Tending To Their Flocks

Following up on a thread started by my good buddy Dov Bear, I saw the following message that was distributed on our community message board:

On Motzae Shabbat a group of leading Rabbis from New York accompanied by other dignitaries led by Dov Hikind will be leaving on a Solidarity Mission to Israel. I will be participating in this Mission and hope to visit and give hizuk to the embattled communities in Israel, victims of violence, bereaved families and the soldiers who are waging this heroic battle.

I hate to be cynical (actually, I don't. I'm frequently cynical) but wouldn't we all be better off if our local community rabbis stayed home and tended to their own flocks rather than going to Israel for photo ops.

It's the nine days, for goodness sake. Tisha B'Av is around the corner. There is a horrible war going on in Israel and I sense so much chalishas hadas and despair in the air. Do these galus rabbis and local political hacks really think they will be giving the people of Israel chizuk by spending tzedakah money to fly to Israel? Wouldn't the Israelis be better off if the rabbis stayed home and raised money instead of spending it? Wouldn't their own congregants be better off if they stuck around and gave them chizuk?

I don't get it.