Between the 26th-28th of March 2024, Jewish ERGs, with the help of our friends at TechTribe set out on their first Solidarity Mission to Israel. 10 members of their workplace’s Jewish ERG (Including Google, Amazon, Bloomberg and CFC) toured Israel, visiting those impacted by October 7th, volunteering and bearing witness to the horrific acts of terrorism that took place last October.
Day 1
The trip began with breakfast at Linkedin’s office where the group got to meet with employees of LinkedIn in Israel and enjoy a hearty Israeli breakfast to start the day. From Linkedin, the group visited Sheba Hospital where they met with a number of incredible and inspiring soldiers in the rehabilitation centre having lost a limb in the war. The group were surprised and impressed with the positive attitude of the soldiers, many of whom were able to show videos of how they got their injuries due to Hamas’s use of GoPro cameras.
The group at LinkedIn Israel.
One particularly inspiring soldier, Igor, who was missing a leg, told the group he didn’t deem himself to be disabled and that disability was all in the mind. He then shared with us his Tiktok where he’d won a number of skipping competitions against people with both legs.
Follow Igor on Tiktok here
Already inspired, the group visited Wix to hear from Michal Sarig-Kaduri about not only how she leads the Israel Growth Forum, but also how she sprang into action on October 7th, connecting those who needed technology with those able to provide it.
The incredible work by Michal and the team saw nearly 70 initiatives fulfilled where requests for technology were matched with technology providers, giving their services for free, including Two-Way Radio apps for security teams and facial recognition software to help identify bodies of loved ones.
The group at Wix, Listening intently to Michal.
From Wix, the group went to Jaffa to meet Berta who had been evacuated from Sderot. Her home was opposite the police station and she watched the terrorists take hold of the police station and knock on her door (but somehow didn’t enter). She eventually decided to make a heroic escape with her daughter, under rocket fire and ground attack in her small car. Every car in the parking lot had been damaged except from hers. On her way out of Sderot she stopped by to insist that her sister and father came with. This included their dog and hamster! Berta fled from Sderot across sand and fields to try to avoid being caught and killed by the terrorists. Unfortunately following all of this, her house then had an electrical fire leaving her homeless. Through all of this, Berta still has the most amazing zest for life, sense of humour and unparalleled enthusiasm.
Berta shares her story with the group.
From Jaffa, we checked in at our hotel before hearing from Itay Raviv – On October 7th Hamas murdered one of his family, Roi, and took a further 4 hostages. Ruthi, Keren and Ohad were released as part of the negotiation deal last year however Avram continues to be a hostage in Gaza. Ohad turned 9 years old in captivity and celebrated his birthday on release but didn’t want to celebrate without his grandfather Avram.
During the attacks on October 7th Avram was trying to hold the door shut to the safe room. Itay told us how he was 78 years old (now 79) and a little frail. When the terrorists broke in, they took Ruthi, Keren and Ohad and left Avram. The family assumed the worst, but was told that Avram was still alive from other hostages they met while in Gaza.
Itay was clear that we must do all we can to secure the release of his uncle and all other hostages as soon as possible.
The group with Itay.
Following dinner we met with Ido Cohen, a survivor of the Nova Festival. Ido was split up from friends some of who were murdered, had to hide in bushes and in ditches to avoid being caught and at one point was stopped by a van throwing bottles of water (to show they were friendly) and told to turn around as the terrorists were ahead. Once he made it to Patish he eventually got driven to Beer Sheva. Seeing the burnt-out cars and bodies on the road finally made him realize the seriousness of the situation. His friends David and Naama were murdered that night as were around 10% of the festival goers. Ido continues to be positive and is grateful for the friends he has made through the dance community who are supporting each other.
Day 2
On the second day, the group visited Mashtela Balaban – Balaban Nursery where we met with Ronit Balaban. Ronit and her family had lived in Gush Katif prior to the disengagement in 2005 and her nursery in Ashkelon was given to her as part of the disengagement plan after she pleaded with the government. Ronit told us about the painful process of leaving Gush Katif, moving her plants and farm as well as her home in the pursuit of a peace which was rudely broken on October 7th.
The group hard at work potting and planting.
Since October 7th two of Ronit’s greenhouses have been hit by rockets, as the nursery is in an area considered to be “Open ground” and therefore not covered by iron dome. Ronit cannot afford to repair the broken greenhouses so has had to rent out space on her farm to other growers to bring in more income.
The group look at some of the damage to the greenhouse caused by rockets.
Many of the international workers who bolstered Israel’s agricultural economy have left since October 7th, leaving Ronit short staffed and leaving many of her plants needing to be weeded or re-potted. The group helped Ronit by weeding rows of plants in the greenhouse and potting new plants.
The group with Ronit after their hard work was finished.
From Mashtela Balaban, the group headed north to Tel Aviv to visit Hostages Square. Created in front of the Tel Aviv Museum of art, Hostages square has become the focal point of events and gatherings to raise awareness of the hostages. The square contains a number of installations including a tunnel representing the tunnels in Gaza where the hostages are being held.
While at Hostages Square, the group met with Sapir Cohen and Elena Troufanov, Girlfriend and mother of Sasha Troufanov, an Amazon Employee who remains hostage in Gaza. Sapir, Elena and Sasha’s grandma were taken hostage and released during early negotiations.
