A visit to the Afula-Gilboa region showed the impact of your support for Israel reeling from the ongoing conflict

By Dara Kaufman / Executive Director, Jewish Federation of the Berkshires

For the past nine years, Jewish Federation of the Berkshires has supported a vibrant partnership that connects the Berkshire Jewish community with the city of Afula and the Gilboa region through The Southern New England Consortium (SNEC)—an alliance of ten Jewish Federations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. This partnership connects our communities through people-to-people exchanges while providing vital funding for social services and critical needs of the people of the Afula-Gilboa region. Our support has grown especially urgent since October 7.

In January, I had the privilege of joining fellow Federation leaders on a five-day mission organized by the Jewish Agency for Israel to meet with our partnership grantees, express our unwavering support, and witness firsthand the impact we are making together.

It was an incredibly emotional time to be in Israel. I arrived early, spending two days with my in-laws just as the ceasefire began and the first hostages were set to be released.

The news channels were running 24/7 with interviews and commentary on the complex emotions of the moment. The overwhelming feeling was one of elation and hope for the anticipated return of the hostages, but it was also bittersweet for the families whose loved ones were not on the list of hostages to be returned. You could hear a tense pain and sorrow, that went hand-in-hand with their optimism and gratitude that other hostages were being released. And there was also a lot of anger, and even some fear, expressed by families whose loved ones had been murdered or injured by many of the prisoners that Israel would soon set free as part of the exchange deal.

As our group gathered for dinner that first evening, we saw the first clips of hostages Romi Gonen, Doron Steinbrecher, and Emily Damari returning to loving embrace of their families. It was surreal moment. As we stood in silence, glued to the TV, someone quietly suggested we recite the Shechiyanu blessing: Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of all, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this season. There was not dry eye in the room. We all felt the magnitude of what we had just witnessed – the pain, the hope, the sacrifice, and, above all, the love.   

Over the next few days, I found myself deeply moved by a series of recurring themes that emerged from my interactions.

Everywhere we went, all the people we met expressed an overwhelming gratitude that we were there. They spoke of how much it meant that we took the time to visit and genuinely understand the immense challenges they are facing.

They shared their deep appreciation for the care and support they’re receiving from us, and from the broader American Jewish community — especially through the Israel Crisis Fund. While many were aware of the American Jewish community’s philanthropy prior to October 7, they had never fully grasped the strength of the bond we share or the unwavering commitment we have to one another.

Each person we met had a personal story that needed to be told – stories of family members murdered or injured in the attack and the war, spouses and adult children separated for months while fighting on the front lines. Young children traumatized by non-stop sirens and rocket attacks; missing their parents and siblings; unable to sleep separate from their families; and haunted by the fear that their world is no longer safe. Hearing these heart-wrenching stories, all I could do was listen with empathy and offer a caring hug of support. I gave and received many hugs.

Israelis are acutely aware of the rising antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment in the U.S., and expressed real concern for the hatred and isolation that is being directed at Jews, particularly Israelis, in the Diaspora.

But what struck me the most during my visit was the extraordinary strength and resilience of the Israeli people. Time and time again, I heard a resounding message: “We are strong. We will endure. We will rebuild. We will not give up.” Despite the devastation, there is an unshakeable sense of hope and determination — an unwavering belief that they will return to their lives and businesses, though they know it will never be the same as it was before October 7.

Over the next few days we met with many organizations supported by our collective funding who are providing essential and impactful programs and services in the Afula-Gilboa region and beyond.

