Bringing with them 13 suitcases, in a poignant display of solidarity, a small delegation from the Sussex Jewish Representative Council has just been on “an intense and emotional” trip to Israel.
Dubbed “Operation Suitcase”, the visit was led by Simon Cobbs, Jo Greenwood and Phil Bryman.
Ten suitcases contained supplies requested by the army units they visited, two suitcases were packed with chocolate to give to children they met on the kibbutzim near Gaza, and one case was filled with black wool for a group of women knitting woolly hats for soldiers as Israel has run out of black wool.
The group also raised over £5,000, far exceeding its initial target of £500, for Kibbutz Yotvata in the Negev, which hosted the delegation and has been housing displaced families.
Greenwood told the JC: “It was intense and emotional, but I am so glad I had the opportunity to meet and hear the first-hand experiences from survivors, released hostages and family members of hostages, displaced people from the south and north, soldiers and civilians.”
She added: “I am humbled by the bravery and fortitude of Am Yisrael. We must do so much more to support them and show them we care and to educate those around us. There is so much disinformation and uncorroborated news that people, including the media, believe and report without checking.”
An encounter with a survivor from Kibbutz Holit, one of the kibbutzim which endured the terrorist massacre, had left a lasting impact, said Greenwood. "The survivor, who had experienced a harrowing terrorist attack, and her fellow kibbutzniks were evacuated to the hotels by the Dead Sea and were looking for more permanent accommodation.
Brighton solidarity trip to Israel with rangers at Park Timna in Eilot regional council, which received donations to support displaced families
“Despite not being able to live on the kibbutz any longer, she still managed the dairy there. After our chat, she advised me to keep the door locked and said: ‘We have to lock our doors in future, unlike before October 7.’”
According to Greenwood, the significance of the visit underscored the shared cultural ties and mutual understanding between the Brighton Jewish community and their counterparts in Israel.
The delegation met survivors of the atrocities of October 7 and relatives of hostages. They also went to see the aftermath of the Nova music festival.
Delegate Simon Cobbs said: “Before our trip to Israel, a friend said to me that when Israel is in trouble, we don’t run from it, we run to it. That is exactly what we did.
“Yes, we saw the horrors of Hamas and what they did on October 7, but I also saw the resilience, bravery and stoicism of the Israeli people. I also saw first-hand how best our small community can help in these awful times. I was proud to go.”
Debra Goodman, co-chair of the Sussex Jewish Representative Council, said: “Since the horrific events of October 7, the Sussex Jewish Representative Council has been holding vigils and rallies in the city and collecting donations and supplies for the IDF to send to Israel, but none of this seemed enough.
"Somehow, we wanted to show our support on the ground rather than long distance. So, through connections via local Israelis, we were able to make contacts in southern Israel who welcomed the idea of a visit, and so Operation Suitcase was born.”
