Hearts in Jerusalem: The Dutch couple who chose Israel

Since October 7th, countless stories have appeared about non-Jews who picked up their lives to support Israel. Douglas Murray is, of course, the best-known example. In his book "On Democrats and Death Cults," he recounts how he came to Israel immediately after the massacre and stayed here for about six months.

And then, of course, there were the "viral cowboys" from Montana and Arkansas who boarded a plane on November 6th, 2023, motivated by their religious beliefs and solidarity with Israel. They harvested and worked in the fields in the south, and even spent Shabbat in the Efrat community, in the Etzion Bloc (the West Bank).

It is not new that there are millions of non-Jews who live in Israel, love Israel, visit Israel, and come to support Israel—for whatever reasons. But recently, while at Pantry Packers (a food distribution center project in Jerusalem), I met a couple who stood out because of their love for Israel and their desire to be here.

A Disastrous First Trip

Bert and Janny (pronounced as Yanny) Op den Brouw are from Krimpen aan de Lek, a Dutch village south of Rotterdam. Before his pension, Bert worked at an electronic image processing company, but loved to sing in his free time. In 1999, his daughter-in-law invited him to join a choir that was going to give concerts in Israel—the Sharei Tzedek Choir. Bert didn't want to go without Janny, who, because of medical issues, had not wanted to travel abroad for 30 years. Bert was able to convince her, and they flew to Israel with the choir to bless the people with their songs and music.

The trip was a logistical disaster. In just 10 days, they encountered dozens of technical problems and were even robbed. Janny did indeed have a medical problem that came to light during their trip, and in their own words, "everything went wrong." But as soon as they returned to the Netherlands, Janny said to her husband, "My legs are in the Netherlands but my heart is in Israel.... I want to go back!"

In the years that followed, they returned to Israel six more times with three different choirs, singing about their love for Israel. They became involved with Christians for Israel, and in 2009, they met Dr. Elisheva Ronen, a Jewish woman from the Netherlands then living in Ashdod. Janny, who was a physician assistant, was eager to help Dr. Ronen in her practice.

The Closed Door

They had hoped to move to Israel permanently, but soon realized that this was not an option for them. The "Law of Return" did not apply to them and even though their work visa application was denied over and over, they didn't give up! Upon their return to the Netherlands, they started learning Hebrew in order to reapply for work visas. Unfortunately, they were rejected again.

In 2012, the couple felt very discouraged about their situation. They so badly wanted to be in Israel! While Janny was browsing through a Christian magazine, her eye fell on an advertisement for a soup kitchen in Jerusalem asking for volunteers. Right then and there, they decided to go and help out.

They found affordable lodgings at the home of Wim and Petra van der Zande, a Dutch couple who came to Israel in 1989. After fostering four very handicapped children for 21 years, they opened their home to Dutch Christians from abroad. This guesthouse became a warm place for Dutch people who love and want to be in Israel, and this is where Janny and Bert have stayed since 2012. Twice a year, since then, they spend 4-6 weeks in Israel. In 2023, they even stayed there for three months!

Falling in Love with Pantry Packers

After volunteering at the Jerusalem soup kitchen for years, they began looking for another challenge. In 2022, they heard about Pantry Packers. From the first time they volunteered, they fell in love with the project.

This wonderful couple has been coming to Pantry Packers every day (when they are in Israel) ever since. When asked why they chose Pantry Packers out of all the potential organizations where they could volunteer in Israel, they simply replied that they love the atmosphere, the ambiance, and the people, and that they feel appreciated! They are completely enamored with the energy of the place and feel that they are truly contributing to Israel. Both Janny and Bert kept talking about how they feel needed at Pantry Packers, how they love the people who work there and, perhaps most importantly, how much they love the excellent coffee! Over the years, they have built real relationships, respect the staff and visitors, and earned respect in return.

