’It will haunt me going forward’: Winnipegger deeply affected by post-attack visit to Israel

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This article was published 22/11/2023 (1044 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

For Jeff Lieberman, chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, Tuesday was “the most intense day I’ve ever had.”

That was the day he toured Kfar Aza, a kibbutz in southern Israel that was attacked by Hamas militants Oct. 7.

“It was one of the worst-hit that day,” he said of the kibbutz, located 6.5 kilometres from Gaza and where more than 100 people were killed.

As he walked around the kibbutz, wearing a bulletproof vest and helmet, Lieberman was heavily impacted by the damaged and destroyed homes — many of them pockmarked by bullet holes.

What also affected him during the visit was hearing from two former residents who lost family members during the attack.

“One woman, her daughter is a hostage,” he said. “Another man lost both his parents.”

It was, he said, “a very heavy day, very sad… it will haunt me going forward. I will have lots to unpack from this trip.”

Lieberman was in Israel as one of 43 leaders from Jewish federations across Canada who visited that country for three days this week as part of a solidarity mission organized by the Jewish Federations of Canada.

Also on the mission was Gustavo Zentner, president of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, and five Members of Parliament, including Marty Morantz, who represents Charleswood—St. James—Assiniboia—Headingley.

During the trip, Lieberman talked to Morantz and the other MPs about the experience.

“It opened their eyes,” he said. “They said they would come back and tell others what they saw.”

While in Israel, Lieberman saw the Iron Dome defence system in action, shooting down a rocket headed over the border into the country. While seeing the rocket intercepted was a new experience for him, people who live there shrugged it off as routine.

Lieberman also had a chance to meet Israeli soldiers.

“They’re just young kids,” he said.

He also met students and parents from the high school in Kiryat Shmona, Israel’s northernmost city; students from that school annually participate in an exchange with Winnipeg’s Gray Academy and were in Winnipeg in early October when the Hamas attacks occurred.

There were no briefings from the Israeli military, but Lieberman came away with the impression that the war will not end soon.

“They plan to eliminate Hamas, however long that takes,” he said. “Until Hamas is gone, there is no security for Israel.”

Once back home, Lieberman will send out a report to the Winnipeg Jewish community.

“We’ll have some candid conversations,” he said, adding wherever he went Israelis “thanked us for being there, and for supporting Israel.”

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