Bear Witness

February 21, 2024

I appreciate listening to experiences that shape how people think, feel, and behave. 

I value seeing the images of what I hear, though understandably, that's not always possible. In those instances, my brain creates its own visual depictions. 

And when I have the opportunity to combine listening and seeing, I am more likely to replace judgmental and disagreeing thoughts with objectivity, empathy, and curiosity. 

This process is not by design. It's not deliberate. It's just how my brain works. Sometimes, it's enough to quench my thirst for details; other times, it becomes the catalyst for wanting more – for my wanting to bear witness and see something with my own two eyes and listen with my own two ears. 

And that's just what I did. 

I went to Israel on a Solidarity Mission Trip with Temple Emanu-El of Westfield, New Jersey. For three and a half days, from January 28 - February 1, 2024, I saw and heard that which I cannot unsee nor unhear. It was powerful. It was emotional. It was, for me, necessary. 

I needed to bear witness. I needed to see the devastation and hear the heartbreaking stories firsthand. 

I needed to go to Hostage Square, where I wiped away my tears and caught my breath after a long hug with Eyal Eshel, the father of 19-year-old Sgt. Roni Eshel. I needed to hear him tell us about every parent's worst nightmare – about his month of waiting to learn that his daughter was not a hostage but rather killed on October 7.

I needed to go to Kibbutz Be'eri where I stood less than three kilometers from Gaza. I saw the sky from the burned and roofless living rooms, the charred walls and appliances, ash-ridden floors and staircases, and burned pictures hanging on the refrigerators. I needed to see the white walls of the safe rooms that thankfully protected the families in both homes I toured. I needed to see the banners strewn across the burned homes with pictures of those killed and kidnapped. 

I needed to go to Ofakim, a city where the IDF did not arrive on October 7. I needed to learn about Ronit, a cop who was murdered, from his older sister. I needed to listen to Itamar, also a cop and indisputable hero, recount his remarkable story, including being shot at – but not shot – more times than he could recall. 

I needed to go to the site of the Nova Music Festival – to see the trees planted in memory of everyone killed and kidnapped. I needed to see the photographs of their faces on wooden posts where they were joyfully dancing, where so many young adults – civilians and IDF soldiers – were standing to feel closer to the friends they now mourn.

I went to bear witness. 

I needed to see the gut-wrenching video footage from GoPro cameras worn by Hamas and pictures far too graphic to describe here.

I needed to see missiles brought back from Gaza and two motorcycles driven by Hamas when they forced their way into Israel. 

I needed to have dinner with a soldier who shared his experiences of spending 50 days in Gaza. 

I needed to meet Karen, a 22-year-old lieutenant who manages Human Resources for her battalion, and her mother,  who talked about concerns for her daughter’s overall safety.

I needed to feel the inspiration of the A-Team, a volunteer group formed immediately after October 7 to support the soldiers, including making 15,000 meals daily and having shower and laundry facilities and massage therapists. 

I needed to meet Sara, an A-Team volunteer who said she feels solace when helping other IDF soldiers as she worries about her soldiers – her two sons. 

I needed to plant fennel at Moshav Gilad and meet Adit, a third-generation family farmer who recently returned from serving, and hear how challenging it has been to keep up with farming when so many of their farmers are IDF reservists currently serving in the war. 

I needed to learn about Natal, a non-profit organization specializing in trauma and resiliency, and United Hatzalah, a community-based emergency response program providing medical care within 90 seconds of calling Israel's version of 911. 

I went to bear witness. It's what I did. It was hard.  

May the days ahead include freed hostages. May everyone's blessed memories never be forgotten. May everyone experience joyous hugs and happy tears. May the far too many Trees of Life recently planted at the Nova Music Festival site grow tall and continuously bloom. May every soldier arrive home safely. And may Israel's continual fight to exist come to an end. 

Three and a half days in Israel for a Solidarity Mission Trip provided ample opportunities to hear and see. It was sometimes challenging to be objective, but I had no issues with curiosity and empathy. Most of all, this mission allowed me to achieve what motivated me to participate in the first place – to bear witness.