If anyone was the absolute embodiment of her name, it was Tova Ben Dov. Tova, as her name suggests, was goodness personified. With twinkling blue eyes and the familiar sound of “Bubbeleh” greeting all who she was fond of, Tova brought her unique charm, wisdom and humour to all who knew her.
I will never forget the first time I met Tova. I joined a cohort of WIZO (Women’s International Zionist Organization) women at the World Zionist Congress and saw how this slender, twinkly-eyed lady wielded tremendous power and respect and how when she spoke, she commanded the room.
Assigning herself as my “ima Israelit” (Israeli mother), Tova was a pillar of support and a gentle guide to help navigate the travails of Aliyah. I looked so forward to our chats where she would share anecdotes and always looked for the silver linings, even though these past years that have been so difficult for all of us. Tova never missed a beat – she knew what was happening in our communities around the world and stood strong in her identity, always encouraging pride in who we are and the imperative of standing up to the hate.
Tova Ben Dov (l) and Rolene Marks (r).
With wisdom, humour and patience, Tova was a mentor to so many, including WIZO women. Creating leaders and education was important to Tova; and from Melbourne, to Malmo, we were guided, encouraged and mentored by her.
Tova was more than just Honorary Life President of WIZO – she was the beating heart of the movement. Tova poured her heart into everything that she did and it shows in her legacy and the love that so many have for her.
Tova was born in Tel Aviv to parents from a Zionist family that was one of the founders of the Jewish state. For six decades, she devoted herself to WIZO.
Starting her career as a volunteer at the Herzliya Pituach branch, she became a respected leader on the national and international stage.
Working her way up the WIZO ladder, she held several leadership positions, including President of World WIZO from 2012 to 2016. She also served as vice president of the World Jewish Congress, a member of the executive committee of the Jewish Agency for Israel and a member of the International Council of Women.
Among other things, Ben-Dov founded the Open House in Sderot, named after former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, as well as the first secure daycare center in the southern Israeli city. During her tenure, WIZO won the Israel Prize in 2008 for its contribution to advancing the status of women and gender equality.
Among Ben-Dov’s notable accomplishments within WIZO was the establishment of the Margaret Thatcher Open House in Sderot (above) which provides professional treatment, therapy and support programs to thousands of children and families in a city whose residents are traumatized by war.
In 2011, Tova was honoured with the Yakir Tel Aviv-Yafo award in recognition of her dedication to the well-being of the city, and in 2016, she was awarded the title of honorary fellow of the World Zionist Congress.
These are incredible achievements and are testament to a lifetime of service to her country.
Her greatest pride and joy has always been her family and her siblings, three children, seven grandchildren and a great-granddaughter, survive her. Tova was laid to rest in the Kiryat Shaul cemetery.
Her passing leaves a gaping hole in the lives of so many. May we all live up to the example that she set. Tova by name – and by nature. Goodness personified. May her memory be eternally blessed.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
South Africa’s hateful obsession against Israel, reflects its failure to address monumental problems at home.
By Kenneth Moeng Mokgatlhe
September, a month synonymous with renewal and new beginnings, will be the most challenging period in South Africa’s political and economic landscape due to actions likely to be taken by the US against the country. The first is the end of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is set to expire in September. However, the new 30% tariffs introduced by the US for SA will likely override the existing AGOA conventions when they take effect at the beginning of August 2025. The second biggest conundrum will be the possibility of the US Senate’s decision on the US-South Africa Bilateral Relations Review Act of 2025.
Rand on the Run. Already a vulnerable currency, South African rand falls before looming US tariffs. Nevertheless, South Africa continues to antagonize the US with its anti-Western policies.(Photo: Reuters /Mike Hutchings)
The ground is fertile in the US to act against the South African government, which is believed to have acted against the US’s national interests. The US has been very critical of South Africa’s foreign policy stance, which, on many occasions, went against the American national interests. This has been evident in their divergent voting patterns on various United Nations (UN) platforms, where South Africa and the US have often taken opposing positions. The relations between the US – SA did not break during the Trump administration, and Joe Biden also raised similar concerns about South Africa.
The ANC should be told, “You made your bed, now lie in it.” They have chosen to strengthen their alliances with the geopolitical rivals to the West at the expense of decades of working partnerships with the Western powers. It was very shortsighted of the ANC to believe that there would not be actions or reactions from the side of the US on how it is being undermined by Africa’s powerful regional bloc.
The escalating tensions between the US and South Africa took an uphill path in 2022 when South Africa was alleged by the US to have loaded the Lady R with armaments that would be used in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. The South African government dismissed this allegation. In 2023, in the aftermath of Israeli attacks by Hamas on the 7th October 2023, we saw South Africa continuing with its support for Hamas, a designated terror organisation by countries such as the US and European Union (EU) countries. Dr. Naledi Pandor kicked off a diplomatic storm when she admitted that she had a telephonic conversation – offering support – with the same Hamas that invaded Israel and massacred more than 1200 innocent civilians as well as kidnapping more than 250 people, some still held under the tunnels in Gaza to date.
Closer to Home. While this 2024 photo of angry South Africans taken outside a courthouse in Soweto crying over the horrendous murders of women and children, the government prefers to allocate its scarce resources to issues it knows little about outside the country – notably the war in Gaza.(Photo by Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images via Getty Images)
Just when we thought that the ANC would tone down its anti-US messaging, it dragged Israel into the UN’s International Court of Justice (ICJ). Their legal basis was that Israel was committing genocidal acts in Gaza. While this act by the South African government would be seen as heroic by some, others criticised the move because it failed to deliver a viable solution to the longstanding Israel-Palestine conflict. It is possible that the ANC’s thinking at the time was to maximise its electoral fortunes, which drastically dropped to below 50%. Their energy on the issue is draining because it is not yielding them the political capital they had planned.
“Do More” but Does Less. In 2024, while the ANC government focused its attention against Israel neglecting the interests of its own people, the people responded at the polling booths denying the ruling party a first-time outright majority for the first time since winning in the first post-apartheid elections 30 years earlier.
If indeed South Africa was genuine about fighting for the rights of the vulnerable people around the world, they could have started with their own population, wherein 14 million people are living in dire poverty, not knowing what they would eat the next day and where so much of the youth are dangerously unemployed. The youth unemployment rate in South Africa – which measures job-seekers between 15 and 24 years old – climbed to 62.4% in the first quarter of 2025, the highest level since the first quarter in 2022 up from 59.6% in the previous period.
