On Tuesday morning, after a long summer break, I drove Chaya to the airport for her 8:00 AM flight back to Lubavitch Girls High School in Chicago. As I walked through the airport doors I began to smile; my beloved BZN was back. There was parking available close-by, it was pleasantly quiet and there were no insane lines with busloads of overwhelmed travelers. It was tranquil and I enjoyed it immensely. I kept thinking of what the airline agents put up with all summer long. Sure, it’s their job, but too often, travelers, me included, let out our travel frustrations on them even though they really don’t control the challenging reality of air travel these days.

In this week’s Torah portion, Ki Seitzei, we read about the Mitzvah to return a lost item to its rightful owner. In Judaism it’s not considered a “nice gesture”; it’s mandatory to care for a lost item that we find, until it’s returned to the one who lost it. “Eilu Metzios” is an entire chapter of Talmud that discusses the specifics of how to care for lost items, what we are responsible for and what’s not included, and how we can fulfil this beautiful Mitzvah in the most efficient, and conducive, way. I love this precept because it brings home the interconnectedness of humanity and how we could, and should, show up for each other.

When we returned from The Netherlands one of our suitcases didn’t arrive. Furthermore, the agents on the phone were giving me the runaround with inaccurate information about its status. Yet, amid the headache, along came Carlton, a “red coat” elite Delta agent at BZN and he tracked down the people at KLM in Amsterdam, got precise info, ensured that I was compensated for the delay, and the suitcase was delivered to our home. He didn’t have to, he could’ve told me to call the “Baggage” department, but he didn’t, and it’s thanks to him that it arrived back in one piece. Nobody likes losing stuff, but it’s nice to live in a world where people help each other retrieve their stuff, not taking advantage of their loss.

Now if we could only track down Chana Laya’s 24Six in Seattle-Tacoma Airport :)

Thank a gate agent; it’s kindness that makes the world go round!

May G-d guard our brethren in Israel and the world over from harm and send us Mashiach speedily. May G-d protect the armed forces of Israel and the United States wherever they may be!

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Ten things I learned while traversing Europe with my family for two weeks in August of 2025

I welcome your comments but ask you to read to the end before chiming in....Pictures will come in a second post.

1) I normally travel with a comfortable cap, so that I can have it with me for Davening (prayers) and Bentching (Grace After Meals). Yet, on this trip, from the moment we landed at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam, I removed my cap and traversed The Netherlands and Belgium for two weeks wearing my Yarmulke proudly and with my Tzitzis hanging from my sides. My son Menny did the same. To me it was a personal act of defiance. I wasn’t going to let the news stories create fear and make me question being a Yid in public in 2025.

I am not saying that I would do the same in Pakistan or Algeria where Jews are banned (I would never travel there), but in a country that is officially enlightened, where Jews are still legal citizens, which are allies of the United States, I wasn’t going to let them take my Judaism away, even a little bit.

So how did it turn out? We crisscrossed the streets of Ghent, Bruges, Knokke, Giethoorn, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Amstelveen, Urk, Beekse Bergen, Harderwijk, Willemstad, and other locales, and had no issues at all. Yes, we passed thousands of Muslims in full garb, including those with necklaces that had the map of Israel with the colors of the Hamas flag, but no one, no one, said a word of negativity towards us or made us feel unwelcome. I can’t explain why that is, obviously there is real hatred and many troubling incidents in Europe, but this was our experience.

Let me be clear: traveling anywhere these days as an identifiable Jew, a religious Jew, or a Jew with a Magen Dovid (Star of David), versus doing the same as a Jew whose identity isn’t clear, is night and day. If they don’t know that you are Jewish, it takes a few more steps for them to figure it out and they may not figure it out at all before you’ve moved on. When they can see your identity Immediately, it can become an issue instantly.

2) People in Europe, or at least in the two countries that we visited, aren’t into smiling. Sure, you can see them laughing with their friends at the coffee shop, but when you check out at a grocery or check into a hotel, there isn’t the natural bubbly greeting that we are used to in America, certainly in Montana. It threw us off guard, as we are sort of used to the politeness, but after a few days we realized that it’s just a cultural thing, they don’t smile unless there is a “real reason” to do just that. Once you start conversing, most of them turn out to be friendly.

So, despite the blank looks on their faces, we met wonderful people throughout our visit. We met an owner of a gift shop in Utrecht who isn’t Jewish but loves Jews and Israel and even spent time living in Israel when she was younger. We met wonderful people working at the Botanical Gardens of Belgium in Brussels who went against their “structure” and allowed us to get tickets even though it was after the “entry time” of 5:00 PM. I met a wonderful woman of Russian/Ukrainian descent who checked me in at Sixt Rent-a-Car and was super kind and helpful and went out of her way to take care of our needs.

There were also the big moments: Urk, a town on Lake Ijssel, is a place that’s entirely in solidarity with Eretz Yisroel. They are Christians and support Israel in any way possible, including with sending significant financial support to Israel. After October 7th fifty percent of the town had Israeli flags hanging from their homes, and while it’s a bit less now, there are still hundreds across the town. People on the street were honored to meet a Jew and tell us “Shalom” and how much they love and support us. Also, we met a big group of local gentiles eating dinner at a Kosher restaurant in Amsterdam and the owner told me that these groups show up often just to support Dutch Jewry.

