
70-year-old Kohein who served 
on the front lines during the 1973 
Yom Kippur war, shared with 
pride the work they do to pro-
tect the scrolls, many of which 
get sent in the field with troops. 
Before we left, he bestowed on 
us the Priestly Blessing as we all 
cried once again. 
The whole experience on the 
base felt symbolic to me. I left 
thinking of Shura as not a place 
of death, but one of hope, resil-
ience and faith. We ended our 
visit with words of Torah, the 
Tree of Life. Just as these words 
have survived for millennia, so, 
too, have the Jewish people.
Walking on the soil of Eretz 
Yisrael, breathing the air of our 
ancestors, lifted me up spiritually 
and deepened my faith. I contin-
ue to reflect on all that we experi-
enced during our 10-day mission. 
In moments that are especially 
hard and make me sad and angry, 
I try to focus on the good: danc-
ing and singing with Jews from 
around the world at the Kotel as 
we ushered in Shabbat; eating 
falafel in Tzfat; buying Judaica 
in the Old City; and slathering 
on mud at the Dead Sea. Most 
of all, I think of the gratitude of 
the Israelis who time and again 
thanked us for just being there. 
From the bottom of my heart, 
thank you to Partners Detroit, 
the Dembs and Lesson families 
who sponsored our mission, and 
to all the incredible women who 
shared this life-changing jour-
ney with me. I pray for a lasting 
peace and for all of the hostages 
to come home so that our home-
land can continue to flourish, 
and the eyes of the world recog-
nize the value of Israel and all 
who inhabit our land. Am Yisrael 
Chai! 

Randi Berris and her family are members 

of Congregation B’nai Moshe in West 

Bloomfield. She lives in Bloomfield Hills 

with her husband and daughter. This was 

her second visit to Israel, the first was in 

1987 for her brother’s bar mitzvah.

Mission 
participants 
at Caesarea

LEFT: Debra 
Walter (left) and 
Lauren Dembs 
Lesson at Michaeli 
Organic Farm.

RIGHT: A prayer 
at Kibbutz Nir Oz.

Susan Kessler 
(left), Sara Aliza 
Scheinberg and 
Soozan Mendel

Dassie Bausk and 
Andrea Reid

