Park Avenue Synagogue Mission to Israel | Dec 2023

DECEMBER 3–8, 2023

Park Avenue Synagogue Mission to Israel

FROM CHAIRMAN MARK FIRST

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efore heading to Ben Gurion Airport to return home, we lit the candles on the first night of Hanukkah and were energized by the sparks, effervescent glow, and warmth of the flame.

Hanukkah shines light into the darkness and encourages us to kindle the flame of hope.

And amid the sadness, despair and uncertainty of our trip, there was a lot of hope.

Almost everyone with whom we interacted over these five days, formally and informally, spoke of when, not if, there was victory. And everyone was appreciative for our running to, rather than away, from Israel.

Holding hands in a circle as we completed our visit to the Kfar Aza kibbutz and saying Kaddish and singing "Oseh Shalom" provided us strength, and singing Hatikvah with the families of hostages, in hostage square in Tel Aviv, renewed our determination to help lead to a successful outcome for Israel and the Jewish people.

Our PAS community has provided enormous support, through contributions to the Israel at War Fund, the duffle bags of socks and underwear that we delivered, the bags of toys we brought for children, and simply by showing up.

But there is so much more to do, and we have begun the discussion of what that might look like.

The specifics will take time to figure out, but we know that while each of us individually can make a difference, the power of community working together can have an even greater impact.

Praying for peace.

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Micah Goodman from Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem

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Kfar Azza with Alon Futterman

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Lunch in the shuk, Jerusalem

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Major General (Res.) Doron Almog, Chairman of the Executive, The Jewish Agency for Israel

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Lia Naor, Healing Space

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Praying with and speaking to the families of hostages at Kikar Hahatufim: Hostages and Missing Square in Tel Aviv

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Kikar Hahatufim: Hostages and Missing Square in Tel Aviv

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Kikar Hahatufim: Hostages and Missing Square in Tel Aviv

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Kikar Hahatufim: Hostages and Missing Square in Tel Aviv

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Kikar Hahatufim: Hostages and Missing Square in Tel Aviv

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Supporting the Israeli Economy

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Supporting the Israeli Economy

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The Kotel in Jerusalem

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Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov)

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Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov) with Super Nova Festival Survivor

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Volunteering at the Jerusalem Chamal or Civilian Command Center

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Volunteering at the Jerusalem Chamal or Civilian Command Center

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Volunteering at the Jerusalem Chamal or Civilian Command Center

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PAS Shows up in Strength With Donations

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PAS DELEGATION Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove Rabbi Lori Koffman Rachel Lorraine Bluth Phyllis Brochstein David B. Brous Jr. Susan Brous Silverman Barry Alan Bryer David Chasen Meredith Jill Cohen/Sotoloff Brandon Jasper Conovitz Susan Rae Edelstein Mark Leonard First Paula Gendel Andy Heller Farha Nadine Habousha Mark S. Hirsch Andrew Immerman Marc Karimzadeh Stefanie Faith Katz-Rothman Steven Konstadt Marty Laiks Lizzy Markus Lara Metz Jean Miller

Lisa Noble Michael Saul Norwich Jane Opie Judy Poss Stephanie Pottruck Goldman James Edward Rosenfeld David Roth Howard Rubin Sara Schapiro Carol Schwartz Deborah Shapiro Marc Sole Alice Tisch Joseph Tisch Simon Wasserberger Peter Weidman Tracy Weiner Boaz Weinstein Emanuel Weintraub Avi Weitzman Meryl Elaine Wiener

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