Devious Diversions. South Africa’s government prefer to have photos on their TV screens of hungry children in Gaza in the midst of a war with Israel then the visuals of their own children starving to death.
Furthermore, if South Africa’s corrupt and inept leadership directs its attention to deaths in wars abroad, what about those dying a violent death AT HOME every day. Between January and March 2025, 5,727 people were murdered, an average of 62 per day. Some 6 985 attempted murders were recorded amounting to 75 per day. These staggering figures are unmatched throughout the world – a record we should be ashamed of!
The South Africa obsession with Gaza is a mere diversion of its failures to address pressing issues at home.
*Feature Picture: The ANC government is failing to address the poverty across Southy Africa preferring to divert public attention to problems outside the country.
About the writer:
Kenneth Moeng Mokgatlhe is a political writer and researcher based at Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
A world indifferent, Israelis understand why the Druze in need have to be supported by Israel in deed.
By David E. Kaplan
Last week I received a call in Israel from my cousin in Australia opening with:
“What’s going on; you guys are now invading Syria; attacking Damascus?”
When I started explaining by mentioning Israel coming to the rescue of “the Druze,” I was interrupted by:
“Yes, I heard mention on our news something about the Druze….Who are they? Never heard of them! What religion are they? Where did they suddenly spring from?”
With well over a 1000-year history, they did not exactly ‘suddenly spring’ out of nowhere. They were a proud people with their own unique religion long before there was an England, a France, a Germany or new kid-on-the-block – Australia. A community of 150,000 with elements of all three religions – Islam, Christianity and Judaism – the Druze in Israel are an enriching and warm people embedded in this ancient land as its timeless rock. Mainly because of its paucity in number and concentrated largely in northern Israel, not too much is known about this special and endearing people.
Community facing Catastrophe. Israeli Druze approach the Israeli-Syrian border fence to protest in solidarity with their vulnerable community in Syria, July 16, 2025. (Photo: Michael Giladi/ FLASH90).
BONDED IN BLOOD
It was clear from my conversation with my cousin, there was paltry reportage in Australia – as there was across the world – about the existential threat to Syrian Druze following a massacre of its people, their relationship with Israel’s Druze community or who the Druze are.
Israel’s Druze leader Sheikh Muwafaq Tarif was frank to the press:
“… These are beasts… They talked about a ceasefire and then continued the massacre, the cleansing, going from house to house. … They raped a five-year-old girl, they entered a holy place where women were hiding to avoid being harmed, and they burned them alive. They killed, beheaded, it was pure cleansing. This is only because they are Druze…”
Identifying with what the Jews in southern Israel experienced, Tarif continued:
“We’ve seen this movie with Hamas, they are the same people, let’s not get confused. They didn’t let ambulances pass; the bodies were in the streets.”
For Majd Al-Shaer, a 21-year-old Druze man, “This is not a conflict anymore, this is extermination,” he told the Indian news network NDTV. “They are humiliating our elderly, killing our women and children. This is a campaign to wipe us out. An ethnic cleansing campaign is taking place against the Druze.”
However, on the international news networks, the narrative typically conveyed by the panel of ‘usual experts’ was that Israel was using the Druze as a pretext to attack Syria. What’s more, the global media mostly IGNORED that the Druze – both in Israel and Syria – had appealed to Israel to save them from the same fate that Hamas has for Israelis. This appeal was couched “Israel owes the Druze” and it is true – Israel does. It was brought home to me back in 2007 when reporting for The Jerusalem Post (https://www.jpost.com/features/patriot-games), I visited the largest Druze town in Israel, Daliyat el-Carmel perched on top of the Carmel Mountain range to meet and interview a Druze family, including the legendary Kamal Mansour. Mansour, who subsequently passed away 2023, was an Israel Prize recipient who had been appointment by Israel’s third president, Zalman Shazar, as his Adviser on Minority Communities and continued to serve in this position under presidents Ephraim Katzir, Yitzhak Navon, Chaim Herzog, Ezer Weizman, Moshe Katsav and Shimon Peres.
Excruciating Anguish. Druze from Syria and Israel protest in Majdal Shams on the Israeli-Syrian border amid the ongoing clashes in the southern Syrian city of Sweida where the UN says it has credible reports of summary executions. (AP Photo/Leo Correa).
Mansour enlightened me on history that I was not familiar with – important history that illuminates the special relationship between Jews and Druze. While Most Israelis are familiar with the spectacular escape from Atlit in October 1945, when the Palmach (Israel’s pre-state fighting force), under the command of Yitzhak Rabin (who later became Israel’s Prime Minister), broke into the illegal immigrant detention camp at one o’clock in the morning setting free over 200 Jewish prisoners, what followed next, most do not know.
Massacre in the Making. Syria’s government forces entering Suweida city amidst the turmoil.
Bedraggled and exhausted, the escapees – mostly holocaust survivors – dodged the British mandate forces as they fled on foot uphill over the Carmel to Kibbutz Yagur on the northern side of the mountain range. The story made international front-page news. What did not make news was that at the top of the mountain range, some of the fleeing Jews briefly connected with a people equally rooted to the land who helped them elude the pursuing British forces – the Druze. Kamal Mansour was a young boy in 1945 living in the then small village of Isfiyah where his father was mayor when some of those exhausted and hungry Jewish escapees crept cautiously into his village. “It was pitch dark, and my parents welcomed them and offered them tea and cake and a place to rest before guiding them on in their escape to freedom. Not only had my family, but other Druze families as well, opened their homes to these frightened new immigrants. Proudly,” Mansour says, “We acknowledged in deed the Jewish State before there was a Jewish State.”
This hardly known episode in modern Jewish history reflects the characteristically low profile of a unique and special people who chipped in from the start to be a part of the modern state of Israel.
“Whatever the temptations in 1948,” continued Mansour, “the Druze community opted against mainstream Arab nationalism and before the draft was introduced, Druze soldiers served as volunteers in the Israeli army.”
During Israel’s War of Independence in 1948, many Druze, mainly from the villages of Shfaram, Usfiya and Daliat El-Carmel joined forces with the Jewish Haganah forging a relationship that led during this war to the creation of the Minorities Unit, which recruited Druze volunteers, mainly from these three towns. “This trend continued and an increasing number of Druze,” says Mansour, “voluntarily joined the Minorities Unit of the IDF right up to 1956, when compulsory service was introduced, a decision by the way, that was initiated by the Druze leadership.”
