If you had looked at the QJL for the past two weeks, you would have had no idea that I was on vacation since I had written two columns in advance. Now that I have returned, it feels, as the phrase goes, “Same story, different day.” For one week, I will not address the madness in our country. Instead, I will share about the trip I took with my wife, Beth, to Israel. This was the first time since the year we were married that we have gone to Israel together. The impetus for the trip was that my first cousin’s son was getting married.

There is so much to talk about, and it was hard to decide what to include. I’m not going to go through our full itinerary, though I will say that we spent most of our time in Yerushalayim. Instead, I want to share some observations. Yerushalayim was bustling with tourists, and it was reported that August saw the highest number of visitors since COVID. Except for some protests and one missile alarm — which people seemed to ignore — you wouldn’t have known there was a war.

Jews in America can learn from our Israeli brethren about how to respond when you disagree with government policies or other issues important to the community, such as antisemitism. Whether or not you agree with those who believe the hostages should be released at any cost, you have to admire their tenacity. There is Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, and there is also an area near the Knesset and the Supreme Court where there are encampments. On August 17, there was a massive demonstration in many cities. Every Motzaei Shabbos in Yerushalayim, there is also a protest in support of the hostages.

We saw one demonstration made up of two groups: one advocating for the return of the hostages, the other a left-wing group accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza and demanding an immediate withdrawal. Signs calling for the hostages’ release were displayed along highways and throughout many other public areas.

There is tremendous construction happening throughout the capital and in Tel Aviv. We were told that there is significant building all over the country, and the price of housing — especially in Yerushalayim — is extremely high. Much of the construction is for new residential units. We also noticed something new: some homeless people in Yerushalayim. I don’t recall seeing that in the past.

In Rechavia, it felt like more people spoke English than in certain sections of Boro Park and Williamsburg. At the Young Israel of Rechavia, one of the shuls I attended, the rabbi’s speech and announcements were made entirely in English. I realized I was one of the younger daveners there; it felt like the shul was mostly made up of Young Israel members from the States who had retired and moved to Israel.

The last time I went to Israel, it was January — and it rained every single day, even on Masada. This time, we went in August, when it’s not supposed to rain in Israel. Yet one day, while we were at the Kotel to daven, it started to pour. This wasn’t just a few drops; the rain was heavy enough to cover the stones on the ground with water. The lesson: If you don’t want to get caught in the rain, make sure not to go when I go.

At the beginning of August, there was a heatwave. When we visited Chevron, the temperature hit 104 degrees. Two other days were also over 100. On top of that, I got sick from something I ate. But I didn’t let that stop us from doing almost everything we planned to accomplish. That’s the right attitude in general, though it’s definitely easier to maintain when you’re on vacation and don’t know when you’ll have the chance to return.

We toured the Knesset and the Israel Supreme Court but were not allowed inside the United States Embassy. I guess the embassy staff had read my articles.

One of the most moving parts of the trip was visiting the Nova Festival site with a survivor. He lost two close friends who were killed while driving to the festival. At the site, there was only one remaining item from the festival. To see more artifacts, you had to visit the Nova exhibit in New York, which we did earlier this year.

Although the focus of October 7 has been on the Nova Festival and the kibbutzim, many cities were also attacked. Hamas managed to take over the police station in Sderot and murder civilians throughout the city. We saw the site where the police station once stood. We also went near the border and could see smoke rising from Gaza.

I don’t know when Beth and I will next travel to Israel together. However, G-d willing, the gap won’t be nearly as long as it was between this trip and the last one. We are already looking forward to going back to our Holy Land.

Warren S. Hecht is a local attorney. He can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.