Anachnu Echod – We Are One

A Wife’s Journal of Ohr Somayach’s Summer Mentors Mission

By: Malka Leah Josephs

It happens twice each year: a group of frum businessmen drops everything to join Ohr Somayach’s Mentors Mission in Eretz Yisroel, where they spend 5 days learning with and mentoring secular American college students.
Mrs. Malka Leah Josephs, wife of a mentor, shares her journal of the trip with Sparks readers.

Tuesday, July 1
JFK AIRPORT

We’re on the plane! So many people seemed surprised that we’re going on another Mentors Mission, especially since things in Eretz Yisroel are so volatile. But I know it’s going to be something special. The truth is, I doubt anything can top the raw inspiration of our last mission – right after October 7th. But I’m excited about our itinerary.

There are fifty American college students participating. The students have limited or no Torah background, and are paired up with balabatim. The mentors and student mentees will learn Torah and travel to do meaningful volunteer work together.

Rav Lipa Geldwerth, the mission’s scholar-in-residence, opens the program, and longtime mentor Mr. Ovadia Kranz of Lakewood points out that this Mentors Mission is especially meaningful, because of the unrest on college campuses and around the world. The college students are directly affected.

Every mentee has a story. They’re all experiencing anti-Semitism, many for the first time in their lives. They’re feeling Jewish – and want to understand more about Judaism.

“It’s impossible to exist on campus now unless we Jews stick together,” one student says. “Sticking together” leads the boys to Ohr Somayach, and to the Mentors Mission.

And now, here they are – here we are – ready to learn what Yiddishkeit is all about. Because I’ve been here before, so I know: this may be about the college students, but the mentors (and their wives!) will learn so much, too.

Wednesday, July 3rd
We’re going down south, and it's sure to be an emotionally-charged day. My husband sends me a picture of the post-Shacharis mentor’s breakfast buffet. I’m so grateful that he’s there with Harav Yitzchok Breitowitz, Rav of Kehilas Ohr Somayach, who’s discussing the sugya the mentors will be learning with their mentee chavrusahs. There’s a pre-seder and post-seder gathering every day, and I’m grateful that my husband has this unique opportunity to learn with such a Torah giant.

Torah study is the heart of the Mentors Mission. Mr. Danny Lemberg, founder of the Mission, said: “We let the Torah do the talking. Sitting in front of a blatt gemara together, that’s when the magic happens.”

SDEROT

In the afternoon, we go to Sderot, where some fifty civilians and twenty police officers were murdered on October 7. We can see and hear bombs dropping over Gaza. The Rosh Yeshiva of Sderot, Harav Dovid Fendel, takes us to the memorial erected at the former police station. It’s a haunting sight.

Rabbi Fendel tells us what happened on Simchas Torah, when terrorists infiltrated the police station, killing everyone in sight. The police station was demolished by the IDF, so that the terrorists inside could be eliminated.

From a rooftop overlooking Gaza, the rabbi describes the mesiras nefesh, heroism and sacrifice made by yeshiva bochurim and their families to protect each other, and to protect the Torah on that terrible day.

In one unbelievable story, Rabbi Fendel relates how two bochurim heard gunfire and ran out of the beis medrash to help others. They were shot, but managed to hide. After many hours, they were found, and were about to be evacuated to the hospital. One boy had been pressing on the open wound in the other boy’s leg, to stop the bleeding - his hand literally inside his friend’s body to keep him alive. When the medics tried to put them on two different stretchers, the bachur called out –

“Don’t separate us! Anachnu echod - we are one!”
That exclamation of “anachnu echod” became the catchphrase in Sderot and beyond. “Anachnu echod – we are one! Wherever we are, whoever we are, we are connected.

REIM

Nova Festival Site
We’re at the site of the Nova music festival, where 364 people were murdered, and it’s hard to even take it all in. There are stakes stuck into the ground, and each one bears the face of a victim. We walk through a sea of young faces that stare up at us in silence. It’s overwhelming. Yet members of the mission use the opportunity to lift each other up.

We are strengthened by the words of Mr. George Karasick and Rabbi Dr. Yitzchok Greenblatt of Ohr Somayach: a Jew does not despair. We move forward in hope and emunah.
I imagine this is what it feels like to visit Auschwitz. The souls of our murdered brethren are with us in our sorrow. We feel their presence.

Rabbi Tully Bryks, mentor liaison, leads the group in song, and mentors and mentees sing “Ani Maamin” and “Acheinu,” arm in arm. The men then each add a letter in a sefer Torah being written at that holy spot, in memory of the kedoshim. We meet the family members of some of the victims. They notice the Sefer Torah writing ceremony, and are extremely moved. The college students, too, are touched to the core.

Earlier, I had overheard two Mentees talking to each other in a whisper as they exited the bus:

“This is gonna be rough”, one said.

“Yeah,” said the other. “But I bet it’s the most impactful thing we do here. They were all our age.”

