Lewis Topper, a philanthropist from New York and Florida, spoke at the Arutz Sheva and Israel Heritage Foundation conference in Jerusalem about how his trip to Israel helped him develop a greater love for other Jews.
"When I was born, many years ago, in my DNA, there was a love for Israel, and that love has never changed. Up until three years ago, I didn't have the understanding of Judaism that I should have had. During the pandemic, when everything else was closed, Rabbi Konikov of South Hampton opened his temple, and I converted to a greater understanding of Judaism. All of us are brothers and sisters."
Topper spoke about what truly brought the feeling to the fore: "I was at the Wall yesterday to pray, and a man came over and hugged me out of the blue. It's not something you see in the private rooms of the King David Hotel. It's true love and appreciation and gratitude for one another, and it's changed my life."
"That plaza at the Wall, with maybe forty thousand people singing and dancing - I couldn't get out of there and didn't need to, save that I had to meet people for dinner. It was incredible, and I'm hanging on for the ride."