Doing Good From New York to Be’eri

David Baden’s connection to Israel began back in 1983, when he studied at Tel Aviv University. Since then, Israel has never been far from his heart, with David returning almost every year and building a lifelong relationship with the land and its people.

When October 7th happened, horror quickly turned into something deeper: a need to go, to bear witness, and to stand shoulder to shoulder with his brothers and sisters in Israel during one of the darkest moments in the country’s history. After multiple failed attempts to get there due to cancelled flights and airspace restrictions, David finally arrived in spring 2024 and spent three weeks volunteering across Israel, using the Sword of Iron community to find ways to help wherever he could.

From farming with Leket, to packing food for soldiers and families, to helping rebuild kibbutzim, including meaningful time spent on Kibbutz Be’eri, David threw himself fully into the volunteer world, showing up each day with humility, purpose and heart.

And when he returned home to New York City, his commitment didn’t stop. David became an activist on the streets of NYC, walking the city each day with a rucksack full of Bring Them Home stickers and spray paint, covering over anti-Israel posters and standing visibly and unapologetically with Israel. In doing so, he also came face to face with the very real antisemitism that had surfaced so openly in the city he calls home.

This is a powerful and inspiring conversation about love for Israel, moral courage, and what it means to show up, both in the land itself and thousands of miles away.

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