Mansour proudly says:
“Although I was too old when conscription for Druze was introduced, I nevertheless served in the reserves for 26 years and six days.”
Mansour referred me to the Druze poet, historian and diplomat, Reda Mansour, who wrote:
“We are the only non-Jewish minority that is drafted into the military and we have an even higher percentage in the combat units and as officers than the Jewish members themselves. So, we are considered a very nationalistic, patriotic community.”
Loose Cannons. Bedouin fighters who have clashed with Druze militias in Syria’s Al-Suwayda province. US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio in a post on X has demanded an end to “the rape and slaughter of innocent people.”
Kamal Mansour, who was the first Druze to serve on the Board of Directors of Israel Electric Corporation (IEC), the Board of Governors of both Haifa University and Ben Gurion University of the Negev, and to be a member of the plenum of the Israel Broadcasting Authority chuckled as he recalled his service on the Committee to investigate the proposal to introduce TV to Israel. “It is hard today to envisage the debate at that time. Both Golda [Meir] and Ben Gurion were dead against it. Ben Gurion thought people would stay away from work to watch TV.”
Early Days. Kamal Masour (left) whom the writer interviewed in 2007, seen here with Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion (centre) and Kamal’s father, Najeb Mansour, who was then mayor of Isfiya.
However, for Mansour who was presented in 2010 with the Israel Prize in recognition of the enormous service he had rendered to the State of Israel, said “I had no such misgivings.”
And Israel should have no misgivings of supporting the Druze community in Syria. As Catherine Perez-Shakdam writes in The Jerusalem Post (‘The Druze and the great betrayal’ July 21,2025), “It is Israel that stands, quite literally, between the Druze and the abyss.”
Comrades-in-Arms. Druze have been dying in battles alongside their Jewish comrades. Seen here is Colonel Ehsan Daxa, 41, commander of the 401st Brigade within the IDF’s 162nd Division who was killed in Gaza. From Daliyat al-Karmel, Daxa had expressed pride in leading a “special and courageous generation of fighters and commanders” committed to decisively defeating Hamas.
How can Israel do otherwise as the world ignores the plight of the Syrian Druze. This writer is left with the words of Kamal Mansour:
“We acknowledged in deed the Jewish State before there was a Jewish State.”
Feature picture:Separation and Solidarity. A community divided, in this pre-war photo, Druze gather to contact their relatives on the Syrian side of the border from the Israeli Golan Heights. (Photo: Amnar Awad/Reuters).
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
Today, Jews across the world are finding themselves alone, ostracized and vulnerable.
One people that have stood by Israel sacrificing life and limb since 1948, is the country’s Druze community, who through thick and thin, war after war, have thrown in their lot with the destiny – and fate – of Israel. In the current Israel-Hamas war, Druze have fought and died alongside their fellow Jewish soldiers in the IDF as they have done in all previous wars.
Today, the Druze in southern Syria, family to the Druze of Israel, are under attack with regime forces aiding Syrian Bedouins in perpetrating atrocities – including the summary execution of Druze civilians.
Israel could not sit back, particularly as Israel’s Druze community’s leadership has appealed to Israel to save their people across the border in turbulent Syria from slaughter.
Lay of the Land fully supports Israel’s efforts to help save the Druze of Syria.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
Dogs are proving to be partners in caring and literally a friend – for life!
By Rolene Marks
(*First appeared in Jewish News Syndicate)
April is a bittersweet month in Israel calendar. It is the month when the national holidays of Yom Hashoah (Holocaust Day), Yom Hazikaron (Memorial day for Israel’s fallen soldiers and victims of terror) and Yom Ha’atzmaut (Independence Day) fall in succession. It is a time of remembrance and celebration – but also a time that can be very sensitive and triggering for Israel’s soldiers. Various cities have made the decision not to have fireworks to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut out of sensitivity to soldiers suffering from PTSD.
The Defense Ministry Deputy Director General, Limor Luria, who heads the ministry’s Rehabilitation Department, recently said that soldiers struggling with PTSD feel that holidays and memorial days as especially straining, even more so during wartime. The Rehabilitation Department estimated that they would be treating approximately 100,000 wounded personnel by 2030, half of whom expected to experience PTSD.
The number of suspected suicides among Israeli soldiers had risen sharply since the Hamas-led assault on October 7, according to the data published by the IDF. Since the start of the war, 28 soldiers have died by suicide as compared in 2023 when – before the attack – 10 suicides were recorded. Laura reveals that since Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, the Rehabilitation Department has absorbed 16,500 injured soldiers, with nearly half of them treated for PTSD.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is defined as “a mental health condition that is caused by an extremely stressful or terrifying event — either being part of it or witnessing it.” It is often characterized by recurring nightmares, frequent panic attacks, depression, and other trauma symptoms. Often, those with PTSD fear sleep because persistent nightmares torment and awaken them.
The wounds are not physical but internal and for many years, PTSD has been misunderstood and often stigmatized. Treatment for veterans suffering from PTSD has been inadequate and neglected. In April 2021, IDF veteran, Itzik Saidyan an IDF veteran set himself on fire outside the Petah Tikva offices of the Rehabilitation Department for disabled soldiers, after years of struggling to receive the care he had sought for PTSD.
Following the horrific October 7 surprise attack and the rising number of soldiers experiencing PTSD, the Ministry of Defense has amped up efforts to treat this with a variety of different therapies – including special dog companions.
Best friend on Soldier’s Shoulder. The Dogs 4 Soldiers program gifts Israeli soldiers with the comfort and healing of therapy dogs. Says Belev Echad committed to restoring wounded IDF soldiers back to life, “Partnering them with a furry friend in need of care gives them something positive to wake up to every morning.”
Animals play a vital role in helping PTSD sufferers process and cope with the emotions and challenges they face. Canine companions are excellent at providing a special kind of therapy. Therapy dogs help their soldier get active and leave the house because they need a lot of exercise. They help rebuild trust and give unconditional love. Dogs also help solders make the sometimes-difficult transition to civilian life and help their humans feel protected.
A board member with No Soldier Left Behind – a non-profit organization that offers canine therapy – Tal Morag explains the clear distinction to JNS between therapy and service dogs:
“Soldiers live with the shock of battle that they can relive at any moment. A sudden loud noise or the smell of blood can be a cue to trigger it off. It can take years to understand what is happening to them. We don’t question them; we give them the chance to tell their stories and therapists to assist them. It is not only combat soldiers who find themselves with symptoms of PTSD but also those in the police, in the security forces and we paramedics. The dogs are trained not to be a service dog but just to be the soldier’s dog and you can see how effective they are. The dogs learn to understand his or her owner and is able to smell that a panic attack is about to happen and can calm them down.”
