By Kayla Globerson
SAN DIEGO — There are few times in my life where I have been rendered speechless, where reflecting on a profound experience I’ve had cannot do my feelings justice. My recent visit to Israel, the first time back post-October 7, was one of them.
Many of us here in America wanted to go to Israel and help in any way they could. Our brothers and sisters, related or not, were hurting in more ways than we could comprehend, and it was agonizing watching the events unfold, feeling utterly helpless thousands of miles away.
Thanks to Jewish National Fund-USA, we’ve sent over 5,000 volunteers, and counting, to Israel. Last year, I had the privilege to co-lead the Solo Traveler’s Volunteer Mission Trip, designed for solo volunteers in their 30s and 40s who wanted to make a difference. We had 19 people, some of whom had never been to Israel before, to volunteer in various capacities and bear witness to key events and sites from that horrible day in our history.
Although it’s not an exhaustive list, here are my top 5 takeaways from this incredible experience:
#1: Packing Boxes and Visiting Soldiers
One way I witnessed our philanthropy in action was the day we assembled and arranged care packages for IDF soldiers. Inside every box was a handful of delicious snacks or goods – cookies, nuts, oils, soaps, handmade ceramics, and more. Thanks to Jewish National Fund-USA’s generous partners (donors), we support 95 businesses in Northern Israel through our Western Galilee Now Consortium. Many of these businesses’ products were the very ones we packed.
Later, we headed to a base in the south to meet soldiers, many of whom were going into battle in Gaza the next night. They were so incredibly professional, relaxed, and laser-focused on serving their country proudly that you forget for a moment they are (mostly) only 18-22 years of age. I hold each of their wonderful, brave faces in my heart every day, praying for their safety.
#2: Farming in the South
If there were ever any doubt in my mind that farming was hard, rest assured that thought was put to rest about two minutes in. My group and I, along with another busload of about 25 Jewish National Fund-USA volunteers, picked over 18,000 pounds of onions on just one farm near the Gaza border.
The lead farmer, in the most Israeli fashion, not only worked on the farm with us, but then proceeded to host over 50 of us at his house for lunch. As he shared his profound thanks and described how deeply this affects his family, his eyes brimmed with tears. The pain he had experienced, as well as the joy of seeing us on his farm was written all over his face, almost too much for me to bear. His gratitude made me realize that what we did was bigger than us; to him, it was his whole world.
#3: Cooking with Basma
In Northern Israel, the beautiful Druze community of Julis is home to the now well-known restaurant Noor (“light” or “brightness” in Arabic), owned by head chef, Basma. When the war broke out, the only way she could think of to aid in the relief efforts was through cooking. If her customers couldn’t come to her, she’d go to them, eventually preparing hundreds of meals every week for soldiers.
Our group helped prep and cook 400 delicious lunches and desserts for soldiers fighting in the North. It’s heroes like Basma, that make up the beautiful and diverse tapestry of Israel’s population, who truly have the best hearts in the world.
#4: Hostages Square in Tel Aviv
Apart from volunteering, we also visited the now famous Hostages Square in Tel Aviv’s Museum of Art Plaza. There were numerous sculptures, letters from children around the world, a replica of a terror tunnel (complete with sounds, smells and intense heat, walls lined with our beloved hostages and messages the public has written), and most prominently, a burnt table representing all hostages who have yet to return to their Shabbos tables.
We also met with the aunt of hostage Yagev Buchshtav, 35, from Kibbutz Nirim. She told us the story of how he and his wife Rimon were kidnapped together while hugging each other tightly, hiding under a bed. They are the only known couple held together in the tunnels in Gaza. Tragically, just a little over two weeks after we met her, the IDF announced that Yagev was confirmed to have been killed with three other hostages in Gaza, though their bodies were later recovered in an operation.
#5: Nova Music Festival Site and the infamous bomb shelter
Lastly, we visited what was probably the hardest part for me of the entire trip – The Nova Music Festival site, where 364 souls were brutally tortured and murdered and 40 were taken hostage. There are memorials set up for every victim at the site, maintained by families, friends, and the world, to pay their respects.
We also drove down the road to see the infamous bomb shelter, with a visibly spray painted Jewish National Fund-USA logo on the front. This is one of thousands across the south that have been part of our ongoing bomb shelter beautification projects that turn slabs of concrete into something beautiful to run towards during rocket attacks. Normally these shelters fit 10, maybe 15 people. On October 7, around 30 individuals were crammed inside this one, and all but a handful perished, some laying under their friend’s bodies so they wouldn’t be discovered by the terrorists.
I’ve met a handful of Nova survivors and I’m not sure I’ll ever truly be able to comprehend the trauma they have and likely will endure for their lifetime. While I’ve never been much of a believer of life in the beyond, there was no doubt an eerie, profound sense of lingering pain and anguish within those four walls.
Final Thoughts
Not a day goes by that I don’t recall a memory from my time in Israel. What amazed me the most from day-to-day life was how nearly every part of Israel, from the palm trees to the ice cream shops, were all covered in pictures or messages of our beloved hostages or those brutally murdered. Life continued pushing forward around me, but there were constant reminders of this ongoing trauma.
It is often said that in Judaism, we sit in both tragedy and joy at the same time throughout our lives because we know perhaps better than anyone in this world, how life can simultaneously be short and cruel, yet beautiful and wondrous.
If you’re reading this, volunteer with us and make a difference in our beautiful country. Israel needs us and for the betterment of the world and tikva (hope) for the future, the world needs us. Am. Yisrael. Chai.
Jewish National Fund-USA’s Solo Travelers Volunteer Mission is taking place December 21-28, 2025. For more information or to register and make a difference in Israel, visit jnf.org/solotravelers.
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Kayla Globerson is the Campaign Executive of JNFuture in Los Angeles and San Diego. JNFuture is the fastest growing demographic and affinity group within Jewish National Fund-USA, engaging several thousand young professionals across North America every year for the past 18 years.