‘It was like standing in a shtetl right after a pogrom’: Why solidarity missions are the only tourism to Israel right now

Vancouver rabbis Dan Moskovitz and Carey Brown spent four days in Israel in December 2023 as part of a delegation of eight spiritual leaders from the city. They carried 21 duffel bags full of supplies, toured Kibbutz Be’eri and heard from survivors, met with mourners and visited the grave of Vancouver’s Ben Mizrachi, who was murdered at the Supernova music festival on Oct. 7, 2023.

Three months after the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 residents–sparking a war that shows no end in sight–tourism in the Holy Land has stalled. Many airlines have yet to resume full service to Israel; hotels are full of displaced residents from Israel’s frontline communities; lifestyle travellers have cancelled trips. In the midst of this bad economic news, however, one unique type of tourism has partly filled the void: volunteer missions. Wine tastings in the Galilee and mud baths at the Dead Sea are out, but picking avocados is in. And hundreds of Diaspora Jews have volunteered.

On today’s The CJN Daily, we’ll hear why so many Jews are feeling compelled to “bear witness”. Rabbi Moskovitz will discuss his December visit; we’ll meet Yael Benarroch and Sherri Ettedgui, both Toronto residents, who volunteered on a “Mother to Mother” mission organized by U.S.-based Jewish organization Momentum. And Gal Hana, Israel’s consul for tourism in Toronto, describes what tourism will look like from now, until the fighting ends.

What we talked about

• Learn more about the “Till They All Come Home” hostage bracelet fundraiser created by Rabbi Dan Moskovitz, including how to order.
• Read more about how volunteers are preparing food for Israelis, in The CJN.
• Why Canadian cardiologist Dr. Brad Strauss flew to Israel to help a hospital after Oct. 7 on The CJN Daily.

Credits

The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here. Hear why The CJN is important to me.