“We are mourning,” said Israeli President Isaac Herzog. “My nation is in deep agony; the people of Israel are in deep, unprecedented agony.” During last week’s Solidarity Mission to Israel, 18 community leaders from the Greater Miami Jewish Federation witnessed firsthand the national trauma and pain that our Israeli brothers and sisters are facing since Hamas’ barbaric terrorist attack.

“If we learned anything from our few days in Israel, it is that the Israelis will prevail. They have the heart, the spirit, the resilience and the capability,” said Federation's Women’s Philanthropy Chair Elise Udelson, who led the Greater Miami Jewish Federation Solidarity Mission to Israel earlier this month. It was the second such mission to Israel by Federation leadership in the span of a few weeks.

During a demanding three-day mission, the 23 participants met numerous survivors — of the Tribe of Nova music festival, the barbaric attack on Kibbutz Kfar Aza and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers wounded in battle — to hear firsthand accounts of the tragedy, the trauma and thankfully, Federation’s thorough response.

Twenty-one Miamians joined the Greater Miami Jewish Federation’s fifth Solidary Mission to Israel and found the previously polarized nation now passionately united in two common goals: to win the ongoing war with Hamas and bring the hostages home. “[The Israelis] are unyielding in their desire for a clear and decisive victory,” said Jordy Levy, one of three Mission Co-Chairs.

Thursday, March 7 marked five months since Hamas’ horrific terrorist attacks and Federation has already led six Israel solidarity missions. The most recent one took place February 26-28 with a delegation of 19 and was co-chaired by Joe Ackerman and Amanda Adler.

“Even though we have kept in close contact with our recipient organizations since October 7, nothing is as healing as an in-person hug,” said Greater Miami Jewish Federation Women’s Amutot Initiative Committee Chair Ilene Kossman, who participated in the Women’s Amutot Initiative Study Trip and Solidarity Mission to Israel, March 17-21. The group spent five days meeting with Israelis and hearing their stories in the aftermath of October 7 and visiting many Federation-funded nonprofits to see the impact of our community’s generosity.