Furry Friends. Fractured from the battlefield, troops find friendship from their furry companions. (Photo: Elad Gershgorn)
Liran Dimri, the Director of the Dog Training Centre for Belev Echad who offer the program Dogs 4 Soldiers, also suffers from PTSD. Speaking to JNS, Dimri advocates how therapy dogs help:
“People who suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder usually prefer to be alone, locked up at home, and this is what causes them depression. Dogs help them by getting them out of the house at least three times a day. In addition, when they are alone at home, the dog is always with them and seeks the person’s attention and treats them, so they don’t feel alone.”
Caring Canines. Belev Echad is working tirelessly to provide service dogs to soldiers struggling with PTSD. These dogs detect adrenaline spikes and nightmares, reduce stress and anxiety, provide balance assistance, and serve as loyal companions.
Dimri understands too well the impact that PTSD has on the families of soldiers and encourages family members to be actively involved in the training process. A sufferer himself from post-traumatic stress disorder mainly affecting his sleep, Dimri acquired a dog three years ago which has helped him deal with depression, and so “in a good positionto advise on what to do and how it helped me. I also talk to family members and explain to them about post-traumatic stress disorder and how they should deal with their children or partners, and that way it helps them deal with them better. I encourage family members to join in the dog training sessions, to go through this process together, so that the soldiers understand that they are not alone in this process. Their family is with them, and so am I. In addition, it gives them quality time together at least once a week when we meet for training and eat together at the end of the evening.”
Man’s best friend can also be his best therapist.
*Feature picture: Pets for Vets. Veterans of the Israel Defense Forces with trainee pups in the Dogs 4 Soldiers program. (Photo: Courtesy of Liran Dimri/Belev Echad.)
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
Some thoughts from a weekly volunteer responding to the call of our brave soldiers
By Adrian Wolff
Introduction
In the face of challenging times, Israelis take up the challenge – including ordinary civilians of all ages. Many are volunteering to assist in the war effort by making the lives of our soldiers – most of them reservists – a little easier, such as delivering much-welcome hot homemade meals to army bases in the severest war zones.
One such volunteer is Adrian Wolff, who each Friday, delivers multiple parcels of home cooked food to multiple military basis either in the north or south.
For Adrian it all starts early every Friday morning in Ramat Hasharon in the center of the country where he resides and where the food depot is located.
In the light of the heart-wrenching horror saga of the Bibas family of kibbutz Nir Oz, his earlier visit to this kibbutz, was all the more gut-wrenching.
Below is Adrian’s story.
David E. Kaplan Lay of the Land Editor
No Jews live in Gaza and have not since Israel’s withdrawal in 2005 that involved unilaterally dismantling all 21 Jewish settlements.
Devastation and destruction. This house in Nir Oz once stood here where a family once lived. (Photo: Adrian Wolff)
On the Jewish festivity of Simchat Torah on 7 October 2023, 4, 300 rockets were fired toward Israel, as over 5500 Hamas terrorists invaded the Israeli communities that surround the border. Simchat Torah marks the conclusion of the annual cycle of Torah reading and the beginning of a new cycle. On this occasion it most certainly demarcated the end and the beginning of a new cycle in the turbulent history of our people, much of it still uncertain of where it will lead.
It wasn’t a tornado that swept through kibbutz Nir Oz causing death and destruction but human evil. (Photo: Adrian Wolff)
Over 3,000 young people from all across the world attended the Nova festival at Reim, where 347 were murdered at the site, many of the young women, raped. By day’s end, 1320 were killed, including 257 security forces. There were 251 hostages taken into Gaza of which 59 still remain, some of whom – at least 35, probably more – are dead.
Taking these photos of the remains of homes on Nir Oz and knowing what happened to the families that once lived in them, are images that will remain with me for life. (Photo: Adrian Wolff)
To date, 1,004 civilians and 846 soldiers have been killed, with approximately 10,300 Israeli civilians and 15,000 soldiers wounded.
Home and poster of Ofer Kalderon, kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz and finally returned home after 484 days of Hamas captivity in Gaza. Said Kalderon following his release, “I was in tunnels without seeing daylight, I was not exposed to any media, I experienced harsh hunger conditions, and I spent entire months without a shower and without proper care…. Hamas is a brutal enemy that will not hesitate to harm the abductees left behind.” (Photo: Adrian Wolff)
The entire Israeli Military and political echelons were caught napping. While IDF recovered quickly and within 36 hours successfully removed all of the 4000 Hamas terrorists from Israeli territory, the Israeli government failed to function effectively except for the Ministry of Health. Compounding the state paralysis particularly in so far as facilitating mobility, public transport was unavailable for soldiers to travel to and from their units because the attack was launched on the Sabbath.
A Nir Oz humble dwelling for a family name that is all too familiar to the world. Chairs where once parents sat and a bicycle which kids once rode, outside the Bibas family home. (Photo: Adrian Wolff)
It was the Israeli population who immediately opened many ‘Volunteer Centers’ all over the country to provide clothing for the displaced population and prepare meals which were brought to various army units. Nearly half of Israelis took part in volunteering activities at the start of the war and this participation spanned across all segments of Israeli society.
Once a hub of youthful activity, young lives on Nir Oz recalled inmemorabilia and posters. (Photo: Adrian Wolff)
I cannot remember how I became involved in November 2023, when I volunteered to join the Ramat Hasharon delivery of home-made meals to army units in the south and latter to include those units stationed in the north.
My motor car is too small to deliver 300 – 400+ meals, and quickly contacted friends who have larger SUV’s.
The ‘Volunteer center’ explains to the various volunteer house-holds in Ramat Hasharon what meals/foods are required – schnitzels, meatballs, pastas, cooked vegetables, salads, dry-cakes, Challah etc.
Friday morning at the food distribution centre in Ramat Hasharon. (Photo: Adrian Wolff)
These meals are delivered early on Friday morning to the center, where they are divided into portions, placed in boxes and labeled.
I arrive at about 09.00. We fold down the rear backrests, load the cars with volunteers from a local high schooland off we go. All very efficient and professional. We DO NOT enter Gaza, but meet a representative of the unit at a point close to the border.
