There’s something I’ve been wrestling with deeply in recent weeks, something personal yet profoundly communal. As a parent, a rabbi, and a Jew, I find myself reflecting on the unique significance of Israel in our lives.
Israel isn’t a vacation spot. It isn’t merely an option or a checkbox on a list of travel destinations. Israel is home—not figuratively, not symbolically, but truly, deeply, eternally home.
And home, especially when it hurts, is worth standing up for.
Israel: More Than Tourism, Our Homeland
Traveling is wonderful. Trips abroad broaden our horizons and enrich our lives. Yet going to Israel is fundamentally different. For Jews, stepping onto Israeli soil is a pilgrimage. It reconnects us to the land, people, language, and history that define who we are.
Every step we take in Israel echoes with the footsteps of generations past—Abraham and Sarah, King David, Herzl, and Golda Meir. Visiting Israel means more than sightseeing; it’s about soul-searching, identity-building, and discovering firsthand what’s truly worth our energy, our passion, our love, and even our sacrifice.
Choosing to See the Real Israel
In the wake of October 7—a day of indescribable trauma and grief for Jews worldwide—traveling to Israel has become even more essential. Precisely because our people are hurting, precisely because it’s difficult, we must go. We must stand with Israelis, witness their resilience, and teach our children firsthand what solidarity truly means.
Visiting Israel today means encountering both loss and courage, devastation and rebuilding. Through witnessing these complexities, our children will internalize why Israel matters, why it must always matter. They’ll learn exactly what it means to hold something sacred enough to defend passionately and proudly.
If our children don’t see Israel firsthand—its people, grief, resilience, and rebuilding—how will they truly understand its centrality to Jewish life?
Rabbi Kook on What’s Worth Fighting For
Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook, a foundational voice in modern religious Zionism, taught:
“There are things we live by, and things for which we must be willing to struggle. Recognizing the difference between superficial concerns and profound truths worthy of sacrifice is the beginning of spiritual maturity.”
This wisdom is exactly what we must impart to our children. Israel isn’t just a country; it’s a foundational truth worthy of our investment and advocacy, especially when it feels inconvenient or challenging.
Teaching Our Children Advocacy and Passion
The word “fighting” can feel charged, but it also means standing strong, proudly showing up, and passionately advocating for something deeply valued. Israel needs our advocacy, presence, and commitment.
If our kids only experience Israel in classrooms or abstract discussions, they might never internalize the depth of commitment it deserves. But when they walk Jerusalem’s streets, visit kibbutzim near Gaza, speak Hebrew with peers, and meet families impacted by events like October 7, something shifts profoundly inside them. They learn firsthand why Israel matters—and why it deserves our fierce support.
Now Is Precisely When We Must Go
Some might understandably hesitate: Is it safe? Is now the right time? Judaism rarely advocates taking the easy path. From Abraham onward, our tradition calls us to act courageously for what truly matters.
Visiting Israel now exemplifies profound Jewish responsibility. It shows our children that we don’t abandon our homeland during difficult times. It teaches courage, solidarity, empathy, and resilience.
It teaches clearly: when our people hurt, we show up.
Choosing Israel Means Choosing Identity
When we prioritize Israel, particularly in challenging times, we explicitly affirm that Israel isn’t optional. It’s essential. It defines us. And it’s worth every effort.
Our responsibility as parents and community leaders is to model clearly what matters most. Our kids must learn that homeland is not just metaphorical—it’s something we physically touch, see, and protect.
This year, next year, and every year—let’s prioritize visiting Israel. Let’s ensure our youth deeply understand why Israel matters, why it isn’t simply another destination, why it’s home.
Let’s give them the chance to internalize Israel into their hearts and souls. Let’s ensure they know the taste of freshly baked challah in Jerusalem, the warmth of a Shabbat meal shared in Tel Aviv, the powerful silence of Yad Vashem, and the enduring spirit of communities rebuilding near Gaza.
Because when they truly grasp what’s worth standing up for, they’ll carry forward not only their Jewish identity—but the strength, courage, and clarity to defend it.
Israel is worth our passionate commitment. Let’s ensure our children understand precisely why.
Let’s bring them home.