Ijust returned from a week in Israel: Seven days that went by in a blur but felt like a lifetime.

As a Jewish Canadian, I have always thought I understood Israel. I’ve been raised with stories, history and resilience in the face of hardship. But this trip was different. I went on a mission designed for non-Jews to see and experience Israel — to strip away assumptions and see the country, in this moment of pain and resilience.

We went from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, and south to Kibbutz Kfar Aza, near the border with Gaza, the same community that was torn apart on October 7. I met a survivor whose family miraculously survived and despite losing his home to fire, he somehow hadn’t lost himself — he continued to smile through the grief, and it was impossible not to feel it all with him. Hugs an

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