By Brooke Bowles
Hear more about Brooke’s travels during a lunch ‘n’ learn session on Tuesday, April 22, at noon (RSVP)
I am one of only a handful of Jewish Community Center leaders across North America who is not Jewish. And while I have learned much about Judaism and Israel since I began working here at The J in 2021, I also came to realize that seeing Israel with my own eyes would be key to my personal and professional growth.
My first planned trip was canceled by the tragic events of October 7, 2023, and a second trip planned for last spring met a similar fate.
So when a third opportunity recently presented itself, I excitedly signed up to join 12 other JCC executives for an Israel seminar hosted by JCC Association of North America. JCCA was more than happy to cover all in-country expenses for the trip, which lasted March 23-April 2.
October 7
We started our trip in Tel Aviv, where we traveled to sites that honored or were devastated by the attack on October 7. At Hostage Square I was deeply moved by the thousands of visitors who had left stickers and mementos. I cannot imagine the number of people impacted by each hostage. I prayed over every chair at the empty shabbat table that stands ready for the hostages upon their return home.
We also saw the Nova Music Festival site, an area where more than 360 people were killed and 44 kidnapped and brought to Gaza. I couldn’t help picturing my own daughters’ faces while scanning the memorials honoring the young people who were dancing and singing up until the moment of the horrific attack.
Just minutes from the Nova Music Festival is a site piled high with hundreds of burnt-out cars, trucks, and ambulances. This is where we watched a missile get intercepted by Israel’s “Iron Dome” defense system. After feeling nervous about visiting Israel, seeing this interception actually made me feel very safe.
Our next stop was the Kfar Aza Kibbutz, a collective — usually agriculture-based — settlement that’s common across Israel. Sixty-four members were killed here on October 7. In the rubble I saw a package of baby wipes — just a glimpse of what had once been normal life.
The Kibbutz leader and his wife came back only weeks after the attack to begin rebuilding for the 900 members of the kibbutz. So far, only 14 others have returned. Right now the residents are grappling with the question of keeping some of the destruction in its current state as a way to memorialize October 7 or do they completely rebuild?
As I think about the mundane decisions I make about my own home, this question was impossible for me to fathom.
Natural beauty and some history
Turning our attention south, our travels took us to Yeruham, where we hiked in the Negev Desert. This was my first experience in a desert and I was in awe of its beauty, age, and seemingly endless expanse. Life here in Birmingham feels pretty small by comparison.
Next we headed to Jerusalem, where we toured the Old City and saw both Jewish and Christian sites. It was a powerful emotion to pray at the Western Wall and to leave my note along with the hundreds of other notes from the day.
We visited Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Memorial Center, where my emotions vacillated from disbelief to sadness to anger to nausea. The impressions only added to my ongoing concern about today’s high level of antisemitism in our divided country.
One treat in Jerusalem was touring the Hareidi ultra-orthodox neighborhood and visiting with community member Racheli Ibenboim. Racheli shared an inside look at her life, how she met her husband, and day-to-day activities. She also bravely addressed the controversial topic of conscription and how ultra orthodox Israelis get deferments while the rest of the population is required to serve.
Bon appétit
While some people travel for food, that’s not always been high on my list. While the fish, salads, cheeses, and breads for breakfast challenged my Southern palate, I enjoyed the lunches of falafel and skewers and feta sandwiches — all served with healthy portions of vegetables and salads. For dinners we were served dish after dish of a variety of salads before the entrees, which included platters of meat for one meal, pasta and pizza for another. Everything was incredibly fresh and delicious.
Many of you are asking me: What was your favorite part?
While I can’t declare a favorite destination in Israel, I can say that the people — full of life, passion, and hospitality — were a major highlight of my trip. From arriving at the airport following a 10-hour flight to trying to figure out the taxi system to wandering around, everyone was extremely kind and so thankful that I was visiting, as tourism has declined significantly since 2023.
I am glad to now have a sense of the sights, sounds, and smells along with a better understanding of the history of the nation that means so much to so many of our members. Hopefully someday soon I’ll be able to return.
Brooke Bowles was named executive director of The J in February 2023. Her title was changed to chief executive officer earlier this year.