Later, I notice the same boys, arm in arm, singing “Acheinu” at the memorial - eyes closed, heads tilted upward. Impactful indeed. The murdered kedoshim will not be forgotten, and I will never forget this day.

ARMY BASE NEAR BE’ER SHEVA

We visit a nearby army base for a barbecue and kumzitz, and the men connect instantly. Soon they’re dancing. It’s a sight that makes me cry: distinguished mentors, secular college students and chayalim, linked arm in arm, singing and dancing with all their hearts. Before the visit, Rabbi Asher Weiss, shlita, had a private meeting with the mentors. A clip of his speech that day immediately went viral.

“This war is our war, not only their war,” he said. “We need to feel it. We need to do more, learn more, learn better, daven more, daven better, and do good.” Rav Weiss teared up as he repeated some of the unthinkable sheilos he has been getting lately.

“How do I leig tefillin without an arm?”

“Can I make a shehechayanu on a new prosthetic?”

And other frightfully-telling questions. He told the mentors:

“Baruch Hashem we have magnificent yeshivos but there are still so many young Jews who are totally alienated. Their neshamos are crying out: ‘Does anyone care about us, to bring us home?’ So this [Mentors Mission] is a big zechus.”

We women do our own connecting. We invite a group of female soldiers to a separate area so that we too can dance and sing. It strikes me that these girls are so young - they’re wearing rifles that are almost their size! For some, it’s the first time they’re hearing the words “acheinu kol beis yisrael”. The chayalot repeatedly thank us for coming from America to show support.

“Really?” I ask one of the 18-year-old girls, who had just gotten back from a mission in Gaza. “You really appreciate us coming with our food and our music? After all these months, does it still mean anything?” She looks at me with astonishment:

“Of course! It means so much! You bring us so much strength - we feel Am Yisrael, kulanu Yachad – we are all together!”

Thursday, July 4

I’m not privy to the magic that happens over a blatt gemara, but my husband seems invigorated from his learning seder, and his mentee seems to be drinking it all in. One of the mentees, Ariel from Queens, considers the morning learning sessions the highlight of his trip.

“I was in Israel two years ago, and I always wanted to come back,” he says. “Now with the mission, the most uplifting thing is to have a mentor by my side to guide me. I’m lucky to have a fantastic mentor. I’m going to want to keep coming back for more.”

TEL HASHOMER HOSPITAL

We visit Binyamin ben Rayna. Binyamin was stabbed in a terrorist attack and is paralyzed, brain damaged and speech impaired. Somehow, he manages to thank us and say he appreciates all the prayers.

Avraham ben Michal was a yeshiva bachur and off-duty soldier. He was hit in a car ramming and lost his speech, and the use of the right side of his body. He uses hand motions to express his gratitude. His elderly father is so proud to tell us about his service.

Yonatan Andre ben Ariella was a soldier in the Golani Brigade. While fighting in Gaza, he lost an eye and the use of one leg. Yonatan’s mother is at his bedside when we arrive, and a Mentors Mission college student tells her that he plans on learning in Israel, and then starting basic training for the army in a few months. The soldier’s mother asks:

“Do you have any family here in Israel?”

“No, not really,” he says. “Just a distant cousin.” Immediately, she asks for his phone and punches in her number.

“Now you have family here. I will be your family.”

A first-time mentor, Dr. Jonathan Silverberg from Chicago, comes out of the hospital with an incredulous look on his face. He shares what happened when he entered a room at random, to visit yet another wounded soldier.

“What’s your name?” Dr. Silberberg asked.

“Aviram,” the soldier answered. Dr. Silverberg looked at him and said -

“This may seem like a strange question, but what’s your mother’s name?” The soldier answered -

“Ziva.” Dr. Silverberg was stunned.

“You’re not going to believe this - it’s the kind of thing you only read about in story books, but I was given your name from a list of wounded soldiers to pray for. I’ve been davening for you, for Aviram ben Ziva, every day for the past few months!”

Aviram ben Ziva – always a brother, now a dear friend. Anachnu echod - We are one!

So much ahavas Yisroel! Harav Yitzchok Zilberstein’s welcome warms hearts.

HOLON

The men have a special audience with Harav Yitzchok Zilberstein in his kollel, where he answers questions and offers chizuk to everyone on the mission.

“We welcome you with so much love,” he says, and implores his listeners to learn two halachos of hilchos Shabbat each week. The mentees, especially, have never met anyone like Harav Zilberstein - and are in awe of being in the presence of greatness.

Mentors and mentees alike come out extremely inspired and uplifted.

BNEI BRAK

We women visit Rebbetzin Kolodetzky. One by one, we speak to her, tell her what's on our hearts, and get a personal bracha, along with a warm hug and kiss.

She is full of life and joy, despite the fact that she spends so many hours listening to Klal Yisroel's troubles. We leave with pocketbooks filled with the Rebbetzin's printed segulos, and hearts filled with joy and hope.

Friday, July 5
GEULA
Shopping Expedition

You can’t go to Eretz Yisroel without shopping in Geula – and my husband takes his two mentees on an excursion. I meet up with the trio, and the college students are excited to show me their finds.

