Baltimore, MD - May 1, 2025 - I am grateful to have travelled to Israel 3 times in my life thus far, and I can’t wait for the next trip. Some people may laugh at that number as they are fortunate to be frequent fliers there, while others may think that three trips alone is a big number as they have never been there. Each trip in itself was special and had its own flavor and is still so memorable. The first one was when I went to seminary, too many years ago to enumerate. I learned so much from my sem teachers and from just being in the Land. (shoutout to my friend who schlepped me to Michmash for Succos that back then was only made up of caravans and located in a somewhere “dangerous” region.” It was definitely a Chavaya and stunning.) Following that, I travelled with my husband and mother and some of the children who were around at that time (my 2 younger ones are anxiously waiting their turn now). Both my mother and husband had never been to Eretz Yisroel. It was an awesome experience and we were all crying as the plane made its descent over Tel Aviv in the early hours of the morning, with all the lights twinkling in the dark. It was a beautiful welcoming sight. This trip with my family is what whet my appetite, over 20 years ago, for Aliyah ( as I sit here still and type in the Diaspora) Finally, shortly before covid came to the world, I received a very special birthday present of a ticket to the Holy Land, alone, to visit my daughter who was in a shana bet program there. That was a remarkable trip after not having been there for a very long since the notable family trip. I walked to the Kosel every morning and davened and toured in the beautiful late fall weather, enjoyed the special time with my daughter (and of course the good restaurants!), and eagerly explored the land on my own, with no children in tow. I also was able to visit some of the places that were off limits, or not around, to go to during my seminary experience as it was during the time of between the first and second Intifidas; places like Chevron, Shiloh, and the rebuild Churvah Shul. Needless to say, my desire to make Aliya was kindled even stronger, and yes, my heart is in Chevron.
We find ourselves now celebrating the 77th anniversary of when Israel became a State. I am not here to discuss politics. I am not here to espouse views; it is way too confusing for me to follow. I am here to state a simple fact that we must be tremendously grateful that we even have Eretz Yisroel. I don’t have to tell you in today’s climate how much more meaningful this is. We do not have the Beis HaMikdash, yet, and there is so much tension among the different parties, and still sadly among our People there. However, the fact that there is even a Jewish Homeland is still a gift, a blessing. No matter how you choose to commemorate Yom HaAtzmaut, it is incumbent, in my modest opinion, for any Jew, no matter the affiliation, to take a pause and reflect. Blessings are not always easy. They come with great challenge, like childbirth, however it is still a Blessing that we must thank Hashem for giving us.
This morning a former student of mine saw me in the hallway and asked me if I still had the map of Israel in the classroom. “I sure do!,” I answered him. I had no idea this made an impression on his then five-year-old brain. Here we are a year later and he still asks me. I welcomed him into my room and he remembered where it was and smiled broadly, and told me that it’s Israel’s birthday. I responded that perhaps the birthday is by Bereishis, before Rosh HaShonah, as that was the first place created (according to some).
This year, my students were quite excited about the map and I think this is the first class I have taught that there was not just a recognition of Ha’Aretz, but an appreciation of it! They clustered around it, pointing to random places and saying that they were born in that city, they used to live there, have cousins there, or their Bubby has an apartment there. It is adoreable and awesome to listen to the “out of the mouths of babes” in how it conveys the yearning of Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi’s sentiment that Libi BaMizrach is still very much alive. Kudos to the parents for inculcating this message in young children!
In my kitah, we talk about Eretz Yisroel a lot. If I can’t live there, then I need to speak as often as I can, and of course we daven for Acheinu B”nei Yisroel and our brave Chayalim and Chatufim. My own children know my deep feelings and they don’t necessarily appreciate when I speak Ivrit to them. There is an advantage to this “immersion” as my youngest child actually understands a lot and he’s the only one that enjoys the Israeli humor Bardak you tube clips, and both my kids enjoy some of the great Israeli music. I get the last laugh when we meet Israelis in random places. For instance, on last year’s summer vacation in the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and they proudly tell me how Jews are everywhere, or on Chol Hamoed Pesach of this year in the mall at the skin care kiosk and the woman asks me when she can eat Chometz. (wearing a tichel certainly helps!) My Hebrew is far from perfect, but oh how fun it is to converse shamelessly while your family stares at you thinking, “what are you saying??!,” and then after they all are clamoring to know the content. Wherever you find yourself today, or perhaps you will be fortunate enough to make the trip, count your blessings, and always Pray for the Peace for our Nation and our precious Homeland.
