Written by: Bob Mattler
Mission highlighted Israel’s achievements in fighting climate change.
I was invited by the National Adamah group to join their staff and 30 other climate activist lay leaders from around the country, England and Canada, to learn more about our joint Israeli-Diaspora mission to help fight climate change.
I am deeply grateful to Adamah for the opportunity to experience Israel in a way unlike any of my previous visits. This was not a sightseeing tour; it was about peoplehood, planethood and problem-solving — focusing on one of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change.
My fellow travelers on this journey were leaders in their Jewish communities, working to bring this crucial work to others, regardless of religious, cultural, political or national differences. Their dedication should be recognized and celebrated.
Upon landing in Israel, I immediately felt as though I were entering a house of shivah. From Ben Gurion Airport to the streets, roundabouts, stores, restaurants, Tel Aviv boardwalk and train/bus stations, reminders of the country’s ongoing trauma were everywhere. Yellow ribbons and the faces of the dead and hostages lined the streets, making it impossible to forget the pain that lingers. This feeling was crystalized by a visit to Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, where I spoke with kibbutz survivors and Nova Festival attendees who shared their harrowing experiences.
This trauma brought me back to my first trip to Israel as a 17-year-old in the summer of 1974, just eight months after the Yom Kippur War. At that time, Israel was still reeling from the trauma of war, struggling with the weight of heavy losses. Ceasefire agreements with Egypt and Syria had been signed only a month before my arrival with Camp Ramah Canada for an eight-week journey across the country. It is deeply saddening that throughout my entire life, this land has known so much war, hostility and trauma.
A Start-Up Nation Amidst Growth and Innovation
Despite its challenges, Israel remains a “start-up nation” — a beacon of resilience and innovation.
People often forget that, with all its advancements in technology, agriculture, mass transit and booming construction, Israel is still a young nation — just 77 years old, nearly four times younger than the U.S.