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Philadelphia Leaders Show
Solidarity to Israel Via Mission
JARRAD SAFFREN | JE
STAFF G
oing into a solidarity
mission to Israel
organized by the
Jewish Federations of North
America, Sherrie Savett,
Sharon Kestenbaum, Tracy
Ginsburg and Gail Norry
all knew that Israel faced
immense challenges.

But even with that knowl-
edge, the journey opened their
eyes and deepened their com-
mitment — emotionally and
financially — to supporting the
Jewish state through their work
with the Jewish Federation of
Greater Philadelphia.

A few weeks ago, Savett,
Kestenbaum, Ginsburg and
Norry, who are all active in
Jewish Federation, joined
more than 30 other Federation
donors, leaders and volunteers
from across the United States
for the mission. The four-day
educational trip included
a meeting with Knesset
members and visits to several
communities. This year’s mission took
place after the latest Israel-
Palestine conflict, in which
Israeli citizens hid in safe
rooms and bomb shelters
during heavy rocket fire. The
intention was to give the
group a deeper understanding
of the oft-tragic situation in
the Jewish state.

And there
was no
sugarcoating the narrative.

They met with the parents
of a 5-year-old boy, Ido Avigal,
who was killed by a rocket on
May 12 in Sderot. They visited
a kibbutz, Kfar Aza, near Gaza
that faced heavy rocket fire
during previous conflicts, too.

6 PHOTO COURTESY OF SHERRIE SAVETT
The four Philadelphia-area leaders who went on the solidarity mission to Israel in July are, from left, Sharon Kestenbaum, Sherrie Savett,
Tracy Ginsburg and Gail Norry.

They even visited a community
center trying to bring people
together in Lod, a city that
saw rioting between Arabs
and Jews during the crisis.

“It’s mind-boggling how
the Israelis deal with all this
adversity,” Ginsburg said. “They
are an incredible people.”
By the end of the trip, the
participants were no longer
in shock over the intractable
conflict. Instead, they were
hopeful about future relations
between the Jewish and
Arab citizens within Israel’s
borders. As Knesset members told
the group, the current body
AUGUST 26, 2021 | JEWISHEXPONENT.COM
has more Arab members, 14,
than any previous government.

“It was inspiring to see that
there is an effort to make sure
that everyone has a place
at the table,” Kestenbaum
noted. “It was inspiring to see that
there is an effort to make sure
that everyone has a place
at the table,” Kestenbaum
noted. In Lod, an Arab woman
named Lazinaty told them
that she was working to bring
Arabs and Jews together for
conversations. Lazinaty said
she was dismayed when
people in her tiny apartment
complex were lighting each
other’s cars on fire during the
conflict. “We don’t have a true
appreciation for
how devastating a conflict like
this is for the entire country,”
said Norry, who is co-chair of
the Jewish Federation’s board
of directors. “Everybody is
affected.” Savett, who is Jewish Fed-
eration’s campaign chair, said
that American Jews often for-
get, or don’t even realize in
the first place, that more than
20% of the Israeli population
is Arab. They live in the same
cities and towns as Israelis.

They are all citizens of Israel,
and they have a remarkable
ability to resume their lives
after days and weeks of rocket
fire. “People have the goal that
they should live peacefully
together,” Savett said. “Every-
one from Knesset members to
people in kibbutzim.”
Norry has been to Israel
more than 50 times. But this
trip left her with a better
feeling about the future than
any of her previous visits.

“Knowing that there’s a
coalition that’s more diverse
than ever is exciting,” Norry said.

“Including an Arab party.” l