I am given a few sheets of data – the name of the unit, contact person and location. It is essential to have a driver and navigator. Once leaving I look at WAZE to learn of our expected arrival time and connect with the unit to let them know we are ‘on our way’. About 15 minutes before arriving, I will call again to update arrival time, as often the unit has to send a vehicle from inside Gaza to meet us. The location point can become difficult as WAZE and Google Maps often does not operate in the border areas. I always bring maps to assist us in finding the basic area/location.
Crammed to Capacity. Our very laden car with boxes to be taken to the army units. (Photo: Adrian Wolff)
The satisfaction I get from these deliveries is the warmth and appreciation I receive each time. Not that the army is short of food, but the home-made, not industrial meals, are most welcome for Shabbat which improves their morale, and for them to know the civilian sector is thinking of them.
With snow on the mountain peaks, Adrian (3rd left) together with his co-driver handover boxes of food to IDF soldiers in the freezing Golan Heights. There are many volunteer drivers, “and we receive instructions on the day whether we are delivering in the north or the south,” says Adrian.
I am always taken in by the quality and maturity of the soldiers, be they conscripts, reservist or officers, male or female. I frequently reflect how better equipped they are for the future than the ‘woke’ crowd we see protesting against Israel in foreign universities.
Sadly, I sometimes read in the newspaper during the week that IDF soldiers participating in the units I delivered food to have been killed and/or wounded. That is hard-hitting.
It made me so proud of our country when delivering the food and meeting these young soldiers – boys and girls.
I have delivered home-made meals to an additional reserve army unit stationed Nir Oz. A few months ago, when I delivered meals to soldiers at Nir Oz, a local woman resident in her forties approached me and offered to show me around. I understood she wanted to talk to some-one. She took me to her mother’s home which was completely burnt out. She showed me the shelter in the home, which did not have an inside lock as it had been constructed to safe-guard against incoming rockets from Gaza not terrorists on the ground. How totally unprepared they were for this eventuality! Her mother stood no chance. The terrorists threw hand grenades into the shelter. Only bits of her mother’s body were found. Body parts, burnt out homes and overturned, wrecked tricycles. Images seen; never to be unseen. How does one process this?
Until next Friday and back to food deliveries…
About the writer:
An economics graduate of the University of Cape Town (UCT), Adrian Wolff transitioned from a lifetime in the commercial world to becoming a qualified Israeli Tourist Guide and is the author of ‘ISRAEL A CHRONOLGY – from Biblical to Modern Times’ available through Steimatzky, Amazon, Israel Museum, B-G Airport, Yad Vashem and ANU Museum. Rising to the rank of major in the IDF, Wolff is a member of The Israel Military History Society. While Israel is presently at war, every Friday, he delivers home-made meals donated by Ramat Hasharon families to army units alternating between the north and Gaza areas.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
Hostages Square in Tel Aviv could so easily be called Sombre Square as it captures the mood and exudes the anxiety of a nation
While Tel Aviv has notable popular public squares like ‘Dizengoff Square’, ‘Habima Square’ and ‘Rabin Square’ – all associated with both the history and cultural life of Israel’s most vibrant city – its newest named Hostages Square is probably today, the most familiar to people across the world. It is not surprising why.
Located on the city’s King Saul Boulevard in front of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Hostages Square is seen daily on international TV news networks as people from across Israel congregate on this now sacred ground to demand the return of the hostages held in cruel captivity in Gaza. The site of daily press conferences and constant rallies about the hostage situation following Hamas’ brutal massacre on October 7, Hostages Square is not only a place in Tel Aviv, it is a place in the heart of Jewish people around the world.
One of the many thousands who visit Hostages Square every day, was photojournalist Harold Silber, a former South African, now resident in Netanya, Israel. Below is his personal narrative as seen through his camera lens. His focus is on the people – their postures and their expressions as they convey anxiety, hope, fear and the moments of joy, when news breaks of a hostage release. It is more of this welcome news, that the message from Hostages Square reverberates across Israel to the entire world.
David E. Kaplan Editor, Lay of the Land
By Harold Silber
Hostages Square, a public plaza in front of the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, has become a place of gathering, commemoration, protest, hope, mourning, prayer, and vigilance, bringing hundreds of people together since the horrific attacks of October 7.
Clutching a dog-tag and a yellow “Bring Them Home” ribbon, an attendee at Hostages Square watches a live TV broadcast of the release of three hostages last Saturday
Emotions run high during hostage-release broadcasts at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. The sharing of emotions creates a bond between the many who gather, contrasting elation with pain, and hope with despair.
Teddy bears with embroidered messages have become a poignant symbol of the heartbreak of the hostages and the families left behind. Limor Elishoov holds an armful of her teddy bears during a hostage-release broadcast at Hostages Square.
Yellow Ribbons first became popular as a symbol of public support for Americans held hostage in Iran in 1979. Now, as worn here at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, they have become a symbol of hope for millions of people around the world, in the aftermath of the terrible attacks and the capture of hostages by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023.
A heartfelt gesture highlights the mix of emotions felt by attendees at a hostage-release broadcast event at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.
“Unbelievable, unacceptable, unbearable”, reads the embroidered message on a heart held by a blindfolded teddy bear in a cage, in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.
The sight of a released hostage, seen on a giant TV screen in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, evokes a gesture of hope and relief for a yellow-ribboned observer.
The slogan – “LET THEM GO” – on a t-shirt in Hostages Square echoes the ancient injunction of Exodus, reflected in the weary eyes of an observer at a hostage-release broadcast.
Tunnel Vision – a replica of a Hamas terror tunnel at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv captures the grim conditions endured by hostages taken by terrorists during the attacks of October 7, 2023.
Jubilation greets the release of Naama Levy, one of four hostages released from Hamas captivity on a recent Saturday at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv. On the morning of 7 October 2023, during the Hamas attack on Israel, Naama was abducted from the IDF surveillance base at Nahal Oz near the Gaza–Israel barrier.
Framed by posters of hostages, an attendee at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv reacts to the televised release of a group of hostages.
Wearing an Israeli flag and a ‘Bring them Home’ ribbon, a furry faithful friend takes a break at a recent hostage-release gathering in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv.
A place of tears, joy, hope, righteous anger and above all, the spirit embodied by Am Yisrael Chai, Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square is the eternal reminder that in spite of it all, Israel is alive.