• The attack of October 7, the sexual violence involved, and the ongoing rocket and missile attacks, dramatically increased the incidence of PTSD in the Israeli population, especially among former Israel veterans, Holocaust survivors and women who have suffered sexual abuse. Merhav Nishima B’Emek, Dorot BaGilboa, and the Haifa Rape Crisis Center (Afula branch) are each providing support, counseling, and safe spaces for these populations to connect and work through this often overlooked side effect of the war.
• Afula's regional hospital, the Emek Medical Center, is a model of coexistence, with an equal number of Jewish and Arab staff and patients. We toured their expanded rehabilitation center and heard from one of their patients, Nitzan, a tank commander whose tank was hit by an RPG which killed his tank mate. We also heard from Mohammad and Shalia, on how the hospital navigated the challenge of Arabs and Jews working together to create a safe and respectful space for staff and patients. The hospital recently added eight surgical rooms and a cancer center, and has plans to exchange trauma care expertise with U.S. doctors.
• We met two mothers who lost their sons in the war. They shared how the support of student volunteers from B’Meitav - The Ruth Vrobel Foundation has helped them cope and find purpose. These postgraduate students, working towards their degrees in social work and psychology, support families of fallen soldiers through personal connections, grief counseling, and help families find ways of memorializing lost loved ones.

• Pnina Agenyahhu, the director of the Patnership2Gether Global network, shared how she, together with dozens of Jewish Agency staffers, were mobilized to bring immediate financial assistance from the Jewish Agency’s Fund for Victims of Terror to thousands of people evacuated to the Dead Sea hotels from the most impacted communities. These families arrived with only the clothes on their backs. It was very clear that the Jewish Agency played and continues to play a crucial role in supporting impacted Israelis, especially in the south and the north of the country.

• At Youth Futures – an organization that pairs at-risk students with mentors who can support their academic, social, and emotional development – we heard story of Hadar and her young son, Yoav. They were visiting family near Gaza on October 7^, when they witnessed the murder of Hadar’s cousin and endured 30 harrowing hours trapped in her parents' home near Gaza. That experience has created a host of challenges for Yoav. Through it all, Hadar has worked with Gali, her son's Youth Futures mentor, who has been by their side connecting Yoav with the academic and emotional support and he has needed. "I know this project has an impact,” said Hadar. “I know, after our difficult experiences, how vital Youth Futures is in our lives."

Beyond social services, the Afula-Gilboa region faces serious security threats along the northern border with Lebanon, and from nearby cities in the West Bank. Since October 7, there has been a rising concern in the Gilboa region because of its proximity to the West Bank city of Jenin which has become a hotbed of terrorist activity.

We toured the security center in the community of Gan Ner, as well as the soon-to-be-launched security headquarters for the entire Gilboa region. Gan Ner has been dealing with sniper fire coming out of Jenin, requiring the erection of concrete barriers and a new reinforced shelter to protect children in their kindergarten and early childhood spaces. The Gilboa Regional Council, with support from the partnership communities, has significantly strengthened security detection and response measures to counter these threats. They are still in need of additional shelters for kindergartens in other communities in proximity to the border.

On a tour along the northern border with Lebanon, we could see across to the rocket launch positions from which Hezbollah targeted Israeli homes and communities, giving residents only seconds to seek shelter. Seeing how close these launch positions are, you can truly understand the trauma people in the North have experienced and the destruction these attacks have had on their homes and businesses. At Moshav Betzet, we met with Idan from Idan Fruits. She and her husband grow and produce healthy dried fruits. They were hit twice by Hezbollah rockets which damaged their home and destroyed their factory and retail space. “We can rebuild our home, but it is much harder to rebuild our livelihood. But we will do it,” Idan shared determinedly.

With our support, the Jewish Agency is investing in its existing small business loan program and has also created a new fund to incentivize small businesses within 30 kilometers of the border with Lebanon and 15 kilometers from the border with Gaza to encourage businesses to return to the area and rebuild the economy there.  

As I reflect on the incredible resilience and strength of the people I met, I am reminded that our collective support goes beyond just providing aid. It is a lifeline empowering and lifting up the lives of people who have faced the most unimaginable challenges over the past year.

I am truly grateful to have had this opportunity to see firsthand how our support is serving the people of the Afula-Gilboa region. Thanks to you, the Berkshire Jewish community is indeed making a difference. 

Image: Dara Kaufman and fellow Federation leaders at Israel's northern border with Lebanon.