Jewish tradition has always believed that the important things in life are better done in community. We pray in a minyan, study with a partner (hevruta), and join together with others to celebrate and, lihavdil, to make a separation, mourn our losses.

There is no commandment or tradition which says that traveling ought to be done in a group; but as I think about my experiences traveling this summer in Israel with more than 60 Beth Israel Congregants, extended family and close friends, I can say without any hesitation: this was an extraordinary experience and it wouldn�t have been the same if I, or any of us, had been traveling alone.

I had circled the dates of June 24-July 9, 2007 on the calendar when I first began thinking about a group trip to Israel two years ago. We have taken Congregational trips before, the most recent being in 2001, but it was more than past the time to undertake another trip. From the moment we began to make preliminary announcements, the response was overwhelming.

This past October, approximately 50 people attended an informational meeting over dinner in Beth Israel�s sukkah to begin to talk about expectations and hopes. By the time the deadline came to register we had reached 64 participants, almost three times the number of our largest previous trip.

But the success of this trip was not only about the large number of participants. Working with our tour provider (Keshet: The Center for Educational Tourism in Israel) and other contacts, we were able to build an itinerary which included the "must-see" sites as well as those off the beaten path. We structured a program which would be educational, spiritually inspirational, challenging and, last but certainly not least, fun. Our outstanding guide, Peter Abelow, and I spoke for hours on the phone before the trip to go over details. And, despite a terrible heat wave when we first arrived, we left from the airport to plant trees at Neot Kedummim, the Biblical Landscape Park, and it seemed we rarely stopped until we boarded the El Al plane two weeks later.

Among the most memorable moments were:

Participating in "hands-on" tzedaka projects delivering food to the needy in Jaffa and Tel Aviv, and packing food boxes for delivery throughout Israel
Spending a quiet, inspirational and joyous Shabbat in Tzefat and following Havdalah with singing and dancing on a rooftop in the Old City
Hiking through Nahal David in Ein Gedi to a waterfall in a secluded canyon in the Golan
Visting places of significance including Independence Hall, the Memorial to Yitzhak Rabin and Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial
Discussing the political situation with people from various perspectives including the Director of Rabbis for Human Rights, Rabbi Arik Ascherman and a resident of Gush Etzion
Visiting institutions large and small, and serving different populations including Neve Hana, a children�s village in Kiryat Gat; ALYN hospital for children in Jerusalem; and Pinat Ham, a place for soldiers on duty to gather for calm and warmth during difficult times
Davening in various different places including on top of Masada, at the Kotel in Jerusalem and in the Mesorti (Conservative) syngogue in Tzefat
Camping out in a Bedouin-style tent in the Negev
Meeting many Ann Arborites in Israel, including those studying at the Conservative Yeshiva in Jerusalem and those who made aliyah.

Through it all, there was the sense that what we were seeing and what we were experiencing had not only a historical dimension but a spiritual dimension as well. It was my privilege to be able to teach Torah while swaying on a bus climbing the hills of the Galilee, and also while gathering in the cooling shade of an ancient building in Tzippori, in the Synagogue at Masada, and on early morning walks in Jerusalem.

And through it all, there were the kids. Our group included more than a dozen children who played and sang and hiked and swam their way through Israel, building a stronger connection with the land and laying the foundation for future high school or college trips to deepen their connection with Israel further.

When Moses approached Pharaoh with the statement "Let my people go," Pharaoh asked "Who would be going?" Moses answered: "We will go with our elders and our young children." What made this trip most remarkable to me was that we traveled with so many different people: young and old, first timers and veteran travelers, observant and not so observant, those on the right politically, those on the left and all points in between. While there, these vastly different people formed a hevra, a group of friends and study partners to learn and to understand more of what Israel is about, why we should care and what we hope for.

As I write this article, there are once again possibilities on the horizon for better times for Israel and its neighbors. This was one thing that was particularly evident through our trip. Of course, we felt safe. And, of course, we felt pride. But we all knew and saw very clearly that through all that Israel has become, its continued growth and continued stability and continued meaning for all of us depend upon a resolution to the problems which plague the region.

One of the most moving presentations we heard was from Taly, the guide who spoke to us at Independence Hall, the site of the declaration of the State of Israel in 1948. She told us that nothing upsets her more than when people say that Israelis are accustomed to sending their children into the army and accept the possibility of war as the reality of life in Israel. She begged us all to realize that the status quo is not acceptable for any Israeli; and that no matter how proud Israelis might be in the courage of their young people, no one wants to see continued hostilities as the permanent future of Israel.

This message never left us as we traveled throughout the land. What a beautiful place! What wonderful people! What great accomplishments and what a wonderful future! But that future completely depends upon reaching the greatest and most beautiful dream of all: the dream of peace, peace within Israel, peace with Israel�s neighbors, peace in the world.

Our trip helped all of us understand better the challenges Israel faces, her hopes and dreams for the future, and to feel a greater part of what is happening there.

And I, as a Rabbi, am privileged to have helped so many people be part of this experience.

Robert Dobrusin, Rabbi
Copyright © 2007, Robert Dobrusin.
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This message was originally posted on August 15, 2007.

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