Caught in Crisis: Local LGBTQ+ Jewish Leaders Recount Escape from Israel Amid War

What began as a mission of solidarity and celebration quickly turned into a terrifying journey for a group of LGBTQ+ Jewish leaders visiting Israel. Organized by the Jewish Federation of the Desert, the group had traveled to Israel to participate in a pride-focused mission—a trip that aligned unexpectedly with the sudden eruption of conflict between Israel and Iran.

“We were there to stand in unity, to build bridges,” said one speaker at a Monday morning gathering hosted by the Federation. “We never imagined we’d be caught in a war.”

The mission included 100 LGBTQ+ Jewish leaders from across the U.S., including Rabbi Kenneth Emert, who recounted his experience of being stranded in Israel as the situation escalated.

“They had closed the airport, so we couldn’t leave,” Emert explained. “Many of us, our families didn’t know what was going to happen.”

As the Tel Aviv airport shut down and commercial flights were suspended, anxiety grew. “It wasn’t fear,” Rabbi Emert said. “I didn’t feel afraid. I felt anxious—to get home, to get to Palm Springs.”

With the support of the Federation and emergency coordination, the group undertook an extraordinary journey: first by bus to Jordan, then flights to Cyprus, on to Munich, San Francisco, and finally, home to the Coachella Valley.

“I’m trying to get my feet on the ground,” said one returning participant. “Every so often, boom, I’m back—I’m hearing a siren in my head.”

The experience left emotional and psychological marks, but also a renewed sense of purpose.

For those who returned, the mission remains more meaningful than ever. “We went to support our people and our community,” one speaker said. “And we came back not just safe—but stronger.”