“This is for my mom,” Ariel, my husband’s mentee says, pulling out a Bukharian-style head kerchief. “When I asked her what I could bring her from Jerusalem, she said, ‘maybe you can find me this exact kind of snood that my grandmother wore. It’s our family tradition.’ I think she’s proud of what I’m doing here” he says.

The other student, David, shows me the brand new techeiles tzitzis he’s proudly wearing over his shirt. He had told my husband, “I’ve been learning how important tzizis is, and I think I’m ready. If you buy me these, I take it upon myself to wear them every day.”

Shabbos, July 6
THE KOSEL

There’s lots of singing at the Ohr Somayach kabalas Shabbos minyan at the Kosel. Our group is surrounded by dozens of other minyanim, each singing their own niggunim. A circle of chayalim is singing an especially loud, emotional “anachnu maaminim bnei maaminim” The Ohr Somayach group is getting drowned out.

Rabbi Greenblat and Rabbi Bryks make a split-second decision. They pause the Mentors Mission’s davening, and have the men join the soldiers before resuming Kabalas Shabbos. The song of the mentors, mentees, and soldiers, proclaiming their emunah in Hakadosh Baruch Hu arm in arm, pierces the heavens!

During the seudos, Rabbi Reuven Geffen leads lively, interactive zemiros. He leads, quite literally: at the head of a train of mentors and college students snaking around the dining room, and from up on a chair. The atmosphere is electric. It doesn’t matter if the words are unfamiliar. Anyone can sing the “ooohs” and na, nas”.

Rabbonim and members of the mission take turns delivering divrei Torah and words of inspiration. Rabbi Dovid Gottlieb leads a late-night oneg and tisch, complete with his mesmerizing personal story interspersed with song. We women have a shiur with Rebbitzen Tzipora Heller-Gottlieb.

On Shabbos afternoon, there’s a question-and-answer session with Rav Breitowitz. The college students have so much to share, and they’re full of questions. They’ve clearly been changed. One student says:

“It’s been five days, but it feels like five months.” A young man with long curly hair and an earring stands to ask the Rav:

“Everything you’re teaching me makes perfect sense. Nothing in my life added up like it does now. So, I'm tempted to just take it all on tomorrow, and change everything about my life right away - I mean, why wait? My question is: how do I make changes that will last - and not slide back and end up on a beach somewhere in a few months?”

Rabbi Breitowitz’s answer was specific to the boy’s needs, but the question itself revealed so clearly the pintele Yid – the spark inside every Jewish soul, just waiting to be ignited.

Motzei Shabbos, July 6

In these few short days, we’ve become a cohesive group of women. The bus takes us to Kever Rachel, where our davening has a shared sense of purpose. We plead to Mama Rachel – for ourselves, our families, our nation.

I feel a renewed insight into acheinu beis Yisrael, and the need to connect to so many who have yet to experience the same brachah of Torah that we were born into.

Sunday, July 7
Meoras Hamachpela/Chevron

I get emotional watching my husband sway with his mentees and the group, as they daven and sing “Acheinu” at the entrance to Kever Yitzchak Avinu. It’s especially poignant for our group. Just yesterday, Shabbos, one of our mentees, Adam, from Pikesville, Maryland, had an aliyah where he received the name Yitzchok.

“My father is an Arab,” he said. “When I made the choice to embrace Judaism, I was in fact deciding between Yitzchak and Yishmael. That is why I chose the name Yitzchak.” And here we were, at the kever of Yitzchak Avinu, who had inspired the decision of a boy from Pikesville!

We take a historical hike through Chevron, walking the paths of our forefathers - literally - pausing at the be’er of Avraham Avinu, and reaching a mountaintop to view the entire city with a vantage point few are zocheh to see.

Farewell Banquet
HULDA

I’m soaking in the stunning ambiance at the farewell banquet. We’re in the breathtaking Barkan winery, watching the sun set over the vineyards of HULDA. I’m trying to absorb all the beautiful messages.

Mr. Moshe Klein from Lakewood, a first-time mentor, thanks Mr. Danny Lemberg and Mr. Yaakov Kaplan, founders of the mission.

“I’d heard about the Mentors Mission for years, and I’m not sure why I didn’t sign up sooner. I had no idea what I was missing!”

One student speaks directly to the mentors:

“You don’t even realize your impact. We’ve been staying up till after 2 am each night, bouncing all the ideas we’ve heard from you off each other. What an amazing group you are to learn from!”

Then the band begins to play and the men are all out of their seats, dancing. Students are up on mentor’s shoulders, and sometimes visa-versa! Everyone is swept up by the ruach of the evening - the joy of feeling we have helped each other, we have enriched each other, and we’re all on a united journey toward increased avodas Hashem.

I look forward to the long-term effects of the mission – to the sound of my husband learning out loud with his mentee, translating word for word, filling my home.

I thought nothing could top the last mission. I was wrong. This was the trip of a lifetime!