As I just landed in Israel on Thursday, March 19th on one of the very few flights arriving for the Passover Holiday, words can not describe the gratitude that I have for being here and reuniting with my family in Jerusalem. Since my arrival there have been multiple visits to the bomb shelter and sirens every day which has only reinforced my Faith and conviction that there is no other place on this earth that I would rather be. Arriving at Ben Gurion Airport (which is usually bustling with people from all walks of life), I arrived at baggage claim with virtually no wait time at Passport control. On the Airport Tarmac, there was not a single International airline plane arriving or waiting to take off and instead there were American Airforce jets that are now using Ben Gurion as a refueling station as the War with Iran rages on. At least 14 U.S. refueling tankers have been spotted lining the runways. The airport is operating with strict limits, sometimes restricted to just one departing flight per hour, in which most foreign airlines have paused operations. Israeli carriers like El-AL continue limited service. On my Flight, I met a Religious couple from Pomona, NY who were traveling with their 8 kids for the Passover Holiday. Each kid was seated in a different area of the Plane but it did not deter them from staying the Course and making sure they spent the Holiday in the Holy Land. Another young Orthodox couple were traveling with their baby daughter who had a seizure on the Plane and immediately 5 Doctors that were on the Flight leapt into action and saved the day. It is dedication and experiences like these that embody the saying , “Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Bazeh”, a phrase that can be found in traditional Jewish teachings and texts. It is often translated as “All Israel are responsible for one another”. This powerful statement encapsulates the idea of communal responsibility and unity within Jewish values.

After a quit Shabbat in the German Colony praying at one of the local Hotels (that was virtually empty of Tourists), it was straight to the Bomb shelter where both my family and neighbors were given a pre-warning message via the phone and minutes later an Alarm that sounded across the whole Country. In Jerusalem, residents rely on a network of public and private shelters to protect against missile strikes during the ongoing conflict with Iran. As of March 30, 2026, the city remains on high alert following multiple direct hits in the region, including an emergency situation where the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) was forced into shelters. Once a siren sounds, you must remain in the shelter for at least 10 minutes after the last explosion or siren, unless otherwise instructed. It is in moments like these as we are all huddled into one room in the bomb shelter with both family, neighbors and of course my family pomeranian Fluffy ( that I held in my arms) that I think about that saying once again that all of Israel are responsible for one another.

On the Monday morning before Passover I was determined to pray at the Western Wall, in which all main entrances to the Holy Site were closed. I had to wait at a security checkpoint at the bottom of the Arab quarter until security allowed us to enter via the tunnels where the IDF Home Front Command has implemented strict safety guidelines, prohibiting gatherings of more than 50 people. Upon entering the interior part of the Western Wall (prayer outside is not allowed due to the ongoing War), I saw around 15 people, in which we took out the Sefer Torah and I received an Aliyah. I have been to the Kotel many times in my life, whether for Bar Mitzvahs, weddings, High Holiday celebrations and weekly prayer but this time was very different. To be one of the few people to be able to fly to Israel and one of the very few to pray at the Western Wall before Passover is an experience that I will always remember. Words cannot describe the honor of being able to pray where our patriarchs Abraham, Isaac & Jacob stood, where King David reigned, where King Solomon built the Temple and where all of Am Yisrael will reunite one day. Be’Ezrat Hashem may we only experience good times and happiness for many years to come.

© The Times of Israel (Blogs)