About the photojournalist:
Harold Silber Born in South Africa, Harold made aliyah to Israel in 2010. “With a deep love for this land, I capture and share its stories through photography and video. My work, followed by over 10,000 on Facebook, reflects Israel’s beauty, resilience, and spirit.” Harold resides in the Mediterranean coastal city of Netanya, Israel.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
African governments focus energy on global issues while failing to address urgent crises on their own continent
By Kenneth Mokgatlhe wa Kgwadi
The lack of response to the 1994 Rwandan genocide by the international community continues to be scrutinized. In April 1994, an estimated 800,000 Tutsis – members of the minority ethnic group in Rwanda – were slaughtered by the majority Hutu ethnic group. At the same time, the world seemed to pay more attention to the FIFA World Cup, hosted in Brazil, and the historic democratic elections in South Africa, which marked its gaining freedom from apartheid. The global community’s failure to intervene in this horrific genocide remains one of the most tragic examples of international indifference.
Sadly, we are witnessing a similar scenario today in Sudan, where an ongoing genocide is being largely ignored by African governments and multilateral organizations. In Sudan, Arab militias have been systematically targeting black African populations, engaging in mass killings, rapes, and other brutal atrocities. Despite the scale of this crisis, Africa’s political leadership has remained largely silent, while the international community – particularly the United States under the Biden administration – has voiced its concern. The contrast between Africa’s response to this genocide and its responses to other international conflicts, such as the Israel-Hamas war and the Russia-Ukraine war, reveals a troubling pattern:
African governments often focus their energies on global issues while failing to address urgent crises on their own continent.
Escaping Global Concern. “Where are my parents?” Musa remembers screaming after a military device he was playing with explodes in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum. He recounts the event at a camp for displaced people on Dec. 10, 2023. (Photo: Faiz Abubakr)
This lack of action by African leaders is nothing new. African governments have consistently failed to take meaningful steps to address human rights violations and protect their own citizens from violent conflict. For example, the silence surrounding the ongoing violence in Sudan echoes the indifference seen during previous crises in Africa, such as in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, where deteriorating political conditions have forced many people to flee their countries in search of safety. In both of these countries, instability has led to widespread human suffering, but the African Union (AU) and other regional bodies have done little to intervene.
It is worth noting that international media and Western democracies have been vocal in their condemnation of the Sudanese crisis. However, Africa’s political leadership has largely remained passive, continuing to focus on external conflicts and geopolitical issues rather than on the well-being of their own citizens. This is particularly evident in the way African leaders have responded to the Israel-Hamas conflict. In recent years, South Africa has been outspoken in its criticism of Israel, often siding with Hamas in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. At the same time, South Africa and other African countries have shown support for Russia in its war against Ukraine, likely due to their alliance within the BRICS framework.
Fleeing for their Lives. Does anyone in the rest of Africa really care for these Sudanese fleeing in August, 2023 the conflict in Sudan’s Darfur region? (Photo: Zohra Bensemra/Reuters)
While it is important for African nations to have their voices heard on global issues, it is equally crucial that African governments prioritize the security, stability, and welfare of their own people. When African nations are embroiled in violent conflict, as we see in Sudan, these crises not only cause untold human suffering but also have far-reaching consequences for the region and the world. As the global economy becomes increasingly interconnected, the instability in one country can ripple across borders, affecting neighboring countries and even distant regions. The situation in Sudan is a clear reminder that Africa cannot afford to ignore the plight of its own people while focusing solely on conflicts far from its borders.
In countries like Nigeria and Mozambique, we are witnessing the rise of extremist terrorism, which threatens the security of millions of people. In northern Mozambique, for instance, extremist groups like al-Shabaab have carried out brutal attacks, killing thousands and displacing hundreds of thousands more. Similarly, in Nigeria, the extremist group Boko Haram continues to wreak havoc, killing civilians, kidnapping children, and destabilizing entire regions. These crises have drawn some attention from international organizations, but there has been a glaring lack of concerted, effective action by African governments and regional bodies like the African Union to curb the spread of extremism and address the root causes of instability.
Sudan has no appeal to Western protestors. While world’s attention is riveted to terrorist-run Gaza, escaping international attention is the Sudan, which is reported to have “the largest internally displaced population ever.”
One of the reasons for this inaction is the political and economic influence exerted by foreign powers, particularly Western countries. Many African governments receive significant financial aid, military support, and diplomatic backing from countries like the United States, China, and former colonial powers. This assistance often comes with strings attached, with African leaders prioritizing the interests of foreign powers over the welfare of their own citizens. This dynamic has created a system where African governments are more focused on securing international aid and approval than on addressing the urgent needs of their own people.
At the same time, there is a disturbing trend of African countries ignoring the plight of their own people in favor of engaging in foreign conflicts. Many African leaders have shown more interest in aligning themselves with international powers like the United States, Russia, and China than in standing up for the rights and safety of their own citizens. The situation in Sudan is a glaring example of this. While African leaders continue to focus on issues like the Israel-Hamas conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war, the people of Sudan are being killed, raped, and displaced by the tens of thousands. The genocide unfolding in Sudan is a tragedy that deserves the world’s attention, but the silence from African governments is deafening.
It is essential for Africa to recognize that its own problems are just as pressing as those in other parts of the world. As the saying goes, “charity begins at home.” If African governments truly want to make a meaningful impact on the world stage, they must first ensure that their own countries are stable, secure, and just. Only then can they begin to contribute effectively to global peace and security. The inaction in respect of Sudan and other African countries serves as a powerful reminder that African governments must prioritize the needs of their people above all else.
I recently had the opportunity to meet a Sudanese refugee who had fled his home country due to the violence. He shared with me the despair and hopelessness he felt, knowing that he may never be able to return to his homeland. His plan was to move to Kenya, where most of his family members had already sought refuge. Despite the dire circumstances, he held on to a flicker of hope – hope that one day the world would take action to end the ongoing crisis and allow displaced Sudanese people to return home. His story is one of many, and it underscores the urgency of addressing the genocide in Sudan and the broader security challenges facing Africa.
Disaster at the Doorstep. Africa mostly ignores the 11.4 million people now displaced within the Sudan and over 3 million people – mostly women and children – that have fled Sudan to neighboring countries. Seen here is a camp for displaced Sudanese in the city of Wad Madani, on Dec. 10, 2023. (Photo: Faiz Abubakr)
The crisis in Sudan is not just a political or military issue – it is a moral one. It is about human lives, about the dignity and safety of individuals who are being slaughtered because of their ethnicity and social group. In Sudan, the victims are predominantly non-Arab Africans, who are being tortured, raped, mutilated, and subjected to inhumane violence. Their homes are being destroyed, their communities razed to the ground, and their lives wiped out in what can only be described as a systematic, racially motivated genocide.