I know that the “Minhag” is to see the world with a horrible lens based on media reports, specific incidents, and evil X feeds, but we must be able to see the good in humanity, even if it’s hard, because otherwise we turn into cynical souls.

3) There is a concept in Judaism referred to as "Al Tisgaru B’Umos”, not to instigate our gentile neighbors. Sadly, some Jews, especially since October 7th, have chosen to become professional agitators, showing up at anti-Israel demonstrations getting in the faces of the haters with Israeli flags or just shouting at them. In my opinion, it’s not the Jewish way. You want to make a Jewish parade or solidarity gathering for Israel? Beautiful. They are disrupting Jews from entering our own Shuls or schools? Defend yourself to the best of your ability with every mechanism available to you. Showing up at one of their events and trying to “show them” that you’re tough, JDL style? It’s agitation 101, and not something we are meant to do.

There are people who carry the respected title “rabbi” who agitate all the time, including in Europe while I was there. It looks like they are being attacked and maybe they are, but they are instigating the trouble. We need to lobby, work with local governments, work with law enforcement, do what Hillel Neuer does in Geneva with UN Watch, write in local newspapers, and at times recognize that certain countries are not friends of the Jews anymore and move elsewhere, but the Al Sharpton like “show business” agitating, expressed In the name of our holy Torah and 3,000 years of Jewish tradition, is distasteful. Screaming epithets and getting in people's faces, is not something condoned by a Torah whose “ways are ways of pleasantness, and all its paths are peace”.

4) Everyone is on a bicycle. Cars are like the third or fourth form of transportation. From the youngest of children to the advanced senior citizens, everyone gets places by bike. Walking would be next best, followed by train and even boats, before cars become an option. In addition, there is very little consumerism and over-purchasing in Europe. They are way ahead of us in caring for the environment. They don’t use many disposables at all, which is great. They aren’t workaholics (it’s a little concerning how little they seem to work), so they aren’t too anxious and stressed with work related issues. They really seem to be good custodians of Hashem’s world and good at keeping themselves in impressive physical shape. They also have an insane amount of Wind Turbines, which provides The Netherlands with almost 20% of their energy.

Yet, they aren’t perfect. I felt like it was Israel of the 90’s with smoking being so widespread. It’s baffling that in 2025 when we know so much about the harm of smoking, in countries where they’ve rightfully banned Red 40 and Yellow 5, there is so much tobacco use. Also, they really don’t eat fruit and vegetables. Many restaurants don’t even offer it as a side dish, because as one waiter told me “We would throw out boxes of produce each night”, as very few diners ordered veggies.

They also don't wear helmets when riding bikes; it's almost non-existent. Don't know if that makes us the odd ones or them, but it's above my pay grade to figure it out.

5) The Jewish communities are beautiful and strong. In Antwerp and Amsterdam there are many Shuls, schools, Mikvahs, Kosher is available in the groceries, there are many Kosher eateries, and a healthy strong Jewish presence. The Chabad Shluchim, Charedei Kehilos, mainstream Orthodox rabbinate, all contribute to create vibrant Jewish life, despite the challenges that they encounter daily. We ate at eight different restaurants, almost all of them with amazing food, kind staff, warm Jews and a sense of Dutch/Flemish Jewish pride. The woman who owns/manages the Grosz Center grocery in Antwerp made us feel at home and was so Heimish.

While we always hear the bad news, we rarely hear of the beautiful Jewish experience that is alive and well and the strength of the Jewish communities of Europe which is heartwarming and even inspiring. While there are those who are busy forewarning Jews to leave Europe, instilling anxiety, it’s easier said than done and seeing Chassidish adults and children riding their bikes in Antwerp, seeing Jews of all flavors walking the streets of The Netherlands, visiting the Portuguese Synagogue in the center of Amsterdam, meeting Jews that were visiting from California, Mexico, New York, London, Ukraine, and Texas, reminded me that we are a resilient people and need not live in fear. Despite the hate and venom, our values, and how we live our Torah lives, are unbeatable. At one of the eateries, we ordered omelets and the Jew behind the counter said, “I am not Shomer Shabbos, so if you’re ok turning on the fire, I can make it happen”. There’s beauty everywhere (Chavie really taught me that) and it’s our job to find it.

6) I’m not sure the deep history behind it and how the crime statistics match up with the US, but police are not noticeable in Western Europe. I didn’t see one “highway patrol” vehicle. I didn’t see anyone pulled over on the side of the road. Didn’t see any major parades of police cars heading to any “exciting” crime scenes. So, while the leaders in Europe, except for a few, are cowards and don’t have a backbone to stand up to those who hate us, thus causing direct unease in the Jewish community (see # 7), somehow, they have safe cities and towns with very little police presence.

