It has been a long difficult month. In Israel we usually say about things that we have yet to do – “אחרי החגים” – after the holidays. We push off everything we haven’t gotten to – because the holidays in Israel are an intense period. This year of course, אחרי החגים didn’t really ever occur. The holiday period was abnormally ended in such a horrible way that it has been impossible to make sense of what just happened. Certainly, getting the three or four posts that I had prepared finished for publishing now seems like a silly frivolity. Will I ever post my piece on Burgundies and Domaine de Montille, or the once in a lifetime chance of having dinner with Benyo in the holy city of Jerusalem? Who knows. But really, who cares. For now, it seems SO unimportant. After a month, people in Israel are still reeling. Everyone in Israel is no more than one degree of separation (if they are lucky) from someone who has been directly impacted by either the tragedy that happened that Simchat Torah day, or the aftermath of our troops having to enter Gaza and root out the evil that resides there. But while everyone is still reeling, a month has passed. In Judaism when someone is in mourning, the passage of שלושים is significant and allows the mourner to return, more or less, to a regular routine – not fully, mind you. That takes a full year. But partially. And that’s where we are – and that’s why I am willing to post. Because it is time to start to get back to some kind of routine.

No this is not a normal post. It is not even a post about initiatives to help wineries – though they are in DIRE need of assistance. While the covid crisis brought its own challenges, ultimately alcohol consumption rose for the general population. Not true in this case. No one is drinking. No one is in the mood to be festive. Restaurants are closed. No one wants to go out. Even if they did, often times there is no one to staff the restaurants – or the wineries. A full 17% of the working population is now doing reserve duty. But again – other people have written about this already and there are initiatives in place to help wineries. My friend Yossie Horwitz spearheaded one such project via Leket – which is wonderful – and there are others. So, there is no need to add anything there other than to say everything you can do to help is needed and appreciated. Please buy Israeli wine if you can. If you are looking for specific winery recommendations à la my friend David Raccah’s post – I can give you my choices there if you like: Bigger wineries – Recanati & Dalton; mid-size wineries – Vitkin and Netofa; boutique wineries – Oryah & Shiran. There are plenty of others. Really anything you buy will make a difference in the end.

But this post is not about that either. Though if you live in Israel, the rest of this post is not really directed at you. You don’t need me to tell you what to do. A greater outpouring of Achdut and mutual support among those that live here – Chareidi, chiloni, dati leumi, young,  old, sabra, oleh, rightist, leftist – I have never seen. But as most of my readers are based abroad, the rest of this post is directed at them.

Like I said, for those of you abroad, there are things more important that you cane. You can visit! I know it’s a lot to ask. The news is scary. But really, it’s scary everywhere right now. I know this is not an easy request. I know its not practical for everyone. In which case, see the above paragraphs for what you can do at least wine-wise (there are also MANY giving opportunities to help our soldiers with upgraded gear, etc, but that is really beyond the confines of this blog). But, if you can swing it, PLEASE come and visit. The opportunities to volunteer and help here are pretty much endless. Where I live in Beit Shemesh, the local branch of Aroma for instance has taken upon itself to prepare THOUSANDS of sandwiches each day to be brought to the soldiers. These are clearly marked mehadrin – as many of the branches of Aroma that are supplying food are not – and they are sent all over the country as the kosher Aroma option for soldiers. How can they produce some much? Volunteers. Every day, dozens of people volunteer part (or all) of their day making sandwiches for soldiers at the Beit Shemesh Aroma. That is one TINY example. Every farmer is impacted. Many rely on foreign labor, which is now scarce, as well as young people – who are now almost all called up to the army. Farmers have no one to pick and sort the produce. Hundreds (likely thousands) of people every day volunteer their time in this effort to help farmers pick produce. Really the examples are endless. More than the aspect of helping these businesses avoid collapse during this delicate time, there is the added benefit of providing much needed chizuk (reinforcement) to those who live here. A few people I know have visited over the past few weeks. Each stayed for as long as they could and did what they could. I know that for me personally, it meant SO much that they were here. I am sure that this had the same uplifting impact on everyone they encountered. I had a friend from Teaneck who came and stayed with us the very next Shabbat after catastrophe, and he stayed for a week. He had nothing planned. He just dived in and helped every way he could. As much good as he did – and I know that he was volunteering nonstop — his willingness to just come and spend time here lifted my spirits – and I can say lifted the spirits of everyone he met that Shabbat in shul or at kiddush. Just being here. It was wonderful.  And so, this is what this post is about. Begging people to come – if they can. Just being here will do us a world of good. The mitzvot that you will have the opportunity to perform are just icing on the cake.

May we know better times – soon.