Itzhak Lax: The people of Israel are very much alive - we have felt it

At the Arutz Sheva Summit in New York City, Adv. Itzhak Lax, Chairman of the Kehilot Foundation, spoke about the importance of unity in Israeli society and shared his family's experience during an Iranian missile attack.

Asked about the sense of togetherness felt at recent communal events and ahead of Sunday's parade, Lax stressed the importance of maintaining that spirit.

"Absolutely," he said. "When I talk about feeling together, I have to share a story about what happened to our family one week before Passover."

Lax recounted how he was at his home in Shoham with two of his children and seven grandchildren when air raid sirens sounded during the conflict with Iran.

"We went into the safe room, and after two minutes we heard an explosion," he recalled. "An Iranian missile fell on our roof. The entire building moved when it hit."

After leaving the safe room, he said, he and one of his sons went to assess the damage.

"It was Friday evening," he said. "The Shabbat table was set exactly as we had left it. The soup was on the table, and the candles were still lit. But outside, we saw what had happened to the cars and pieces of the roof scattered everywhere."

Moments later, emergency personnel instructed the family to evacuate.

"We had to take our grandchildren and leave our home with nothing except the clothes we were wearing," Lax said. "Imagine what the children saw as they left. The home that had been their safe place just minutes earlier was burning."

Despite the destruction, Lax said the experience demonstrated the strength of Israeli society.

"Then you see the community. Then you see the unity of the people and the care that people have for one another in Israel," he said.

According to Lax, neighbors immediately offered assistance. One family helped arrange a place for the family to stay over Shabbat, while others invited them to share meals.

"That is community life," he said. "People help each other. That is the meaning of achdut in Israel."

Reflecting on Israel's history of conflict, Lax noted that Israelis have endured numerous wars and military operations over the decades. He said that despite these challenges, Israel consistently ranks among the happiest countries in the world.

"It's unbelievable," he said.

Lax, who previously served in a number of senior positions in Israel's public and business sectors, said his current role with the Kehilot Foundation is particularly meaningful because it focuses directly on people.

"This comes from the depth of my heart-working with people," he said.

Describing the foundation's activities, Lax said it works with more than 70 religious Zionist communities throughout Israel, from Eilat, Sderot, and Yeruham in the south to Ramla, Lod, Akko, Tzfat, and Kiryat Shmona.

"We are talking about more than 10,000 families across the country who are involved in these communities," he said.

Lax explained that the communities, known in Hebrew as garinim toraniyim, are built around families who move into cities and become integrated into local life.

"The idea is like planting a seed," he said. "You bring a few families to a city, and over time, the community grows. They become part of the local population."

According to Lax, community members send their children to local schools, pray in local synagogues, and take part in educational and social initiatives.

"Try to imagine elderly people who are not alone," he said. "They are surrounded by people who care about them. That is one of the purposes of these communities."

Concluding the interview, Lax expressed appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the summit.

"It was a pleasure to be here with you," he said. "Am Yisrael Chai. That is the meaning of it. The people of Israel are very much alive-we have felt it."