Midreshet HaRova, in conjunction with World Mizrachi, ran a solidarity mission to Israel entitled “Stand Strong for Israel.” Forty participants from Israel, Australia, South Africa, North America and England were based in the Old City’s Jewish Quarter for the November 6-9 mission.
Participants first visited Har Herzl, learning of the annual Yom Hazikaron ceremony for soldiers and civilian victims of terror. They saw the memorial courtyard dating back to 1860, listing every civilian terror victim, and learned that a redesign will now add October 7 victims. Later, the group packed falafel sandwiches for soldiers.
In the following days, they visited Anatot army base near Maale Adumim and then Dead Sea hotels hosting relocated Otef Aza (Gaza Envelope) residents. They met Kibbutz HaData head and Sa’ad resident Sarah Evron, and a family from Kibbutz Kissufim, where 14 people were murdered. After visiting Ashdod’s Yeshivat Hesder, they met mourning families in Yachini and Ofakim.
On the mission’s last day, World Mizrachi Executive Chairman Rabbi Doron Perez, and his wife, Shelley, opened their Yad Binyamin home. Their son Daniel Shimon has been missing since Simchat Torah; another son, Yonatan Zvi, was injured in action that same day, but got married 10 days later. The group’s final stop was Tel Aviv, where they visited families of hostages.
New Rochelle’s Dr. Barry Horowitz, father of SAR graduate and HaRova student Megan Horowitz, explained: “I went for the connection to Eretz Yisrael, the feeling that everyone needs to do something in their own way, to see my daughter, and, as a therapist and trauma specialist, I thought I could help others. Ironically, I ended up being more the taker than helper.”
Horowitz highlighted his most impactful moment, hearing a soldier describe October 7. “He heard something going on. His instinct was something’s not right. He could ‘fight or flight,’ but just went right in, for the entire day, coordinating defense of the town. Asking him afterwards, ‘How did you do that?’ He responded, ‘Ain brera, it’s what we do.’ That message resonated tremendously.”
For potential mission participants, Horowitz advised: “On an emotional level, it’s a once-in-a lifetime experience. There are many ways to help. It galvanized me to remember we all have jobs in this. As a trauma specialist for over 25 years, there were times my heart was in my throat. I thought, as a parent, can my daughter handle this?” Horowitz marveled at his daughter’s transition from a typical high schooler to a grounded, engaged and connected young woman, taking it all in like a real adult. “After three months in Israel, I am incredibly proud of who she is becoming through this.”
Edison resident Michelle Schanzer, HaRova mother of Ma’ayanot graduate Raimee Schanzer, described: “It was amazing being there. At first, I was a little nervous. I wanted to visit Raimee, but maybe they don’t really want me there?”
Schanzer’s memorable moments included meeting a mother whose two sons were killed, who said, “I am one of the lucky ones. I had bodies to bury.” Schanzer also talked about a father and son who died holding each other. The son was always doing tzedaka and volunteering. Before Simchat Torah, he called his mother to bring 20 special-needs children for chag. After another son learned of his father’s and brother’s deaths, he said his brother was such a happy person, “it’s going to take 10 people to put the same amount of happiness into this world. He said, ‘I am depositing 10% with you.’ We should all take upon ourselves to be responsible for 10% of happiness and the good lost by my brother’s death.”
Schanzer also described a mother telling her son to take his gun and run, promising, “I’ll be behind you.” He was injured in the fighting. “She, a 40-year-old running behind him, saw him injured, drove her car into active shooting, dragged her son and two Sherut Leumi girls in and drove to a medical center. She then drove back into the fire to pick up more injured people and did it again.”
Thr group visited Shura IDF base, where remains are identified. “Normally, it’s only soldiers,” said Schanzer. “Because of the sheer number of casualties, half the building is for civilians. In one section of this base, you have the finality of life. In another, you have eternal life, the eternal nature of the Jewish people: the world’s largest aron kodesh.”
Schanzer advised: “Anyone who can go, should go. It’s meaningful to the people we met; it shows we are all in this together. It’s sad and amazing to see everyone’s resilience and strength.
“Everywhere we went, people said, ‘We know you care. You have our back. We have yours. We’re going to get through this together. Am Yisroel Chai’.”
