Councilmember Weprin: My mission to Israel

The sudden thump from beneath my feet made by the landing gear and the dull thud of rubber meeting concrete signaled my return to U.S. soil and the end of my three-day trip to Israel. I could not help but think how different my life was only days ago when a similar plane accelerated down a runway at Newark International Airport en-route to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.
This had been my sixth visit to Israel, my third as an elected official, yet I knew before I embarked on this adventure that it would be vastly different from the previous five. I was not going on a tour of the Israeli countryside or spending quality time with my family at one of Israel's many beautiful coastal resort communities. I was traveling to a land which has always been close to my heart during a time of war, a time of need, and a time where I had many more questions than answers for people whose lives had been devastated by recent terrorist attacks.
I would be lying if I did not admit that I had some trepidation when Assemblymember Dov Hikind of Brooklyn invited me to join him on his solidarity mission to northern Israel. I was scared for our safety and unsure of what we hoped to accomplish.
Any doubts I had about the value of our mission quickly faded upon our arrival in Haifa, the first city on our itinerary. The Hotel Nof Haifa would normally be bustling with tourists this time of year, yet none were in sight. In fact, the city was practically deserted, less the overwhelming military presence. It was clear to me then what our purpose was to be there. We were on a mission of hope. To every person we met, in every town we visited, it was our job to offer all we could of ourselves because we were on a mission of hope; and sometimes, there is only hope.
Within hours of our arrival a friendly face, N.J. Burkett, a news correspondent from WABC-News in New York informed us of the gravity of the situation. He had been in Israel for almost three weeks and had seen the horrors of war firsthand. He warned us that the cities we were to visit had been steadily bombarded by Katyusha rockets on a daily basis; and rockets kill whether you are Israeli or American.
I think it was at that point when we fully realized the peril we were exposed to. Later on that evening, we were invited to attend a military briefing by high-ranking military personnel, including a Brigadier General in the Reserves of the Israeli Defense Forces, Ruth Yaron, one of the first women to become an Israeli General.
As we met in quasi-safety, Qana, Lebanon had been the target of the deadliest air strike yet launched by Israel. The military personnel presented to us satellite evidence of their intelligence which showed that they had identified the exact location where the Katyusha missiles were being launched in Qana; and that hitting them was not the last resort, it was the only resort. We also learned of the unfortunate number of civilian casualties that resulted from the strike. I was personally appalled to learn that despite Israeli fliers warning civilians to evacuate the area, Hezbollah had instructed the Lebanese people to remain so that they would have a shield from which they could hide behind, adding cowardice to their many revolting traits.
On the following day, my most gratifying event of the trip came when we presented Zaka, the Israeli search and rescue organization with checks amounting to $25,000. Hikind had personally raised the money on his radio show to provide them with bulletproof vests and helmets. It was a great honor to be able to come to the aid of Zaka, an organization whose entire job is to put themselves in harm's way to rescue others.
After the Zaka ceremony, we visited the Rambam Health Care Campus where we met with a number of victims of Katyusha rocket attacks. With every soldier spoken to and civilian comforted, you could see just a faint sense of relief on their part. Just knowing that someone an ocean away cared and had come this great distance to support them meant a great deal to them and to us. If for no other reason, our mission was a success because of moments like these.
From Haifa, we went to Naharia, a town that had been besieged by missile attacks. The town was utterly deserted except for the few people who remained in shelters. There, we were able to participate in a food distribution effort. Our group was joined by dozens of soldiers who had volunteered on their day off to help. It was at times like these that a desperate situation seemed slightly bearable.
From there, we proceeded to the northern cities of Maalot, Pekiin, Miron, and Tzfat where we saw more of the same - homes and businesses torn to the ground and streets devoid of people. Wherever we went, those that had remained were grateful to see us. Just knowing that we cared enough to come made all the difference in the world to them. In Miron, we prayed the afternoon prayer &#8220Mincha” at the tomb of one of the great Rabbis, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. We were told that only weeks before, this all but abandoned religious site was home to thousands of visitors.
After leaving Tzfat, we proceeded to tour other northern cities under siege, Hatzor, Rosh Pina, Kiryat Shmona, and Metulla. While at Kiryat Shmona, we were allowed access to the bomb shelters where residents ran to avoid the perpetual rain of fire inflicted by the Katyusha rockets. While in the bunkers, we could hear explosions to our left and right as the ground constantly shook beneath our unsteady feet. Watching the blaze of gunfire on CNN would never again have the same meaning after that ever-so-close brush with danger.
Metulla, a city located directly on the Lebanese border, was likely the most emotional destination of our trip. It was here that we were literally within the lion's den. The only people left were soldiers waiting to be deployed. Watching these young men and women stream across the border, not knowing what fate lie ahead is an image I will keep with me forever.
I had the good fortune to speak to one of the men, Marc Aspis, and to my surprise, he was a transplanted New Yorker, from Scarsdale. A recent Columbia University graduate, Marc had come to Israel as a temporary visitor this past November. When the fighting began, Marc enlisted in the Israeli army. He was overjoyed to see a fellow &#8220lancman” from New York, and he told me that all the soldiers were uplifted by our presence.
When I asked him why he had joined the army for a nation not his own, he said something which I will never forget, &#8220terror knows no nationality, terror knows no state lines, so neither should the courage to fight for what you believe in. I came here to see Israel and I have stayed here to support Israel, just like you.” Our mission was one of hope, and after meeting that courageous young man I had regained mine.