By Michael Layne
In the wake of the October 7th, 2023, Hamas terror attacks in Israel and rising global antisemitism, Jewish identity and community connections are more important than ever. For me, the recent Federation Pulse Mission to Israel was a transformative journey—reconnecting me with my heritage, faith and family, against a backdrop of historic sorrow, resilience and hope.
Since celebrating my Bar Mitzvah at Detroit’s Beth Aaron synagogue in 1964, I have not been particularly religious, although always proud to be Jewish. Throughout the years, I have maintained a keen interest in Jewish history, inspired partly by the experiences of my grandparents. My paternal grandfather’s family suffered devastating losses at Babi Yar—one of the Holocaust’s most notorious massacre sites—a history I only recently explored more deeply through engagement with The Zekelman Holocaust Center. I mentioned to staff at the Center that I had family members who died at Babi Yar and then learned the horrifying accounts of that slaughter by gunfire.
The post October 7th pro-Palestinian protests and antisemitic slogans on U.S. college campuses profoundly disturbed me. On October 8, when college campuses erupted, I was heart-sickened to learn that some of my left-leaning non-Jewish friends participated. I felt I had to do more for Israel and worldwide Jewry.
Determined to act, I along with my partner, Lori Weisberg, joined the Jewish Federation’s “Pulse Mission,” chaired by friends Beth and Steve Margolin. The mission united community members for a week-long journey across Israel, blending solidarity, education and personal reflection. The trip also became a family affair, as two of my three sisters and their spouses, Renee and Joel Stillman and Mindy and Joel Young, joined, fulfilling a legacy our beloved grandmother, the religious family matriarch Sarah Levine, would have treasured.
Arriving in Jerusalem before the mission began, we acclimated and prepared for what would be a demanding and inspiring journey. Our fast-paced itinerary included a tour of Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial and research center.
Memories of growing up in Oak Park, with friends whose parents were Holocaust survivors, resurfaced along with a deeper understanding of the silence surrounding their parents’ trauma.
At Mount Herzl, Israel’s national cemetery, our Mission met a bereaved family with Detroit roots who lost a son serving in the IDF. It was a stark reminder of Israel’s ever-present security challenges. Wherever we went, it was obvious how the war has impacted everyone and every aspect of Israeli life. Even our accompanying Detroit Federation Shlicha, Lior Zisser-Yogev, lost a beloved brother during his service in the IDF.
We toured the Western Wall and its ancient tunnels, where Jews, from reform to ultra-orthodox observance, filled the air with prayers reminiscent of my Detroit synagogue childhood.
Our group traveled to the Judean Hills, where a visit to a non-kosher winery highlighted Israel’s diversity and the ongoing negotiations between secular and Orthodox Jewish life. Israeli innovation was showcased at the Magen David Adom Blood Bank in Ramla, near Tel Aviv. We toured cutting-edge underground facilities—capable of processing half a million blood units annually and protected from all forms of attack. Our group also enjoyed delicious home hospitality dinners with families involved in the Detroit Federation’s Michigan Central Galilee Partnership Region. During our dinner, conversations with young family members who attended Camp Tamarack clarified the importance and impact of Federation’s Israeli Camper Program in Michigan.
Visiting Israel’s northern border, our group overlooked Lebanon, where we could easily see bomb-damaged Hezbollah sites. We had a security briefing with Col. Kobi Marom, who guided our tour and outlined current security realities. In the south, we lunched with residents of Kibbutz Alumim, immediately on the border with Gaza, who shared harrowing stories of October 7th’s carnage. We also visited the Nova music festival grounds, a place of both youthful joy and unspeakable violence. Toward the end of our mission, we were deeply moved to meet with returned hostage Alon Ohel and his family. Alon survived 737 days in captivity.
Lectures from Israeli military and political experts deepened our group’s understanding of Israel’s security landscape, Hamas and Hezbollah’s strategies and the broader struggle against global antisemitism. As we traveled through Israel, we saw how the range of programs supported by the Jewish Federation of Detroit significantly benefit the healing, health, wellbeing and vitality of Israelis. I now have a deeper understanding of how far our Federation dollars go to enhance the quality of life for Israelis.
While the journey included moments of laughter—thanks to the ever-present humor of Mission Chair Steve Margolin—it was also deeply emotional, bringing tears as well as a sense of unity.
As the delegation returned home, the experience left me prouder than ever to be part of the global Jewish people—Klal Yisrael. The mission reinforced not just the necessity for a Jewish homeland, but the importance of supporting Israel. Am Yisrael Chai—The People of Israel Live.
