Israel has always been important to me, but visiting this year forged a profound connection I never thought possible. I made unforgettable memories and new life-long friends. And I came away with a stronger understanding of what Israelis are enduring, as well as their hopes and expectations for the future.
Seeing what people have lost in an instant, you can’t help but appreciate what you have. My ten days in Israel were entirely life-affirming.
In the summer of 2023, I applied for a place on Taglit Birthright with plans to extend my stay and visit family. October 7 changed everything. Almost a year later, I was still uncertain I would go.
This was an Israel I had never witnessed in my lifetime. An Israel engulfed in war and terror, facing its greatest existential crisis in 50 years. I could have easily deferred my place until next year. Instead, I trusted my instinct and decided now was the right time. It was the best decision I’ve ever made.
Pic: Tom Steed
It’s been an enormously difficult year to be Jewish in the UK. Society has been poisoned by hatred, intimidation and misinformation. It feels like Israel is the only place to escape this. Only in Israel does it feel safe to proudly wear your Chai or Magen David and see countless others walking down the street with the same.
As odd as it might sound, I went to Israel seeking safety and reassurance. At the same time, I sought the tough conversations and wanted to hear the personal testimonies of survivors. Above all, I wanted to show that people do stand with Israel, that we’re not scared, and that we are forever grateful for the fight that Israelis put up for the Jewish diaspora. We can’t comprehend what they’re going through, but we can show them they are not alone.
Tom Steed
Visiting Israel prompted some sobering self-assessment. Imagine for a moment the UK experienced something remotely similar to October 7th. Where would we be as a nation? How would we respond? It feels like we’ve lost all sense of community here. You might even question the degree of basic humanity and decency. One only needs to look at the way Jews have been ostracised and terrorists glorified since October 7th. Israel can be an inherently divided nation, certainly politically. Yet, it has come together in ways we never could. They
don’t have a choice. The day they fall apart is the day Israel ceases to exist.
In many ways, we did not physically see the war. We were lucky not to experience a siren, and a decision was made not to take us to any of the October 7th sites. But in many ways, we did.
A visit to Hostages Square and Mt. Herzl showed us that the war is, in fact, everywhere. You don’t have to travel to the front lines in the south or north of the country. You only have to delve into the hearts and minds of all Israelis.
Pic: Tom Steed
But why now? With the government advising against all but essential travel, it feels easier to stay away. We like to believe we can grasp Israel’s challenge from our living rooms. We have friends and family there. We stay up to date with carefully selected news articles.
We follow Noa Tishby, Hen Mazzig, and Eylon Levy on social media. A visit to Israel – now – reveals we could not be further from it all.
How does someone continue after something like this? What are you supposed to say or feel? It doesn’t seem fair to continue living like nothing happened. In Israel, we faced these questions. Of course, they have to be sad, they have to grieve, and they have to be respectful.
This is an unfortunate reality of life and has been a tragic continuum of Israeli history. But to be Israeli is to not let these emotions consume you. They also enjoy, they party, they celebrate. They live! This is an integral part of the Jewish tradition, after all. Because every day, people are fighting and dying for their very right to live. Put it this way: there is a reason Yom HaZikaron and Yom Ha’atzmaut are right next to each other. Failing to embrace everything the country offers would be such a disservice to those fighting for its existence.
Each of us came for different reasons. But we all left knowing that we had come at the right time. Together, we had momentarily escaped the antisemitism that has consumed our university campuses. Together, we visited extraordinary special places such as the Kotel, Mt. Herzl, Hostages Square, and Yad Vashem. Together, we volunteered, shared, listened, and understood. Together, we felt accepted and appreciated. Most importantly, we all left desperate to come back.
A visit to Israel brought a welcome sigh of relief. It was revitalising. Don’t hesitate – it might just be the best decision you ever make.
- Tom Steed is a recent graduate of history, specialising in Holocaust Studies, from Edinburgh University
