At Smith Jewish Academy, our connection to Israel is not abstract — it is lived, shared, and strengthened through meaningful acts of compassion and community. This fall, that connection stretched across thousands of miles as students, families, and grandparents helped bring comfort and solidarity to Israelis still healing from the trauma of October 7.
As Jackie Broze, grandmother of an SJA student, prepared for her trip to Israel, she reached out to the school with a simple question: Could she bring Rosh Hashanah cards from our students to distribute in Israel? The answer, of course, was an enthusiastic yes. Inspired by the opportunity to bring joy and hope to others, Smith students wrote nearly 300 heartfelt cards filled with blessings for the new year.
Jackie carried every single one.
“I distributed the cards around the Old City and was met with deep gratitude,” she wrote. “We had a tour of the Nova site and surrounding areas and I was surprised at how big the area was that Hamas infiltrated. I brought the last of the cards to where the burned-up cars were. There were two groups of soldiers there. I handed them the rest of the cards. They couldn’t thank us enough. Tourists who saw what I was doing thought it was a wonderful way to connect.”
What began as a classroom project became a profound gesture of solidarity — reminding Israeli soldiers and civilians alike that a small community in Minnesota is standing with them, thinking of them, and praying for them. As Jackie reflected at the time, “I leave ‘home’ tomorrow night. And then I’ll make my reservations for next time.”
Jackie’s journey was not the only recent expression of our community’s commitment to Israel. Several SJA parents joined the Minneapolis Jewish Federation’s Tikvatenu 4 mission trip, where they volunteered in the orchards of Kibbutz Holit, a community that lost 15 members on October 7. Working alongside Israelis to help restore agricultural life to the region, these parents modeled what it means to live our values of responsibility, compassion, and Jewish peoplehood.
From handwritten New Year wishes delivered by hand to parents harvesting fruit for communities rebuilding in the south, the Smith community continues to show up for Israel — with open hearts, ready hands, and shared purpose.
These acts remind our students that loving Israel is not just something we teach — it is something we do. And together, we are helping them understand that their voices, their mitzvot, and their connections can bring real light to the world.