NCJW shapes history every day. Sometimes, our work makes headlines. Other times, the true impact of our efforts isn’t revealed for decades. And once in a great while, we have an opportunity to experience the depth and significance of an event as it unfolds in the moment.

I recently returned from a trip to Rome and Israel with my fellow delegates from the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations — a trip that was filled with unforgettable, historic moments.

The Conference of Presidents is a body of 51 American national organizations (including NCJW) from across the political and religious spectrum. It serves as the central forum for organized American Jewry on vital issues of international and national concern, particularly with respect to the security of Israel and countering anti-Semitism. Last month, the members of the delegate body came together — as we do every year — in order to build alliances with each other and external groups, and to advance the well-being of the American Jewish community and Israel. For me, this year’s trip confirmed the necessity and value of the organized American Jewish community standing united on core issues and the power of that solidarity.

Let me share with you a couple of those unforgettable moments:

In Rome, the Conference of Presidents met with Pope Benedict XVI so he could deliver what may have been the strongest statement ever from the Vatican to the Jewish people regarding anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, and the value of the relationship between the Church and “the people of the Convenant.” The resolute commitment expressed by the Pope gained even greater significance in our next meeting: When visiting with the small, yet strong Roman Jewish community, the chair of the local Jewish day school told me, “We waited 2000 years to hear what the Pope said yesterday …You came and now we heard it.” It was amazing to take part in such an historic, positive moment for the Jewish people. In that moment, I surely felt the power and essential nature of the collective.

While in Israel, we had an opportunity to meet with a wide range of influential leaders and opinion-makers, including Minister of Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni, Likud Chairman and now Prime Minister-Designate Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli President Shimon Peres, and outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. One of the meetings that I, as a representative of NCJW, found to be especially meaningful was one in which I was able to advocate on behalf of an NCJW Yad B’ Yad grantee.

After learning from Director of NCJW’s Israel Office Shari Eshet that the young girls living at Eden Hostel continued to live in danger even after the recent Gaza war, I knew I needed to find an opportunity to increase the visibility of this critical issue. During the Conference of President’s meeting with Isaac Herzog, Israel’s Minister of Welfare and Social Services, I raised the issue and urged Minister Herzog to expedite the installation of bomb shelters in Eden’s dormitories. In that moment — with the microphone in my hand — I felt I embodied the core of NCJW’s identity: powerful, courageous, and compassionate. Even more importantly, I was proud to represent the 90,000 members and supporters of this organization who exemplify these characteristics every day, and who enable NCJW to support Israel’s vulnerable population.

Overall, this trip served as a powerful reminder of how, when we join together and speak out as a collective group — whether that group is the Conference of Presidents or the NCJW community — our actions can transcend a singular moment, and become written in our hearts and our history.  

NCJW President Nancy Ratzan also hosted a conference call to share her experiences from the trip. A recording of the call is available in mp3 format.