UJA Federation’s Howard English is currently criss-crossing Israel with radio station CFRB 1010 as Michael Coren covers the state of the State during this 60th anniversary week.
By Howard English — In Israel, nothing is what it seems to be.
There we were at a stand still in Tel Aviv- one of the world’s super-paced cities, because incredible traffic congestion makes the Don Parkway at rush hour look the free-wheeling German autobahn.
And then there we were - finally - at Tel Aviv University meeting a student who who defies the stereotypical hedonistic, headline pounding profile of the city’s young people.
Shachar Zahavi has seen the world. Unfortunately, it’s because large chunks of the world have suffered natural disasters of proportions that are impossible for us to contemplate. That’s why Shachar has been there and the coalition of organizations called IsraAid, assembled by Shachar is providing exper disaster relief where most others would never want to go. Where, in some circumstances, Israelis would not normally feel welcome.
Shachar, assisted by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, is exporting Israel’s unfortunate trauma expertise and other skills to those who desperately need life-saving humanitarian hands when disaster strikes.
Shachar is not someone who corresponds to conventional portrayals of Israel. But Israel, as it approaces its 60th anniversary this week is a country that defies conventional portrayal. And that is a powerful principle of Israeli survival.
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