I don’t know what it means, all I know is what I saw. I don’t know whether a less visible police presence forces people to follow the law in principle and not just out of fear of “getting caught” or perhaps forces people to be kinder to each other. It was nice to drive on roads and visit areas with just a few cops here and there riding by on bicycles and scooters.

Yet, Europe isn’t free. Many American news sites, including CNN and FOX, were not allowed to be browsed while connected to the Wi-Fi in the various Airbnb’s. My mortgage company’s website and my Bozeman bank site weren’t allowed. And even the websites that were permitted, needed me to “consent” every time I logged on.

So, there are no police on the street but it’s very much a police state reality, making me grateful for the freedom bestowed on us in America.

7) On the topic of leadership, we must talk about immigration. Yes, America has its own heated conversations about immigration and of course it’s somewhat connected to Europe too, but I’m specifically focused on Europe and the Muslim migration to France, The Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Italy and Sweden. “Rabbi, are you saying we shouldn’t allow Muslims into Europe?” No, I am not saying that at all. What I am saying is that migrants that come into a community must not import hatred into the community that welcomes them.

Imagine if a group of people immigrated to Montana from Canada and openly trashed, hated-on, and vocally abused Mormons. It is my hope that it would not be tolerated and indeed it shouldn’t be. It’s not Utah and Mormons aren’t the majority in Montana, but just because they are a minority, doesn’t mean we can allow outsiders, newcomers, to direct hatred towards them and convince the Montana leadership to “let it go” because it’s just the Mormons.

Europe is allowing the hatred of the Muslims towards Israel, and consequently, towards the local Jews, to dictate their policy about Israel, to dictate their policies towards protecting Jews in their country, allowing them to create a hostile environment towards Klal Yisroel. It’s not hidden hate, it’s out in the open, supported by Muslim leaders and Imam’s who preach it every Friday at the Mosque. As Our boat captain ferried us near the Anne Frank House, I asked him if he thought Europe learned the lessons from the story of Anne Frank, and he said unequivocally “I don’t think so”.

We shouldn’t judge immigrant based on religion, but we certainly should judge them based on what values they bring with and whether it’s values of respect or values of hatred.

8) Europe isn’t into accommodating Americans. Changing dollars for Euros took me a week. Finding an adapter for my laptop plug took me ten days. The roads are covered mostly in European cars, some Asian cars, lots and lots of Tesla’s (manufactured in Germany), and only a handful of American cars. We should do a better job in getting American products across the Atlantic. If our country is inundated with products from all over the world, we should try to get our stuff out there too and export our products to Europe. And no, this is not about the tariffs conversation which just started recently, while this is a decades old issue.

9) While I Baruch Hashem don’t see the following issue play out with the hundreds of Israelis that come to our Shul in Bozeman, including the two couples and one truck driver who joined us this past week, I did see it during our trip and it’s disturbing. I started feeling like the religious/secular divide that is growing in Israel is affecting Israelis when they travel abroad. Of course I met wonderful Israelis, including a beautiful couple who’s been living in Utrecht for eighteen years, a big family group who responded “we all put Tefillin on this morning” when I asked if there were any candidates, and other sweet Israelis, but, sadly, too many Hebrew speaking Israelis were very cold, uninterested in even opening a conversation with me and I found that to be heartbreaking. We work so hard to bring people together, to keep our beautiful nation united, but the political divide and the “serving in the army” split in Israel is really creating painful barriers and I felt it for the first time in my life during this trip.

I don’t know what the solution is, but each of us must do our part, even if it’s super hard, to add kindness, understanding and compassion to our repertoire. We can’t let the real, hard, differences get in the way of a united nation.

My Saba was a sniper in the IDF from 48’ until the 80’s, he was as religious as it gets, perhaps even a radical, and he was also kind and gracious to every Yid with whom he worked and with whom he served.

We need to get this done.

10) Chavie and I have always believed that travel is a great form of education. We’ve taken the kids across the United States, but also to Spain, Gibraltar, France, Morocco, Israel, South Africa, Canada, Mexico and now to The Netherlands and Belgium. In each place we learn about the locals, the language, the culture, the realities of life, the good, the bad and the ugly and we learn about people, fellow human beings who Hashem created with a purpose. Hopefully along the way we make them fall in love with Jews as a direct result of meeting us.

I understand that it’s a luxury to travel, but it’s something that we’ve made a priority for our family’s sanity, considering the busy lives we live in the service of Klal Yisroel. We don’t have bungalow colonies and Shabbos Nachamu programs, we don’t have eating-out expenses most of the year or the tax expenses of the big cities, we don’t have tolls and annual car inspection fees. So, we pinch pennies and save up with the hope that every year or two we can take the family to enjoy such experiences. I joked that I was taking our kids to Europe “before they don’t let Jews in anymore” and I came back realizing that I should read less of the news and make more of an effort to find out what’s really going on locally as it may be very different.

There’s no place like America and it’s freedoms. The bountifulness of the USA is unparalleled. The Bracha of this “Kingdom of kindness” is unique and should be celebrated. AND we can learn a lot from Europe, helping us enhance our lifestyle, our health, our balance and learning what NOT TO DO here at home.

That’s it for now. Have a rockin week!

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