Jewish Community Partners

Akiva Wogan, son of Sarah and Jonathan Wogan, is a junior at the Missouri Torah Institute. Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided him with a Teen Israel Experience grant to help offset the cost of his NCSY Kollel Israel trip last summer. All rising high school juniors and seniors in the Memphis Jewish community are eligible for grants of up to $3,000 to attend a summer program, semester in Israel, or any organized Israel program providing a meaningful experience. Teen Israel Experience applications for 2025 are open and can be accessed at Lemsky Endowment Fund | Jewish Community Partners (jcpmemphis.org) 

This past summer, I had an unforgettable experience in Israel. We did many significant things, like praying at the top of a mountain and visiting the city of Sderot. I want to focus on our visit to Sderot, located on the border of the Gaza Strip. It is not a wealthy area, and they have faced many challenges due to their proximity to Gaza. Because they are so close to the border, they are frequently targeted by missiles. The city was hit hard on October 7th. 

While we were there, we visited the October 7th Museum. A man shared his personal story about what happened to him that day. He explained how his son, who serves in the army, had chosen not to bring his rifle that day. When terrorists attacked, they stormed his synagogue. He and a friend engaged in a gunfight with two terrorists. Without his rifle, he had only a pistol to defend himself. Although they could not kill the terrorists, they managed to hold them off for about twenty minutes without being injured. 

The man continued, sharing his own terrifying experience. He had been outside when he saw a terrorist carrying a huge gun. Suddenly, the terrorist started shouting in Arabic. At that moment, the man ran for his life, but he was shot in the lung. Despite the injury, he made it back home. His wife called for an ambulance but was told that no help could come to that area. Hours later, someone approached their door and started helping them, using items from their home to treat the injury. This person had heard the call at the station and spent the entire day saving lives. By the end of the day, he had saved twenty people, but tragically, he lost his own life after all his heroic efforts. 

After hearing this story, we watched a video of the gunfight at the local police station. The fight happened outside, and we saw people hiding behind walls to avoid being hit. Many brave people sacrificed their lives to protect others. The fight reminded us of the deep sense of community and how much Jews care for each other, like family. 

After the museum, we went to a lookout point that overlooks the Gaza border. Our tour guide shared the story of the 2014 conflict and the soldiers honored by the memorial we visited. 

We also supported local businesses by purchasing challah and candy from a nearby bakery. We ended the meaningful day playing basketball on the courts in Sderot.  

Thank you to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund for helping to make my NCSY Kollel trip possible.