Paushali Lass is an Indian-German intercultural and geopolitical consultant, “who focuses on building bridges between Israel, India, and Germany.” She has just written touchingly about those Germans who just “show up” in Israel to help its people at a time when much of the world has been demonizing the embattled Jewish state and its people. Lass focuses on a group of Germans, whom a lady named Petra Hemming organized, who are helping to rebuild the kibbutz of Nir Oz that Hamas terrorists attacked on October 7, 2023, and to restore the faith of its surviving inhabitants and others in Israel that there are people — non-Jews — who are with them, who understand, who are on their side.
More on Petra Hemming and the Germans who “just show up” to help in Israel can be found here: “Quiet Courage: The Germans Who Choose to Show Up for Israel,” by Paushali Lass, Algemeiner, May 26, 2026:
At a time when Israel is increasingly isolated, there is a story that is not being told loudly enough. It is not trending, because it does not come with hashtags or curated images of gala dinners.
But it matters.
There are ordinary Germans, who are traveling to Israel not to merely speak about solidarity — but to live it through action, labor, and presence. And perhaps the most important detail is this: most of them are not even Jewish.
This is what allyship looks like when it moves beyond identity, and becomes responsibility. And coming from Germany, it is never just present-day solidarity; it is always read through the lens of history.
I recently had the privilege of speaking with Petra Hemming, an inspiring woman from my region in Germany. What struck me most about our conversation was not only her personal commitment, but what she represents: a small but growing number of people who are choosing action over words.
After October 7, 2023, Petra and a small network of people supporting Israel, began organizing volunteer groups to support Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the communities brutally devastated in the Hamas attacks. Since then, she has traveled repeatedly with groups of volunteers — most recently returning from her seventh trip.
What these volunteers do is simple, and precisely because of that, profoundly powerful.
They buy a ticket.
They join the group.
And they work.There is no performance here.
They are not there to build a following, virtue signal, or turn solidarity into visibility. They are not attending conferences or curated events. They are in the fields….
It’s a good story. In German, I think that would be (I am ready to stand corrected):
Das ist eine gute Geschichte und sie ist wahr.
Nienie says
Das ist eine gute Geschichte
That is a good story
und sie ist wahr.
and it is true.
gravenimage says
Ja!
Patrick says
May God Bless the Germans who just show up in Israel to help those in need
JS says
An Indian-German is NOT a German.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
She is mixed: her dad is German (Lass ist nicht eine Indische name) while her first name is Indian, which suggests that that’s what her mom is (probably Bengali) likely is. I’d be a tad surprised if a German couple (both hubby & wifey Deutsch) chose an Indian name for their daughter
Nienie says
It has been very popular for German parents to choose non-traditional German or biblical or other origin names for their children. In the 1969s Manuela (Spanish origin) was most popular for girls and Patrick was popular for boys. It used to be that there was an approved list of names from the German government. Not sure if that is still the case.
This woman is a German citizen traveling to Israel to assist with the recovery.
GOD Almighty please bless those traveling to help; and Blass all those working so hard to protect Israel, and we pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.
WPM says
Regardless of her name she has volunteer to help people with her time and expense that suffer from a jihadist attack only because they where Israeli and lived near the Gaza border. With all the idiots in America and in western Europe both Moslems and non-Moslem chanting from the river to the sea and harassing Jews in the streets and near their places of worship she should be commanded .
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I was not being critical of her at all. I was just contesting JS’ claim that she’s an Indian-German, if that implies an Indian who got naturalized in Germany. Her mom probably did, but she seems to be a 2nd generation German
And yeah, the Indian part of me is proud of her
Kepha says
Germany has given refuge to Syriac Christians from southern Turkey, among others. In times past German states gave refugee to French Protestants, with the interesting result that, in WW1, on the Eastern Front, the German general Francois faced the Russian general Rennenkampf. My guess is that Germany can assimilate immigrants who are willing to assimilate.
WPM says
Regardless of her name she has volunteer to help people with her time and expense that suffer from a jihadist attack only because they where Israeli and lived near the Gaza border. With all the idiots in America and in western Europe both Moslems and non-Moslem chanting from the river to the sea and harassing Jews in the streets and near their places of worship she should be commanded .
OLD GUY says
Sounds vary much like a Christian responding to help rather than a Islamic response of violence.
Ralph says
If only the world had more people like this wonderful woman.
gravenimage says
The Germans Who Just Show Up
………………………………………..
Great to hear!