I recently returned from the OU Executive Fellows volunteer trip to Eretz Yisrael carrying countless inspirational stories, powerful experiences, and moments of profound meaning. While it is difficult to choose just one, I would like to share the story of Uri from The Salad Trail, a farm located on Israel’s southern border near Gaza.
The Salad Trail (Shvil HaSalat) is a beautiful and innovative farm that grows fruits and vegetables using advanced drip-irrigation systems and is home to a variety of animals. Uri, an ordinary citizen, is a warrior in the truest sense of the word. On October 7th, when thousands of terrorists breached the border and flooded southern Israel, Uri’s family was directly in harm’s way.
That day, Uri’s son and daughter-in-law were trapped in their home with their two young children, hiding silently in a bomb shelter to save their lives. A terrorist entered the house and attempted to break into the shelter. Desperate to keep the door closed, they wedged a broken chair against it, that was just the right angle to prevent entry. The terrorists tried to force their way in but failed.
At this point in the story, Uri paused and shared what he called a moment of divine intervention.
The night before the attack, his grandchildren had been playing and accidentally broke a chair causing the back of the chair to break backwards to a non usable angle. Their father was frustrated and scolded them. No one could have imagined that this broken chair, reshaped just enough, would be exactly what was needed the next day to save their lives.
For Uri to recognize a miracle amid such immense pain is deeply inspiring. His suffering was not limited to the terror of the attack or the loss of many friends and fellow Jews. Tragically, his daughter-in-law’s sister was murdered as well. In the aftermath, Uri’s son and daughter-in-law adopted the children she left behind, choosing life, responsibility, and love even in the face of unbearable loss.
When Uri was asked to share a message with our teens, he said simply, “I will never leave this area, even if 6,000 people attack us.” Despite living under constant threat from Hamas and Iranian rockets, Uri believes this is where he belongs. As a farmer on the Gaza border, he lives with fear and tragedy woven into daily life, yet he continues to welcome volunteers and teach them a different, deeply meaningful way of living. How does he do it? Through perseverance, profound purpose, and the ability to see miracles clearly, even in darkness.
In Parashat Shemot, HaShem appears to Moshe through the burning bush and calls out, “Moshe, Moshe.” Moshe responds, “Hineni” (Here I am). HaShem then charges Moshe with the mission of redeeming the Jewish people from Egypt. Moshe hesitates. He doubts himself. He insists the people will not listen to him and that he is not a strong speaker.
We struggle to understand this hesitation. How could someone so great fail to recognize his own worth? How could Moshe doubt himself when HaShem Himself is calling?
Yet as the story unfolds, we see Moshe lean into HaShem. With the help of his brother Aharon, Moshe steps forward and fulfills his mission.
Moshe’s struggle is one we know well. We doubt ourselves. We question whether we are capable, worthy, or strong enough. But like Moshe, we are asked to push past that doubt and to trust that HaShem believes in us, even when we struggle to believe in ourselves.
This calling is not limited to our ancestors. We see it alive today. Uri remains on the Gaza border, refusing to abandon the land of Israel. For Uri, and many more like him, this is not coincidence. It is a calling from HaShem, rooted in faith, responsibility, and commitment to the Jewish people.
As OU employees, we are not standing on a battlefield, nor is HaShem appearing to us in a burning bush. But we are leaders of this generation. Each of us has a calling. Some of us work directly with teens, building relationships and guiding them through conversation and connection. Others work behind the scenes, through finances, marketing, logistics, and programming, creating the spaces where those connections can flourish.
Every role matters. Every skill is essential.
Leadership naturally comes with moments of doubt. The call may not always feel clear, but HaShem calls each of us nonetheless, choosing us for a reason. Even through struggle and uncertainty, we are capable of fulfilling our mission.
And when HaShem calls our name, may we have the courage to answer, “Hineni”, “Here I am.”
By pushing past doubt, by focusing on the good and recognizing the miracles around us, we can become the leaders our people need; leaders who help unite us and bring us closer to returning fully to the land of our ancestors, with the coming of the third Beit HaMikdash.
by Raquel Arakanchi, OU Executive Fellow: NCSY LEAD and Digital Media