1 week to aliyah – “What Really Matters”

I have seen a lot of activity on some of the discussion lists related to what people want to do in the days and weeks leading up to their aliyah. Some want to catch that last Broadway show and some want to hit some of the restaurants that they never had a chance to go to before. Some make sure to go to the cemetery for what might be the last time in a long while.

In the last few weeks before our lift went off, our schedules were very hectic. There was not a lot of time to do much of anything other than sort out our things and prepare for the move. Although there are still many items that need our attention, things have certainly calmed down quite a bit in the last week leaving us with a little time to do the things that are most important to us.

 

Pearl, Bert, Netanel, Ezra, Ernie, Mikayla and Jessica in Sesame Place

This past Shabbat we had a lovely time with Rachel and Yony and Yehoshua in Elizabeth and on Sunday, we went to Sesame Place with Ezra, Jessica, Netanel and Mikayla. We had some quiet time last night over coffee with some friends and this Shabbat we will be having meals with other friends. We’ve got a lunch date with a few other friends later this week and a large BBQ that yet more friends are making and are inviting practically everyone else. Although we are looking forward to seeing some of these friends and hopefully all of these relatives very soon in Israel, these last few days here that we are spending connecting with those who are so important to us will be remembered and cherished for many years to come.

"Shiv’a Asar B’Tammuz – Past and Present"

This Shiv’a Asar B’Tammuz brought back vivid memories of another one eight years ago, just after Rachel and Yony got engaged in Israel. Pearl and I arranged to arrive there shortly after their formal engagement and spent the next week or so with them and also attending our nephew’s bar mitzvah.

On Shiv’a Asar B’Tammuz we were up north in the Golan and Galil. Although it is a fast day and it was somewhat warm, Pearl and I felt strongly about taking advantage of every moment that we had in Israel and doing some activity that would have meaning for the day. We planned a trip to Gamla with my reasoning being that Shiv’a Asar B’Tammuz represents the start of the destruction of the 2^nd Beit HaMikdash and Gamla represents the start of the war that resulted in that destruction.

Everyone had to put up with my history lesson, explaining how Nero sent his general Vespasian since he was an older man in his 60’s and Nero was just hoping that Vespasian, being a bit calmer than the other generals, would quietly put down this pesky Jewish revolt. Vespasian chose his first battles wisely. He did not want to jump into the fray, going straight for Jerusalem. Instead, as he arrived from the north, he thought that he would get the message out by snuffing out some of the hotbeds of the revolt as he approached them.

Gamla was unfortunately one of the first to suffer. The battle was fierce and many of the Jews ended up jumping off of the cliffs to their deaths than risk being taken as slaves.

Rachel, me and Yony at Gamla in 2005 (Pearl is taking the picture)

Although Pearl and Rachel managed to get away with only my history lesson, Yony was not so lucky. My new future son in law knew that he had practically no choice and was going to have to take the walk over to the ruins with me. I assaulted him with more stories along the way, telling him how there must be thousands of arrow and spearheads lying along the path from the assault 2000 years earlier. I think he was hoping that if he found one, he could exchange that trophy for a “get out of jail free” card. No such luck.

This morning in the selichot we said “We rebelled against Him who dwells in the loftiest heavens, therefore we were scattered to all corners”.  “We were scattered without finding relief”. But we end the slicha with the lines “Turn to us, You who dwells on high, gather in our dispersion from the ends of the earth. May your hand once more acquire this awe-struck nation, and may You say to Zion ‘Rise!’ and transform the 17^th of Tammuz for us to a day of salvation and consolation.”

May we all merit returning to Zion, speedily in our days.

See you on the other side.