A visitor from the UK

The process begins with the mamas — women across Israel who cook with the same love they would for their own children. On Thursday evening, all that food is brought together at the logistical centre in Yavne, where volunteers sort, pack and prepare every meal for the journey ahead.

Yesterday I had the privilege of travelling with the team to the northern border, where we distributed warm, home-cooked meals and essential supplies to soldiers serving in some of the most challenging conditions imaginable. The journey was long, the roads were difficult, but the moment we arrived and began unloading the food, every kilometre felt worthwhile.

What struck me most was not simply the scale of the operation — it was the tenderness with which it was carried out. Each meal was packed with care, each handshake given with genuine warmth. These are not anonymous parcels; they are messages from home, prepared by mothers and fathers who see every soldier as their own child.

This Tuesday, I will be returning with my wife to an evening of appreciation in Makabim — an evening of hot food, music and community designed to restore the spirit of those who spend their days defending this land. To share that experience with her, and to see the relief on the faces of soldiers who finally have a moment to breathe, will be an honour I will carry with me long after I return to Britain.

To anyone abroad who has watched the news and felt helpless: there is a way to help. The Lights of Orit bridges the distance between good intentions and meaningful action. I am proud to have stood among them, if only for a short while.