An Open Letter to University Presidents
3 min read
If we leave our country, terror wins.
A lot of people have asked me what on earth I’m still doing in Israel. It’s a fair question. Israel is at war.
I came back to Israel last week, after spending two months over the summer deepening my understanding about Judaism on a program at Aish. The war broke out and I’ve decided to stay.
There’s a word in Hebrew “משפחה, mishpacha.” It means family. In Israel, my friends are my family. The entire Jewish nation is indeed my family.
And my family is at war, fighting for survival. My family is grieving. My family is searching for missing people. My family is running to and from bomb shelters. My family cannot stop crying. My family is praying for their children to come home.
My friends and family all over the world have asked me to come home. My mom tears up every time I have to end our FaceTime.
But I’m here in Jerusalem, the capital of the only Jewish country in the world. I feel safe here. I have 90 seconds to get to a bomb shelter when the sirens go off. I’m spending my days learning in honor of soldiers, doing acts of chesed (kindness) for Israel and reassuring my family that I’m safe.
I am safe, but I am not okay. Not really. An Israeli girl from my gap year was at the music festival for peace in the south and her body was found on Tuesday. She was the brightest light. She had the most infectious smile and laugh. It is hard to imagine the world without her.
There are no words to describe the kind of evil that we are fighting against. I cannot tell anyone how fast my heart beats when we hear the red alert and have to get to a bomb shelter as quickly as possible. Or how to tell the younger girls that we are living with that it is going to be okay. The truth is that nobody knows how long this war will last.
The only thing we know for certain is that we need one another. We need to lean on our mishpacha, our family. We need to check in with our family and friends. We need to make packages for soldiers to show our support. We need to donate to emergency relief funds. We need to attend pro-Israel rallies. We need to come together and unite as one Jewish nation to fight for our lives.
Terror is heartbreaking. It is cruel. Evil knows no bounds, but neither does the strength, love and unity of the Jewish people.
If we leave our country, terror wins.
So I am here. I am learning. I am praying. I am doing what I can to help my people, my mishpacha.
If you reach out, please don’t tell me to come home or ask me when I’m booking a flight. Tell me you love me and support me. Because I love and support the State of Israel. Am Yisrael Chai!
Kol Hakavod to you, Allison. You are a wonderful woman, an Eshet Chayil. May Hashem bless you with all good, and may you find your beshert very soon and start a family in Am Yisrael. Yasher Koach! I wish all Jewish girls and women would understand what YOU understand.
Writing from the Galut for now. I don't know if I would have the fortitude to do what you are doing.
Chodesh Tov; may Hashem protect all Am Yisrael in the whole world, and especially in Eretz Yisrael.
You will be stronger as a result of your decision to stay! Even if we are older and unable to join you now, our hearts, our tefillos, our learning, and our mitzvos are with you and all who are in Israel!
I have a ticket on El Al for Maimi leaving on Nov. 9th. I cannot leave my wife alone here. The safest places for Jews is Eretz Yisrael Novi Ovadia 1:17 But in mount Zion there shall be those that escape, and it shall be holy; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.
What a beautiful and inspiring article. Sending you respect, gratitude, awe, and many prayers. May Israel and our tiny tribe be victorious. If Jews abandon our homeland, then we have nothing.
I admire you for your courageous decision to stay in Israel amid this war- Alison Comite - I stand in solidarity with you and all Israeli Jews as a fellow Jew - thanks for a great article
I'm wearing a gold Star of David pendant.
Best to you. Will keep you in my prayers.
Thank you for this meaningful and helpful article. I feel proud of you and of all my mishpacha in Israel.
Kol Hakovod! You are an amazing individual. May HaShem watch you and klal Yisrael. Chazak Vaamatz!
Your spirit is strong and wonderful.
My daughter made Aliyah 45 years ago.
Lives on kibbutz n the north with husband
Three daughters and seven grandchildren. People ask me why doesn’t she come home?I tell them that she is HOME. She and her family are there so that we Jews in the diaspora will have a Home
A Jewish homeland. If not Israel, then where could we go?
I’m 97 yrs old and want to be there HOME with her and my mishpochah.
Age keeps me here.
Am Yisrael Chi✡️✡️
Wow!! I'm crying as I'm reading this article as I am reminded how lucky we are to be part of a nation where everybody sacrifices for their fellow sisters and brothers and puts them before themselves. I'm so lucky to be part of klal yisrael. Am Yisrael Chai!!
Kol Hakavod to you. May all of Am Israel continue to be strong. We are praying for a quick end to this war and the safety of everyone living in the holy land.
So, so very proud of you!!!
During the Yom Kippur war, i was in Yerushalayim. my mother was crying for me to go home. i couldn't reason with her so i spoke to my father. i respectfully said that my leaving Eretz Yisroel would be a chillul hashem, explaining myself, i said that if i run away from the perceived danger when others can't, it would be as if i was a rat swimming away from a sinking ship. i could not live with myself if i did that. Others would not be able to escape and would despise me. Instead, i would increase my prayers and studies.
my father gave me his blessing to stay and he calmed down my mother, saying that he was proud to have a courageous son.
A symbol of strength, courage and commitment
You are definitely in my daily prayers, all Israel is. I really like that you say that if we leave, terror wins.
Prayers to keep you safe.
Am Yisrael chai!!! We are in the US praying about what we should do - at this point we are where we believe to be now but our hearts are with you and all the other brave warriors there. 💙
Wish we could be there too!
Blessed by your devotion to Israel and family; know we in the US stand w u and r praying for ur safety and victory over darkness.
Hi. We live in Raanana ...come and spend shabbos with us.. xxx
I feel the same way and I am not there! This month I have been gathering the paperwork I need to make my Aliyah and war happened! I want to be there to help and support and encourage my “family”. I don’t know where to go in Jerusalem or who to contact. If you can direct me it would be greatly appreciated. I would love to meet and and your family when I get there. Baruch Hashem. Be safe
I loved the article. I am over 90 so I can't travel well anymore. But I have been to Israel several times and love it. Am Yisrael Chai!
I agree with you. I was a new olah studying at Ulpan when the Yom Kippur War broke out. We didn't have cellphones or internet. All phone calls were through international operator. There were several of us Americans living in blackout, digging trenches since we didn't have safe rooms, and doing what we could to help. The consensus was for us Americans to stay. We stayed and glad we did. Israel is our homeland. I have family and friends in Israel. I wish I was there now. Take care and stay safe.
Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful! I admire your strength and resilience. My daughter is also in Israel. We are in the same situation and you expressed exactly how she feels!
עם ישראל הי
I admire your courage and support you wholeheartedly! May peace be with Israel soon.
Blessings!!
I am proud of you. You have true heart and courage. May HaShem keep you, and the rest of us safe.
Thank you for your inspiring, loving article. I think others feel the same way as you. Am Yisrael Chai!
Allie! We love you, and are so proud of you. Keep spreading light and hope to the world.
Dearest precious Allie
Gd bless you for your love devotion strength and courage to be in ISRAEL at this time
This just strengthens my desire to make Aliya will be visiting in Dec
Can you contact me so we can meet ?
Gd bless ISRAEL protect her and keep her people safeAllie May Gd bless you always
💙💙🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱💙💙
I live in Beit Shemesh and was outside when there was a red alert this afternoon,My 1st thought was-"I'm not afraid to die-but I am afraid NOT to live like a Jew"
Oh my! Yes! And furthermore, I will NOT hide my Judaism under any circumstances!
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