Actress Patricia Heaton, known for her role in Everybody Loves Raymond, recently visited Israel, describing her trip as “short and intense” but deeply impactful.
"It was Jerusalem, it was Capernaum, the Kibbutzim, it was where some of the murders happened," Heaton said in an interview. She also met Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the mother of Hirsh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli American abducted in the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attacks and later executed by his captors. "It was an intense trip, but it was so beautiful," she added.
Heaton said the visit underscored the importance of Israel’s existence in a region surrounded by hostility. “I got to see first-hand the importance of Israel, the beauty of Israel, what they stand for, and what it means for that country to exist,” she said. "And they're incredible."
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Since the Oct. 7 massacre, Heaton has been outspoken in her support for Israel. "I saw so many good people who believe in human rights and individual freedoms, and they were just silent," she told Ynet in an earlier interview. "Anyone who supports human rights and freedom must support Israel."
The attacks prompted Heaton to go beyond her personal advocacy and establish the October 7 Coalition (O7C). The organization aims to rally support for Israel among American Christians, raise funds, and counter media narratives critical of the country.