Rabbi Howard Morrison

This morning, we made sandwiches for IDF soldiers serving in Gaza, under the auspices of Citrus and Salt in Tel Aviv. The food that we prepared will reach our soldiers later today. One of the organizers is on a birthright internship and originates from Vancouver.

We visited the temporary Tel Aviv site of Kibbutz Reim which had to relocate from the South after October 7. Housed currently in a city skyscraper, these Kibbutznicks have recreated Kibbutz life as much as possible and are optimistic about returning home soon.

The speaker spoke about the three front lines being soldiers, Israeli civilians, and Jews from the Diaspora coming together with unprecedented rises of anti-Semitism.

After members of Kibbutz Reim normalized their situation on October 7-8, they initiated "Project Twenty Four - It's Within us." This project unites Israelis and Israeli communities impacted by October 7 with Diaspora Jews informationally and financially.

At Hostage Square, we viewed the long symbolic Shabbat table with settings for all the hostages. A number of booths were set up including Kibbutzim and the Nova Festival. Some of our group heard the story of an elderly gentleman from Nahal Oz. Another member spoke with the mother of a hostage. We met a birthright group. We concluded by davening Mincha. We were joined by a soldier, Barak, who recited the prayer for the IDF in Hebrew.

We gave support, listened to, and experienced  some of the most meaningful aspects of Tel Aviv in the wake of October 7.