Mark Warner on the Impact of Visting Israel
By Mark Warner (Director of Client Success)
This past December, I was fortunate to embark on a journey to Israel with AIEF – American Israel Education Foundation – a charitable organization affiliated with AIPAC. This unique experience, designed for individuals of influence, aimed to deepen our understanding of the crucial partnership between the United States and Israel and how it serves the interests of both nations.
Accompanied by government and political leaders from various parts of the country, we embarked on a journey that took us to a diverse range of locations in Israel. From the Western Wall and the City of David to the West Bank, Gaza, and Syrian borders, we gained a comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities that Israel faces.
As the week drew to a close, we were each asked, ‘What was the most profound experience for you, and what will you carry back from this journey?’ The emotional weight of our experiences was palpable, and I will share with you the depth of those impacts. The trip to Israel was not just a journey but an emotional rollercoaster that gave us a deeper understanding of the human cost of conflict. Two locations that have had the most impact on my life are Kibbutz Be’eri and the site of the Nova Music Festival.
Kibbutz Be’eri, we stood in a home that was destroyed by Hamas, listening to a mother tell her story of October 7th; she described how she, along with her husband and kids, hid in their safe room for hours while Hamas torched homes, murdered and kidnapped men, women, and children. Just a few miles up the road was the site of the Nova Music Festival, where over 300 individuals were tragically killed, and several were wounded, kidnapped, and taken hostage. This site is now a memorial for those lives who were lost that day and where hundreds of people visit daily, never to forget those lives lost on October 7th.
When you see the destruction Hamas committed that tragic day, you deal with a lot of emotions from sadness, anger, and questioning why we have so much evil in the world where thousands of innocent lives were lost that day, all because some monsters who don’t value life decided to invade Israel.
The Israeli people are resilient and strong, have a lot of faith, and want to live in peace; they don’t want war, and yet have to live under the threat of attack daily. I came back as a very different person and still think of those faces daily; it’s a trip that changed my life. The people of Israel were so grateful that our group came to show our support for the State of Israel.
