Spring
Now that it is April 3rd, you'd think it is Spring time in Massachusetts. Guess wrong! Though there's no more snow on the ground, it is definitely cold and as I walked in to work this morning, I kept thinking how in 100 more days we will be in Israel -- a calculation Josh figured out and shared at dinner time the night before. The kids often ask when we are moving and if we are taking them. It's very sweet.
Through a twist of the unexpected, Josh has a friend from his NCSY days that is also making aliyah. Encouraging him to find out their plans, I was added to a Wassap Ladies group for those going in 2019. The very next morning, someone on the group mentioned a friend looking to rent out their house in Sheinfeld and if anyone would be interested. I answered yes, and as of now, we are looking at a place, larger than what we anticipated, but in a great location. We received the contract, are waiting to see photographs, found guarantors (forgot all about that with renting! A huge thank you to them -- for their faith and unwavering support) and figuring out little details.
This house, located on a street by the name of Shivtei Yisrael, sparked us with interest. Sourced in Devarim 33:5 וַיְהִ֥י בִֽישֻׁר֖וּן מֶ֑לֶךְ בְּהִתְאַסֵּף֙ רָ֣אשֵׁי עָ֔ם יַ֖חַד שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל and continues with the blessings of the tribes (not as the song goes). There are two interpretations to this verse. One is described that it is Moshe Rabeinu, seeing bnei yisrael receive the entire Torah and its commandments. The second is that the king here is Hashem himself, and that he will only become sovereign king when all mankind accept him as such. Moving to Israel is very much the same recognition of returning to our roots and making an effort to get to that point of togetherness.
That same feeling of meaning and drive in our decision felt true when Josh read his bar mitzvah parsha the week before, Shmini with the Haftarah of Parshart Parah.
וְלָקַחְתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ מִן־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְקִבַּצְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִכָּל־הָאֲרָצ֑וֹת וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֶל־אַדְמַתְכֶֽם׃
The Haftarah continues "And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit into you....then you shall dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people and I will be your G-d." Hearing him read this, I of course couldn't help but shake the feeling of being 39 weeks pregnant (this "new heart"), our efforts to return to the land of our nation and G-d's promises.
We hope that if this location works for us, that it be with Mazal and guidance in the steps that we take. Finding a place to live 6,000 miles away is not easy. It's probably so far been the most challenging part of our process. We should know soon and hope all the pieces fall into place.
And a very happy birthday to my dear husband, who is the driving force to figuring so much of this out! We love you.
A few other things I hope to remember from this past weekend:
1) Temima and her friends on Shabbat finding a balloon, which bothered the drasha pre Torah reading but subsequently went flying in the air outside and her response was "it's flying to my Saba." On Shabbat mevarchim of Nissan, it seemed pretty on spot and I was amazed she even said it. The yortzeit of my father is approaching its second year, April 7th, bet nissan.
2) Simcha noting on his own wanting the baby to arrive already and that he misses seders by his Saba and Savta's house. Upon telling him I'm sorry, he said "that's ok Ima, mashiach is coming and we will do it again."
Our children are wonderful. And they clearly make sure I don't ignore the past and look forward to the future. Even if and when it is by staring at a Congratulations balloon flying far up in the air beyond reach but still very much in existence -- may it be a congratulations indeed.
Through a twist of the unexpected, Josh has a friend from his NCSY days that is also making aliyah. Encouraging him to find out their plans, I was added to a Wassap Ladies group for those going in 2019. The very next morning, someone on the group mentioned a friend looking to rent out their house in Sheinfeld and if anyone would be interested. I answered yes, and as of now, we are looking at a place, larger than what we anticipated, but in a great location. We received the contract, are waiting to see photographs, found guarantors (forgot all about that with renting! A huge thank you to them -- for their faith and unwavering support) and figuring out little details.
This house, located on a street by the name of Shivtei Yisrael, sparked us with interest. Sourced in Devarim 33:5 וַיְהִ֥י בִֽישֻׁר֖וּן מֶ֑לֶךְ בְּהִתְאַסֵּף֙ רָ֣אשֵׁי עָ֔ם יַ֖חַד שִׁבְטֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל and continues with the blessings of the tribes (not as the song goes). There are two interpretations to this verse. One is described that it is Moshe Rabeinu, seeing bnei yisrael receive the entire Torah and its commandments. The second is that the king here is Hashem himself, and that he will only become sovereign king when all mankind accept him as such. Moving to Israel is very much the same recognition of returning to our roots and making an effort to get to that point of togetherness.
That same feeling of meaning and drive in our decision felt true when Josh read his bar mitzvah parsha the week before, Shmini with the Haftarah of Parshart Parah.
וְלָקַחְתִּ֤י אֶתְכֶם֙ מִן־הַגּוֹיִ֔ם וְקִבַּצְתִּ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם מִכָּל־הָאֲרָצ֑וֹת וְהֵבֵאתִ֥י אֶתְכֶ֖ם אֶל־אַדְמַתְכֶֽם׃
The Haftarah continues "And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit into you....then you shall dwell in the land which I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people and I will be your G-d." Hearing him read this, I of course couldn't help but shake the feeling of being 39 weeks pregnant (this "new heart"), our efforts to return to the land of our nation and G-d's promises.
We hope that if this location works for us, that it be with Mazal and guidance in the steps that we take. Finding a place to live 6,000 miles away is not easy. It's probably so far been the most challenging part of our process. We should know soon and hope all the pieces fall into place.
And a very happy birthday to my dear husband, who is the driving force to figuring so much of this out! We love you.
A few other things I hope to remember from this past weekend:
1) Temima and her friends on Shabbat finding a balloon, which bothered the drasha pre Torah reading but subsequently went flying in the air outside and her response was "it's flying to my Saba." On Shabbat mevarchim of Nissan, it seemed pretty on spot and I was amazed she even said it. The yortzeit of my father is approaching its second year, April 7th, bet nissan.
2) Simcha noting on his own wanting the baby to arrive already and that he misses seders by his Saba and Savta's house. Upon telling him I'm sorry, he said "that's ok Ima, mashiach is coming and we will do it again."
Our children are wonderful. And they clearly make sure I don't ignore the past and look forward to the future. Even if and when it is by staring at a Congratulations balloon flying far up in the air beyond reach but still very much in existence -- may it be a congratulations indeed.
Comments
Post a Comment