United Israel Appeal Victoria

A first time landing in Israel was bound to be a stirring moment. The night sky over Tel Aviv gave promise to a vast magnificent city. The welcome walk through Ben Gurion Airport was impressive and bode well for the days to follow.

Within hours there was a two minute silence for the Shoah, a one minute silence on memorial day (Yom Hazikaron) commemorating fallen soldiers and victims of terror and Yom Ha’atzmaut, independence day: it seemed surreal that one could so easily transform from a deep personal sharing of loss to celebration for the founding of a nation state.

Had I been asked to guess expected highlights, the Wailing Wall, Yad Vashem and Masada would probably have featured. My highlights were none of those.

Sparked by the notion that education and technology was the edge for political survival, I was immensely impressed by the ethos and capabilities of Israel Aerospace Industries. With over 17,000 employees and a turnover in excess of 3.5 billion (I believe dollars), the organization adopts a total systems approach that includes launch, return, research and development and ongoing maintenance. We saw the same drones that were built for use by the Australian Army in Afghanistan and visited a hanger where Boeing 767’s are converted to cargo planes at the end of their passenger life at 1/3 the cost of a new plane.

The visit to Amigour sheltered housing program was particularly emotional. A concert by survivors of WW2 performed Russian & Yiddish songs. Translators revealed personal struggles in Siberia and Auschwitz and pride in their survival and new community. It uncannily echoed stories told to me by my parents.

Resettlement programmes to help African youth represents a challenge to immigrant parents and officials. The Mission included various museums, historical sights, a sound & light show, memorials, exhibits, ecological research, guest speakers, the symbolism of the Supreme Court, new kibbutz life (moshavim) where profits are personally shared, and idealistic young students developing communities in the desert.

The development of the Hatzeva community in the Central Arava arid region is a joint project with Australia. and boasts many achievements particularly in agriculture. I give the Bereshit hotel at Mitzpe Ramon a 6 star rating: (together with Eilat, this should not be missed).

Walking through Ben Gurion’s home in Tel Aviv and placing a stone on his grave in the wilderness was for me an honour. He reputedly spoke 11 languages and read every book in his vast library. His well-known strength of conviction was also a characteristic of Menahem Begin who remarkably graduated as a solicitor in Poland before the war. To offer legal services to the needy without charge was symbolic of his passion for humanity. The heritage museum in his honour provides an insight that might not be commonly known. It was interesting to later learn that Israel does not have a jury system.

The stereotype of abruptness, pushiness and disrespect was not evident. The confidence, politeness, enthusiasm and expression of young Israelis particularly impressed me.

The theme for the Mission was ‘never sit down to a meal hungry’. I can say with absolute confidence that there is no breakfast in the world like an Israeli breakfast. The variety is at least three times that in Italy, except for the bottles of vino.

The depth of experience gained in this tour does not seem available from touring any other way. The broad programs of research, development, conservation, cohesiveness, infrastructure, and society are truly inspiring for such a young country. Sharing this experience is one way in which participants become ambassadors for the cause.

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