How are former Baltimoreans who now live in Israel dealing with the ongoing conflict between Israel, Iran and Iranian-backed terrorists in Lebanon?
After more than two years of war in Israel and fighting in the Gaza Strip, people all over Israel were hoping for a reprieve from the difficult period they endured after Oct. 7, 2023. Unfortunately, that reprieve was short-lived. At the end of February 2026, Israel joined the United States in launching attacks against Iran.
Iran fought back by sending rockets, missiles and drones toward populated areas throughout Israel and other Arab countries in the region. Those strikes forced Israelis throughout the country to take refuge in shelters, safe rooms and secure areas, often multiple times throughout the day and night.
The number of Baltimoreans making aliyah has increased dramatically in the past decade. Many Baltimoreans at or beyond retirement age choose aliyah to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Many younger people move to Israel to raise their kids in the Jewish state. Those olim have had to persevere amid the ongoing attacks targeting Israel and its citizens.
Janet and Alan Abramowitz moved to Israel in July 2022. Both Abramowitzes can trace their families back for multiple generations in Baltimore. Their four adult children and their families live in Israel. It was always the Abramowitzes’ plan to sell their house and make aliyah after they retired. Alan Abramowitz was a prominent attorney in downtown Baltimore, and Janet Abramowitz was a respected pharmacist. These days, they spend much of their time “grandparenting,” as Alan Abramowitz said.
Living in the city Efrat means the Abramowitzes have not been forced to shelter in place as much as others do in different areas of Israel. Alan Abramowitz opined that there are not very many strategic targets in their vicinity. He believes, as do others, that the ceasefire will not hold. He also said that the closing of the Strait of Hormuz is not an Israeli problem, as Israel does not import anything that requires passage through that waterway. That is Europe and the United States’ problem, and they need to address it, he said. He believes that if the people of Lebanon throw Hezbollah out of the government, there can be a permanent peace with Israel’s northern neighbor.
The Abramowitzes believe that the entire Israeli population is under great stress now and that life is difficult, but that everyone is trying their best to take it all in stride.
Howard Kaplan moved to Zichron Ya’akov from Baltimore in 2017. He firmly believes that this war is one “that we should be fighting.” In his opinion, the West has kicked the can down the road for years when it comes to Iran. He believes that the U.S. and Israel have the capacity to win, and that the U.S. has the military might to level all of Iran and could do that if it wanted to.
Kaplan also said that the fortitude of the Israeli people is “amazing.” He stated that the fear in Israel is not of the actual war, but rather the fear of not finishing off the Iranian regime.
It would be a great disappointment for Israel not to finish the job. Polls show that the majority of Israelis agree with this perspective. “Everything is up to one person, Donald Trump,” he said.
Kaplan said that he feels there is no chance Iran will abandon its efforts to build a nuclear bomb. The closing of the Strait of Hormuz is the only bargaining chip they have. He further added that “rather than a quick end to the war, we want to have peace.”
Rabbi Mitchell Ackerson spent over two decades as the chief chaplain at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore. Upon his retirement, he moved to Israel. His daughter lives there now, while his son remains in New Jersey. He knows that not every Israeli has a direct connection to the war with a soldier as part of the family, but many do. “In general, the country works,” he said.
Ackerson is a licensed tour guide, and he has seen his business come to a complete halt as tourists have all but stopped coming during the war. He had been leading many tours across Israel and Europe, but that will not be the case at least until after the summer, if the war winds down.
The former Baltimore resident is adamant that the people of Lebanon must force Hezbollah out of the government. The Iran-backed proxy group currently controls about one-third of the Lebanese government, and until it is dealt with, there will be no peace on the northern border. He is confident that almost every Israeli wants this to occur. He further believes that Syria wants no part of this conflict, as the country suffered under a dictator for over 50 years until Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in 2024.
In Ackerson’s opinion, the Israeli government has not done a good job with public relations or propaganda. He believes that Israeli troops need to be on the ground, questioning the ability to win the war with Iran solely through the air. This, he stated, would help limit civilian casualties. Ackerson warned Americans not to believe everything they hear or read in the media, and he noted that what happens to Israel is just a foreshadowing of what could happen worldwide. He added that he believes that Israelis and their Arab neighbors can work out a way to coexist and get along.
With antisemitism rising in America and around the world, Jews understand that they face little antisemitism in Israel. Jews are leaving the U.S. and European countries, such as England and France, for the relative freedom they are seeking for themselves and their families in Israel. And while they feel blessed to be living in the Jewish state, the reality is that they must withstand constant attacks from those who seek Israel’s destruction. But for these former Baltimoreans, there is no place they would rather be.
Paula Minsk is a freelance writer.
