Mission to Israel Part I: Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

The first in a multi-part series about my recent mission to Israel.

Though I have a lot of family in Israel, I had only visited once. After I took the bar exam in 2009, I took a trip known as Birthright–a program that provides young Jews a free trip to Israel. For much of the past fifteen years, I kept telling myself I should visit Israel again, but the logistics never worked out. Indeed, during the summer of 2023, several of my cousins visited New York. I wanted to take my family to see them, but we had already committed to other travels and couldn't make it work. I told my kids that we would go to Israel the following year. 

Little did I know what would happen on October 7. In the immediate aftermath of that horrific date, I could not have fathomed when it would be safe to return to Israel. I was in close contact with many of my cousins, and feared for their safety. Still, a trip to Israel seemed out of reach.

In March 2023, the World Jewish Congress sponsored a delegation of American judges to visit Israel. The mission made some headlines. Since then, WJC has sponsored other similar delegations. In April, I received an invitation to attend a mission with other law professors. The timing was inauspicious. Only a few days later, Iran sent a massive barrage of drones and missiles to Israel. Thankfully, American and other allies helped Israel shoot down virtually all of the projectiles, and the damage was minimal. Still, a potential war with Iran loomed in the horizon. Moreover, United and other airlines cancelled all flights to Israel through June.

I thought about the issue for some time, and ultimately decided to accept the invitation. In future posts, I will explore my thinking of why I chose to go. Here, I want to make a more basic point for others: with proper precautions, the country is safe for tourism. Indeed, as I traveled throughout Israel, I heard a constant refrain: the best way for Americans to show solidarity with Israel is to buy a plane ticket and see what happened with your own eyes. Reading stories and listening to podcasts does not cut it.

Moreover, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit Israel without crowds. Tourism has declined in recent months–and reasonably so. Landmarks like the Church of the Holy Sepulcher usually have lines that stretch for hours. But now it can be entered in a few minutes, without people jostling for space. I was able to have a private moment at the Western Wall (the Kotel) without anyone crowding near me. (And, in the Jewish small world department, I met two Rabbis who were friends with my Rabbis back home in Houston.) 

A brief note on security. Israel is a small country, roughly the size from New Jersey. From top to bottom, it is about a five-hour drive. At the widest point, from east to the west (or from the river to the sea, if you will), it is about a three hour drive. The most unpredictable threat are missiles from Lebanon in the north and from the Gaza Strip in the South. (The other sides do not provide pamphlets or text messages indicating where and when a missile will be sent.) Throughout the country, Israel has developed a series of sophisticated missile defense systems, as well as warning sirens. There is also an app to alert your phone. Every structure is required to have a "safe room" that provides at least some protection from blast. Each floor of a hotel has a special space. Depending on your distance from the border, the warning time varies. In Tel Aviv, you have about 90 seconds from a siren to get into a shelter. In Jerusalem, you have about 1 minute. In Ashkelon, you have about 30 seconds. If you are near the Gaza Strip, you have about 10 seconds–just enough to lay down on the floor. During my trip, I thankfully did not hear any sirens, but was well prepared to comply with the safety protocols. The WJC had a designated security official who kept us very safe. As he told with a classic Israeli accent, "If you do whatever I say, you will be safe, no worries." It is a miracle how people are able to go about their daily lives in the middle of war zone.

One final note. I realize that my posts on most topics tend to trigger and infuriate people. If so, I encourage you to stop reading. My perspectives here will not be popular, and will likely cause some controversy. But those most likely to take offense truly can't help it, and they will read, only to express faux outrage. It's a vicious cycle. Remember, these reactions are largely performative. Everyone plays their role.