Janny and Bert said they feel truly appreciated by the Pantry Packers staff for their daily work and the hundreds of people they meet who come to volunteer there. They love meeting Jews and non-Jews from all over the world who come to help pack food for the needy. When they walk in, they feel at home, at ease, welcomed, and enjoy the music and singing (at a certain volume!) To their surprise, even the most religious men started talking to them. (They were curious to know why the 'goyim' (non-Jews) love Israel.)

October 7th: "We Have to Go Back!"

The incredible couple were in the Netherlands on October 7th. When they saw the news trickling in, they were utterly shocked. Their first reaction was: we have to go back immediately! Although their three children (and seven grandchildren), who all live nearby, had been very supportive of their trips up to that point, they were suddenly very worried that their parents wanted to travel to a country at war. "We have to go back!" they told their children. Despite the few flights available, their travel agent managed to find seats for them. Only a few days later they landed, their hearts open for the traumatized Israelis.

When provoked with the question of whether that meant they loved Israel more than their children, they waved the question away with their hands in the air, as if to say, don't make us choose between them! Maybe they do?

"My heart tells me that Hashem (God) says I should be in Israel," says Janny. "I don't know why, but I feel safer here than anywhere else in the world." She said that she wears a lot of Judaica jewelry and that she is not afraid to wear it in the Netherlands. "I would never take it off!" she exclaimed.

When asked if she is afraid to be in Israel, she replied that she is much more afraid to live in the Netherlands, which is openly antisemitic. (The Netherlands was one of four countries that announced they would not participate in this year's Eurovision Song Contest because Israel is participating.) Janny walks through her community openly wearing her Star of David, showing that she is a proud supporter of Israel. "Don't stab me," she half-heartedly joked about walking through the streets of her hometown, "but come over and ask me why I am wearing it!"

She is a phenomenon that transcends nature, transcends the norm—she is surreal and otherworldly.

More Energy Through Hard Work

In the Netherlands, Janny continues to work twice a week for about 4-5 hours in a very busy doctor's practice in a predominantly immigrant neighborhood in Rotterdam. When she returns home, she often feels exhausted. However, when in Israel, she volunteers five full days a week at Pantry Packers, where she packs food while standing. She says she never feels tired at the end of the day because it is the energy of the Jewish people that keeps her going!

"We bless the Israeli people, but we receive more blessings from them than they do from us," Bert said. "Hashem gave us love to give to the people of Israel, so we give them that love! Israel is going through difficult times, but it is written in the Torah that the Jews are Hashem's people, so we want to be part of that!" They feel that it is their mission.

Dancing at the Western Wall

A few years ago, Bert was at the Western Wall with a few Dutch friends, watching Jewish boys dancing and singing. Suddenly Bert was swept into the dance circle! He felt overwhelmed and tried to understand the sudden deep connection with these young men. It was a love that was unexplainable to him. He felt one with them and deeply connected with the people around him. He thought about how the Jewish people had been through so much, but that they were here to stay, and that it was his privilege to dance with these resilient people.

Trying to understand those strong emotions, he realized that this was the first time he had ever felt accepted and united with others. Bert and Janny used to belong to a very strict Dutch orthodox reformed church that was nicknamed "the black stockings church." Its members were only allowed to wear dark clothes (and no pants for women). The women were not allowed to cut their hair, wear makeup or jewelry. And dancing was strictly prohibited!

When the Jewish boys took Bert into the dance circle, his first reaction was that if he danced, he would surely go to hell. Even though they left this very strict church, they never renounced their faith in the true God. Their primary identity is knowing that they are children of God—and listening to Charles Stanley on Sunday nights, religiously.

Blossoming in the Holy Land

The moment Bert and Janny arrived in Israel, and specifically at Pantry Packers, they felt "like an opened flower." Every day they are in the Land, they feel they blossom even more.

They just recently flew back to the Netherlands. When asked if they would return to Israel soon, after visiting their children and grandchildren, they laughed: "Of course! We want to have a front row seat in the most beautiful country in the world!"