I landed back in Israel two days before the latest war with Iran began, knowing full well that a confrontation was coming. But I did not return to Israel only as a resident. I also came back as a senior lay leader of the Jewish Federations of North America — and that not only shaped how I experience this war, but also how I understand its impact on Israeli society.

 

Israelis abroad go to extraordinary lengths to get home during wartime. It is not just emotional or symbolic; it is rooted in a sense of shared responsibility and in a belief that being present matters. It is easier to be here, despite everything that comes with it, than to watch from across the ocean.  

 

Being here has allowed me to see, up close and in real time, the impact federations have had since Oct. 7, 2023, in helping Israelis meet their urgent and longer-term needs — the impact of a system I have helped steward, built precisely for moments like this.

 

Read the whole piece by Sanford Antignas, board member of Jewish Federations of North America and chair of the United Israel Appeal, here.