Nearly a year on from the horrific events of October 7th, dozens of participants from several United Jewish Federation of Tidewater Israel Missions met at the home of Ashley and Greg Zittrain to welcome, hear, and learn from their beloved Israeli tour guide and teacher, Zalman Spivak. It was incredibly moving to meet with Zalman again, and to see with our own eyes that after months of IDF reserve service, he is well (if a little skinny), healthy, and ever the optimist.
Zalman spoke of the events of October 7, 2023, and the various dynamics swirling around in Israel, in its aftermath. He spoke of its impact on the entire Israeli society – from kibbutz farmer to high-tech engineer. And he described the different (and often at-very-public-odds
-with-one-another) sides of the political spectrum. Zalman addressed the pre-war situation in the country, which may have contributed to Israel’s surprise at the attack – and the universal desire of Israelis to “Bring Them Home Now.” He also spoke pragmatically about the need to “finish the job,” in rooting out terror and threats to the Jewish state.
Zalman’s visit began prior to Israel turning its sights on Lebanon in early October, but he did touch on the inevitability of having to address the Hezbollah hostilities which began last year on October 8 and had been ramping up continuously.
“With 60,000 residents of the north being unable to live in their own homes for an entire year,” he said, “the situation cannot be ignored.” He explained that the circumstances in the nation’s northern portion, essentially indicated that the Israeli government could not protect its northern residents. And no country is willing to allow that scenario to continue.
Zalman talked about the personal losses he endured during the war – friends, classmates, and others who had been killed on October 7th, taken hostage to Gaza, or killed while fighting in the IDF. In a country as small as Israel, every loss is personal. And he talked about attending many, many military funerals. Zalman’s telling about the funerals brought to mind the many times that he guided our groups at Har Herzl, Israel’s national military cemetery, and the stories he shared with us there, as he pointed out the graves of famous dignitaries, as well as of ordinary soldiers.
Sharing a video presentation with the group brought the situation home for us, as we glimpsed before and after photos and of Zalman visiting familiar places throughout the country, guiding his own children (because the tour buses were not rolling). His presentation also showed Israelis and volunteers from other places (as some from our own community), helping one another – volunteering on farms where farmers had been called up to reserve units; cooking and packing meals for soldiers; and helping wherever the need presented itself.
In the end, Zalman’s message was one of hope – Tikvah. It may simply be that there is no other choice but to hope: hope for the return of the hostages; hope for the end of the war; and hope that Israel’s leaders (whoever they will be) can lead the country through a post war rebuilding period – not just fixing damaged buildings and farms, but rebuilding the confidence, mental health, and capacity for joy of a now beleaguered nation.
Amy Zelenka is United Jewish Federation of Tidewater’s chief development officer and Missions director.