It is deeply disappointing that the same moral outrage that is often directed at conflicts involving Israel, Western democracies, or other international powers is not being extended to the people of Sudan. In fact, the response to the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel, which saw the killing of several black Africans caught in the crossfire, was met with far more outcry than the ongoing genocide in Sudan. This hypocrisy highlights the need for Africans to adopt the principles behind the #BlackLivesMatter movement – not just in the United States, but also in Africa, where black lives are under threat from their own leaders and from armed militias.
Targeting Medical Institutions. Where was the media focus when this destroyed medical storage warehouse in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur province was destroyed? (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)
We cannot claim to care about the lives of black people around the world if we are complicit in the mass killings and suffering of black Africans in our own countries. Whether in Sudan, Nigeria, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, the DRC, or Burundi, the lives of black Africans must matter – both to the people themselves and to the governments who are meant to protect them.
The African Union (AU) and other regional bodies must take responsibility for these crises and act decisively to end the bloodshed in Sudan and other conflict-ridden African countries. It is time for Africa to turn its eyes toward the real genocide in Sudan and to take a stand against the violence that is plaguing the continent.
The time for inaction is over. African leaders must rise above international political posturing and take the necessary steps to protect their own people. Only then will Africa be able to heal, to thrive, and to show the world what true leadership looks like.
About the writer:
Kenneth Mokgatlhe wa Kgwadi is an independent writer, political analyst and researcher. He is doing his MA in African Studies at the Israeli-based Ben Gurion University of the Negev.
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the kind that entices children out of their homes and into the fresh air, the sound of laughter punctuated the silence. Children in the Druze village of Majdal Shams in Israel’s verdant north, gleefully played football. In a matter of seconds, everything changed and the unthinkable happened. A missile fired by Iranian terror proxy, Hezbollah fired towards the area and killed 12 of the children who were so happily playing just moments before.
The victims were named as Alma Ayman Fakher Eldin, 11 Milad Muadad Alsha’ar, 10; Vinees Adham Alsafadi, 11; Iseel Nasha’at Ayoub, 12; Yazan Nayeif Abu Saleh, 12; Johnny Wadeea Ibrahim, 13; Ameer Rabeea Abu Saleh, 16; Naji Taher Alhalabi, 11; Fajer Laith Abu Saleh, 16; Hazem Akram Abu Saleh, 15; and Nathem Fakher Saeb, 16 and 11-year-old Gevara Ebraheem.
Killing Kids. The Hezbollah rocket attack on Majdal Shams on July 27, 2024 killed 12 children: (Top row, l-r) Ameer Rabeea Abu Saleh, 16, Iseel Nasha’at Ayoub, 12, Hazem Akram Abu Saleh, 15, Milad Muadad Alsha’ar, 10 (Middle row, l-r) Alma Ayman Fakher Eldin, 11, Naji Taher Alhalabi, 11, Johnny Wadeea Ibrahim, 13, Yazan Nayeif Abu Saleh, 12 (Bottom row, l-r) Fajer Laith Abu Saleh, 16, Venes Adham Safadi, 11 Nathem Fakher Saeb, 16, and Gevara Ebraheem, 11.
Twelve angels. Thirty-nine children were seriously injured including one little boy who remains hospitalized.
Benny Ben-Muvhar, head of the Mevo’ot Hermon Regional Council, told Channel 12 news that four or five of the children killed were members of a single family. It was one of the most horrific days of the war. The 7th of October was a day of unparalleled brutality and Hamas did not spare anyone – Jew, Christian, Muslim and Druze. Since that day, Israeli warriors have been fighting for our country – Jew, Christian, Muslim and Druze. We have been suffering as a country and our Druze brothers and sisters are a part of us, we share a holy covenant of blood regardless of what external political pundits.
The sirens blared – but was so quick that the children did not have time to enter the shelter. The result was an unfathomable tragedy.
Israel was plunged into mourning and in the days that followed, many made the visit up north to offer their condolences and show solidarity in this relatively isolated village; but as the weeks and months passed, the visits stopped. People went on with their lives. Devastated parents and a heartbroken community were left to mourn and try to pick up the pieces. The community felt forgotten.
This attack killed twelve innocent children playing football and while the media covered the tragedy, they quickly moved on – but the community was not forgotten.
Project Maxis an organization dedicated to combating racism, antisemitism, and intolerance through sports. Through Project Max, athletes from the NBA and NFL have had the opportunity to visit Israel in the wake of 7 October, meet with survivors, hostage families, and gain a clearer understanding of the complex geopolitical challenges faced by the Jewish state.
In recent weeks, two NFL legends, Nick Lowery and Tony Richardson, both Project Max ambassadors visited Israel in a trip made possible by Athletes for Israel – and made sure that Majdal Shams was on the itinerary.
Nick Lowery (right) shares his prize champion ring with one of the children in Majdal Shams.
Eric Rubin, CEO of Project Max spoke to me about the visit:
“No parent should have to bury a child. It was important to go to Majdal Shams to let the community know that we have not forgotten about them. Given the children were murdered playing sports, I thought it would be very meaningful to bring athletes, American Football players there. In addition, the Druze are very proud and patriotic residents of Israel. It was important to show that it has not just been Jews who have been effected or killed since October 7, but also Arabs -Muslims, Christians, Druze and Bedouins were taken hostage or killed. Israel is a diverse tapestry and we need to let the world know that the terrorist’s barbarity impacts everyone. We also needed to make sure the Druze people know they are no less Israeli or victims of this war.”
Rubin continues:
“During former NBA Champion Josh Powell’s visit to Israel, we met some of the survivors of the Majdal Shams attack in Ichilov hospital. During that visit, we heard the horror stories but also saw the resilience of the children and their families. I committed to them that I would do what I could to make sure the world didn’t forget what happened to the 12 angels and all the survivors. It was important to me to keep that commitment and bring Nick Lowery and Tony Richardson there so they can tell the story to the world. But at the same time, it was extremely important to meet with the families, hear the dreams and aspirations of these children who were brutally murdered, and do what we could to try and bring some hope, positivity, love, support and smiles to our beautiful Druze cousins.”
Bereaved parents and the mayor of Majdal Shams present Eric Rubin with a football with the names of the 12 angels.
