As Jewish as a Ham Sandwich
7 min read
5 min read
Hillel Kornwasser of Teaneck teamed up with NCSY to interview Israelis impacted by Oct. 7 to education young Americans disconnected from the tragedy.
On October 8, 2023, Hillel Kornwasser, a teenager in New Jersey, was playing basketball with his friends. He knew about the tragedy that transpired in Israel the previous day, but being over 5,000 miles away from the Jewish state, he didn’t feel so affected by it.
“I was a regular person who didn’t understand anything,” he told Aish. “What was my connection? My brother was in yeshiva in Israel, but other than that, I didn’t have a connection.”
Then, last February, 14-year-old Hillel went to Israel for a family friend’s bar mitzvah. On his last day there, he decided to go to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, where he, his dad, and his brother visited wounded soldiers – and found something he didn’t expect.
“I met these people who experienced the worst day of their life,” Hillel said. “They lost husbands, wives, and kids. It was beyond me how they could be so positive after they experienced something so bad. They greeted us with a smile. That’s what really stood out to me.”
While in Israel, Hillel also visited Hostage Square in Tel Aviv and the site of the Nova festival massacre. When he got back to the United States and went to school, he felt like a changed person.
“Everyone was talking about sports,” he said. “I was so confused. I was just in Israel the day prior with these people experiencing the biggest tragedy. How could we be talking about sports here?”
That’s when Hillel had an idea: He was going to make a documentary to bring the story home to Jews living outside of Israel. His 30-minute movie, “Forces of Resilience: Finding the Light,” can now be watched on YouTube (watch the video below).
Hillel, who lives in Teaneck and attends Heichal HaTorah high school, partnered with NCSY (the National Conference of Synagogue Youth) to make “Forces of Resilience.” In the movie, he speaks with those affected by the October 7 tragedy, from Jen Airley, whose son Binyamin was serving in Gaza and killed in November of 2023, singer Eitan Katz, Harvard student activist Shabbos Kestenbaum, Hillel Fuld, pro-Israel activist and brother of Ari Fuld, who was murdered by a terrorist in 2018, and Daniel Sharabi and Amit Musaei, Nova survivors.
Hillel with Robert and Jen Airley
“Forces of Resilience” starts with a moving introduction of Hillel sitting in his room, reminiscing about his weeklong trip.
“I am flooded with thoughts and emotions about everything that I witnessed,” his voiceover says. “Everything that I witnessed was not like the trips I have taken to Israel before… I had a mission. That mission was to try to understand what happened on October 7. How it switched your reality from one of joy to horror. How you went from dancing at a festival to becoming an imprisoned hostage. How you went from the calmest neighborhood in Israel to the scene of an erupting war… I dedicate this film to you. You are the true forces of resilience.”
Hillel then goes into what happened on October 7 and the interviews with each of the subjects featured. In the piece on the Nova festival, Amit Musaei shared his harrowing tale about trying to get out by driving through traffic. A voice came to him in his head that yelled, “Don’t stop moving!”
In the segment on Jen Airley, Hillel and Jen focus on trusting in God and staying positive throughout difficult times. Her son went into Gaza smiling and happy that he was able to defend the country and people he loved; he also died with a smile on his face.
“There were so many up and down moments when I was making this documentary,” Hillel said. “Is this really right? Will this segment touch people? I thought. I had faith that this was what I was supposed to be doing.”
Hillel interviewing Daniel Sharabi
Hillel had learned how to make videos during the pandemic, when he recorded and filmed his own sports podcast that ended up taking off. This time around, he wanted to work on a project that would make the world a better place.
“I knew I wanted to do something that would make a difference in people’s lives and am Yisrael,” he said. “Hashem has given me the strength and talent to do advocacy for Israel. That’s the path He wants to take me on.”
One of the soldiers that Hillel initially met at the hospital couldn’t talk; he just sat there and smiled throughout the 40-minute meeting with Hillel and his family.
When they returned to Israel this past Sukkot, they invited the soldier for the holiday. He had recovered and could talk again.
“That was the exact definition of resilience,” Hillel said.
Being so inspired by what he’s witnessed, the teen hopes to continue to create films and make an impact. In the meantime, he has a message for young Jews his age.
“If you’re in public school in an environment that’s not Jewish or Zionist, find a way to be proudly Jewish, whether it’s going home at night and saying Shema or watching an inspirational two-minute video a day. Find that way to connect on a daily or weekly basis. If you’re in a day school or yeshiva, find a way to uplift yourself. Feel that you’re not so far away from Israel. Write letters and make tzittzit for the soldiers.”
He continued, “The point is to make a difference. Each person should find their own force to make difference.”
BEAUTIFUL job! Although much of it makes me cry, they are GOOD tears, for Israel and its incomparable people. ISRAEL forever!
This is "forceful," beautiful, and encouraging.
I'd love to see this documentary. That's what we need: peace and the TWO STATES THEORY in practice right now.
"In darkness time, I'll shine brightest" - Jim Lake Junior, from netflix series Troll Hunters.
The two states theory has been in practice for the past 30 years. Both the “West Bank” since 1995 and Gaza since 2005 are politically independent under the PA and Hamas respectively, but neither has made any effort to be a self-providing, culturally viable nation-state. Rather they maintain themselves as military installations for terrorist training and the performance of continuous terrorist attacks against Israel. I think the theory has long since been proven false.
Israel is ONE nation - every bit (and more) what was ordained by the very G-d of all the universe - what better mandate should be needed? Carving up the Land is NOT the answer - Gaza is a part given to the so-called "Palestinians" years ago, Jewish families moved out, and just what was done with that piece of land? SO right to call it an armed camp, a terrorist enclave and training ground. What is needed is Israel reclaiming that part, sending the "Palestinians" to live with their close relatives, both Arab and Muslim, in other countries...starting with, say Iran. What-say?
OUTSTANDING film!
Beautifully done Kylie! You really captured the essence of Hillel’s intention and of the video itself.