Sapir told us about the harsh living conditions – living in a family’s apartment before being moved to terror tunnels, the lack of food and drink and the mind games played by those looking after them, including being given a memorial candle with her name on; the terrorist told her “I hate you as you are the enemy but when you are here, there is light”.
Sapir also told the group of how when she arrived in Gaza, the civilians out on the street gathered to beat her and jeer at her, and she required protection from the terrorists that had abducted her.
The group with Elena Troufanov and Sapir Cohen.
After a short rest, the group headed out to Jaffa where they heard from Ben Hayton, a reservist who recently finished serving on the north border and who had previously served in the Gaza Envelope. He told the group about the very active war zone ongoing in the north, the large number of families evacuated and living further south and the very real threat posed by Hezbollah in the north.
After some food, the group heard from Hillel Fuld, a tech consultant and strategist. Since the start of the war, he’s focussed all efforts on sharing the truth about the situation in Israel and calling out antisemites online. On twitter, Hillel made about 700 million impressions since the start of the war which is impressive for a single person with no team. Hillel stopped working to focus on this and has been lucky with a number of miracle funding gifts which have allowed him to continue this work during the war.
The group in a legendary “HilzFuld Selfie”.
Day 3
On day 3, the group headed south, joined by friends and colleagues, to bear witness to the events miracles that happened on October 7th.
Starting in Sderot, looking across the valley, the group could see just how close the Gaza Strip was to the town. This was quickly reinforced when arriving at the Chabad House in Sderot, to find a dent in the courtyard where a rocket landed (thankfully it clipped the fence before landing, losing power). Rabbi Pizem told us about the incredible miracles that saved his life on the 7th October.
Rabbi Pizem and the damaged caused by the rocket.
When his brother called him early on October 7th and warned him not to go out, Rabbi Pizem was confused as like himself, his brother is religious, however the phone call saved his life as just a few moments after taking it, terrorists were seen in the street outside of his house.
Rabbi Pizem told the group how he mobilized to help the entire town of Sderot in the immediate aftermath and as the days went by including turning the Chabad House into a warehouse and risking his life to deliver goods to residents still stuck in their homes. At one point, a government agency called him – He assumed to offer assistance but it was in fact to ask him to help them deliver goods!
The Menorah/Chanukiah at Chabad Sderot is made from pieces of intercepted rocket. Note the shrapnel damage from the rocket sprayed accross the wall.
From Sderot the group visited Tkuma to witness the cars, trucks ambulances and other vehicles destroyed by Hamas on the 7th Ocotber. We heard from members of Zaka who have worked tirelessly in the immediate days after October 7th and continue to work tirelessly to remove any human remains from the cars so that they can be disposed of in honour of Jewish law. The scale and number of cars burnt, damaged and broken is hard to comprehend including the burnt-out shell of a Magen David Adom ambulance, and cars used by terrorists to enter Israel.
The burnt out remains of an ambulance. In the background piles of burnout cars.
From Tkuma, the group visited the site of the Sderot Police station, which was so badly overrun by terrorists, the IDF decided to destroy it in order to protect the residents of Sderot. All that remains is a large site of rubble and an incredible mural that has been painted to commemorate what once stood there.
The group outside what was Sderot Police Station.
From Sderot, the group visited Kibbutz Kfar Aza. One of the worst hit kibbutzim on the 7th October. The kibbutz is about a mile from the Gaza Border. We were shown round by a resident who explained that there are mixed feelings about groups visiting – some families want to return, rebuild and have some privacy while others are keen to ensure the world sees the damage done to their slice of “The garden of Eden on Earth” on October 7th.
Some of the destruction around what was still the most beautiful Kibbutz.
The sheer level of destruction was hard to comprehend. The houses could be anywhere in Israel or in the world, but are also peppered with large calibre bullet holes, scorch marks or simply destroyed. Markings remain on the walls from the IDF noting how many people, terrorists or bodies were found in the house as they moved through the community to ensure it was cleared of terrorists.
The Mother of Sivani Elkabets has turned Sivani’s house in the Young Adults part of Kfar Aza into an exhibition. She placed items back where she found them in the days after October 7th. Placed photos on the walls and a video in one of the rooms showing the endless trails of blood and destruction. There is a sign on the door encouraging people to take photos and remind the world of “what the monsters did on October 7th”.
The Living room of Sivani Elkabets. Each hole from machine gun or grenade fire.
From Kfar Aza, the group visited Re’im and the site of the Nova Festival. Walking among memorials set up to remember those who were murdered at Nova and those still hostage, trees planted in their memory, and taking in installations explaining the events of the 7th October. On one side of the memorial, a tent had been set up with a Sefer Torah being written in memory of someone who had been murdered.
The memorial at the Nova Festival Site.
Finally, and following dinner, the group visited the Kotel. This gave the group a chance to reflect and most importantly provided a reminder that the Jewish people have remained strong and present for the past 3,000 years.
*The group celebrating 3,000 years of Jewish life at the Kotel (The Western Wall of the Temple) in Jerusalem.
Am Yisrael Chai!
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Jewish ERGs will be hosting another Israel Solidarity Mission in July – Further information will be provided to member ERG leaders in the coming weeks.
Content by Steven Phillips for Jewish ERGs. Photos with thanks to the group