We often speak about the power of sports to bring healing and build bridges and this visit was the embodiment of that. This was more than just a solidarity visit; for a brief moment, the families and children of Majdal Shams could experience moments of joy instead of pain and loss. For a brief moment, the sound of children’s unbridled laughter as they played sports with two of the best in NFL history rang out in the hills.
NFL Legends Tony Richardson (l) and Nick Lowery (r) together with Druze residents of Mijdal Shams standing in front of the memorial to the “12 angels”.
Sharing his thoughts, Nick Lowery said:
“Why did we go to Majdal Shams? We went to make sure that the community knew, they absolutely knew they were not forgotten. At first, it was awkward, they did not know how much we understood or wanted to understand but we went there to look them in the eye, hear their stories as much as we were able to. We wanted to hear a little about their sons and daughters. We wanted to make sure that this tragedy which also injured 39 children that it didn’t ruin permanently those surviving children their capacity to move on with their lives.”
An emotional Lowery went on:
“The universality of the grief – the father who is a first responder who found his daughter dead on the field and had to leave his own daughter who was so alive minutes before to take care of the children who still had a chance. The father with the brilliant smile who found out that they couldn’t find his son because his son was blown up because the missile literally hit his son in the body and they began to find small pieces of it later, there was a separate shrine to him.”
The visit had a profoundly emotional effect on Lowery and Richardson. It was etched on their faces. There is no doubt that for the community of Majdal Sham – especially the children – spending time with Mike Lowery and Tony Richardson and the care and empathy shown to them, will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
NFL Legends Nick Lowery (l) and Tony Richardson (r) with the children of Majdal Shams in the Golan Heights.
Throughout this war, many have been silent about the suffering of Israel’s children. Project Max, through visits from their ambassadors are ensuring that Israeli children, who have endured the unimaginable are seen, heard and most important, hugged.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
For almost three weeks recently, we visited our daughter every day at Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem – she underwent a series of operations and procedures and thankfully, is now on the slow road to recovery. The medical care has been truly outstanding for which we have a lot to be grateful. What especially stands out is the professionalism of the staff, many of whom – possibly even the majority amongst the nursing staff, are Israeli Arabs. But there is something more: over and above their expertise, the genuine concern exhibited, the friendliness and compassion which you can’t fake, the authenticity of feeling, all played an essential part in the recuperation, recovery and well- being of our daughter.
Unity in Diversity. Hadassah Medical Center workers hold signs emphasizing cooperation.
Of course, there are always issues and I’m not going to sugar coat this – hospitals are after all stressful, frenetic places and emotions are on display – and one sees the best and the worst excesses of human behavior.
But on the macro level, the tension-free mixed wards, relaxed lounge areas and eating places – which will never make the headlines because this is truly good news, somehow seem to belie the reality of our fragile and at times hanging- by-a- thread country outside the walls of the hospital. Which begs the question:
How do we take the reality of what goes on behind the doors of the hospital: an oasis and haven of relative calm and a slice of normality, and transplant it lock, stock and barrel to our real world. What are the ingredients, the secret sauce for success? How do we mirror image and clone a relatively peaceful institution and make the centre hold in our immediate outside world where “anarchy is loosed upon the world” (Yeats).
Holding on Together. Jews and Arabs traveling on the Light Rail through French Hill in Jerusalem, one of the most integrated and diverse areas in Israel “where people live, work, shop, and eat together ….a model of co-existence.”
Sadly, I cannot prescribe a remedy or template for success or for that matter, something earth shatteringly profound but the regrettable observation that failing the emergence of a once-in-a-lifetime larger than life Mandela type leader, we are sometimes left subjected to spineless pygmy politicians of all stripes and sizes. Them as well as a media and their proxies: arrogant, know-it-all talking heads and so-called experts on all sides of the spectrum who cannot be trusted nor seemingly deliver. Consequently, the pathways to a new and more optimistic future have to be bottom-up driven, that it is ultimately “we, the people”, who have to painstakingly and modestly find the way to change our current harsh reality and that yes, there are role models for success. Take my neighborhood for instance, French Hill in Jerusalem, possibly one of the most integrated and diverse in Israel where people live, work, shop, and eat together and is, to all intents and purposes, a model of co-existence – with no authoritarian dictates on how and where we should live our lives. Or take our apartment block where religious Jews and Muslims live side by side together with Christians and secular and traditional Jews.
This harmony and goodwill was especially pronounced when Iran forced us all several times into our communal shelter. In other words, changing our reality is doable! And we can especially take comfort – and inspiration from the fact that Israeli society, the people: amcha, post October 7th, in the face of an absent, reckless and negligent government, rallied together with our unbelievably dedicated brave and courageous soldiers and pilots – and a President whose middle name is Empathy, and came to the heroic rescue and rebuilding of our fractured, traumatized country and people.
Young Boys, Old City. Three boys, one Jewish, one Muslim and one Christian, all bearing the name of Abraham, at the Dome of the Rock and the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, 2000. How connected are they today as adults?
Maybe and of course, this is a long and unrealistic shot (but please, indulge my fantasy – we can “perchance to dream”, can’t we?) we should, following on reflections of our daughter’s hospital experience, entrust our future into the capable hands of the helping professions who get it, who understand human weakness and frailty, who selflessly provide not only the generous and gentle heart – and a broad shoulder to lean on but who help us navigate the depths of pain, suffering and anxiety, and also strive to find the blueprint that makes us whole and brings out the very best in us.
Witness the rapport between the Muslim woman who manages the endo-chemistry laboratory and her Jewish staff member Limor Avraham, the warm connection between the Muslim internal medicine day hospital manager and a Jewish ultra-Orthodox volunteer, and the collaboration between each of the very diverse teams of Jewish, Christian and Arab intensive care nurses, x-ray technicians and kitchen staff. Listen to Hadassah’s staff members sing about their commitment to opening their hearts and working together to save lives, “Together All the Way. Together, There Is No Other Way.”
About the writer:
Solly Kaplinski, former Headmaster of Herzlia High School in Cape Town, also headed up Jewish Day Schools in Toronto and Vancouver. His Aliyah professionally has been bookended by working at Yad Vashem in the International Relations Department and at the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) where he served for 17 years as the Executive Director of Overseas Joint Ventures. He is also the author of a novella, A world of Pains: A Redemptive Parable? He lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Arleen, and their 3 daughters, their spouses and an egalitarian minyan of grandchildren, all living in Israel.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
