Finding light when I didn’t know I needed it
Returning to Israel this year was a homecoming, not as the child who was hurt but as a woman, a mother, and a Jewish leader.
In May this year, I did something wildly out of character: I relinquished control.
I followed the itinerary, did what I was told, and let myself be completely held by the experience. In short, I became a child again. And surprisingly, I loved it. That surrender was more than a break from responsibility. It was symbolic.
Because 28 years ago, I was a child in Israel. Fifteen years old, full of promise as I marched across the bridge at the 1997 Maccabiah Games. And then it collapsed. Four Australians died. I walked away physically unhurt but emotionally fractured. My once vibrant relationship with Israel was severed.
I moved on. I built a career, got married, became a mother, and created a Jewish home. After October 7, 2023, I stepped up as a lioness Zionist, shifting my work to assist Israel. Yet the scars of that broken bond remained. Until now.
Returning to Israel this year was a homecoming, not as the child who was hurt but as a woman, a mother, and a Jewish leader. I didn’t just reclaim my connection to Israel. I reframed it.
I travelled with the Momentum Journey of Growth, through Orah, the Sydney-based partner bringing this global experience to Australian Jewish mothers. What I thought would be a “course” in Jewish learning became something much deeper: a reconnection, a healing, a return.
Some call it “Birthright for Jewish mums.” Momentum’s mission is deceptively simple: empower Jewish mothers to live more connected, values-driven lives. Nearly 300 women from 15 countries gathered in Jerusalem, shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart, to charge our Jewish batteries at the Kotel. Twenty-nine were from Australia, 18 from Sydney and the rest from Melbourne. The bond we formed over seven days was transformative. Our Sydney Orah cohort shared two extra days in the Arava, and when we stood together atop a mountain in Ein Yohav in 42-degree heat, we knew we were bound by more than motherhood. The light within us had been reignited.
I remember standing at the Kotel, surrounded by women I couldn’t even speak to, yet whose souls I understood instantly. We cried, danced, sang, prayed. It wasn’t Instagram-worthy, it was soul-worthy. In Tel Aviv, hearing Shalom Aleichem from a nearby synagogue as the sun set on Shabbat, I felt something I hadn’t in years, an unwavering sense of belonging.
For me, this trip was two years in the making. Originally meant to travel in 2023, we were postponed twice, first days after October 7 and then again in 2024 following the Hezbollah assault on northern Israel.
I still remember standing in my succah with a suitcase packed in October 2023, unaware of the horrors about to unfold. That week, the world changed. So did I. Instead of staying away, I wanted to stand with Israel. When I finally boarded the plane this year, it was my turn to rewrite my Israel story.
Momentum didn’t just reconnect me to Israel, it reconnected me to myself and to the sacred role we play as Jewish mothers. It reminded me that our children watch not only what we do but how we do it. Lighting Shabbat candles with intention. Showing up with kindness and pride. Embodying Jewish values through action. We are their living examples, and they’re watching our every move.
This journey wasn’t a vacation. It was a spiritual awakening. It wasn’t therapy, but it was deeply therapeutic. And it wasn’t an escape, it was an expansion, enabling me to live more connected to my values. That is the true gift of Momentum. And for that, I am forever grateful to Orah, the organisation making these journeys possible for Australian Jewish mothers.
The Israel trip is just one part of a beautifully layered experience. It is bookended by a year of learning, monthly opportunities to explore Jewish values, infuse the Chagim with meaning, and carry Israel’s energy into our daily lives. It is where we recharge our spiritual batteries and learn to keep them alive long after returning home. When I applied, I had never joined an organised Israel delegation. As a natural leader, I wondered if I could really surrender. But it came at the perfect time.
What I have realised is this: you don’t go on Momentum when life feels perfectly timed. You go when your soul is ready. And once you do, you come back changed.
I came back lit up. Orah means “feminine light” and their mission is to ignite and inspire women. Momentum helped me find that light at a moment I didn’t know I needed it. It healed an old scar, rekindled a spark, and reminded me of who I am. Not just a mother. A Jewish mother. A light-bringer. A proud link in an unbreakable chain.
On Sunday, August 24, Orah will be hosting a day of nourishment, sisterhood and wellness in collaboration with Better Together Kitchen. Tickets: trybooking.com/1432376
To apply for Orah’s 2026 program: orahsydney.com
Dionne Taylor is a Sydney-based PR professional and mother of two.