From Gamzu to Gimzo to Gan Sacher

We hit the ground running. Running mostly back and forth between Jerusalem and Afula, taking full advantage of the just-opened Highway #16 and its amazing tunnels. Now, as I type, we're slowing the pace just enough to take some deep breaths of holy air before re-packing our bags. Sandwiched between multiple trips to see the kids up north (see previous post) were a few other treats that made this trip to Israel particularly special for me. 

Special Treat #1: A full day (8:30 a.m. until 1:00 a.m. the next morning) on a bus with about 50 like-minded women, guided by Rebbetzin Tziporah (Heller) Gottlieb, heading north (yet again) - this time to the burial sites of seven holy men in our illustrious history. At each one, the Rebbetzin taught us about their lives and their spiritual legacies, instructing us on how to properly focus our own thoughts and prayers based on their priorities and personalities. We visited the tombs of the prophet Havakuk and Rabbeinu Bachayei, Yehonasan ben Uziel and Benayahu ben Yehoyada. We learned, we prayed and we petitioned - for ourselves, for our loved ones and for all Am Yisrael. What a way to take on the month of Elul! 

One of our last stops was the gravesite of the second-century sage, Rabbi Nachum Ish Gamzu. You can read a bit about Rabbi Nachum here but the bottom line is that he is famous for always saying "gam zu l'tovah" - "this, too, is for the good". He believed with perfect faith that nothing happens by accident or chance, only with G-d orchestrating it. And since G-d is good, nothing bad can happen! So simple, right? Such a powerful message as we enter a new year with whatever it brings our way.

Special Treat #2: Last year around this time, I told you about the small plot of Shemittah land that Bill and I "acquired" by partnering with a farmer who would be letting his land lie fallow for the Sabbatical Year. I said I hoped I would merit to visit it. So with only two-and-a-half weeks left to this Shemittah year, I was off to Moshav Gimzo. Many of the fields along the way proudly displayed their "Here We Observe Shemittah" signs. 

Once on the Moshav, I met Shimon and Rachel Hazut who have been farming their olive trees and grape vines through eight Shemittah cycles (that's 56 years, for the mathematically challenged). I was literally moved to tears by their love of the Land, their dedication to the mitzvah of Shemittah and the blessings they showered upon me. Shimon drove me through some of their many acres of farmland and I took home a souvenir bag-full of wine grapes clipped right off the vine, dripping with Sabbatical-year holiness.

Special Treat #3: An icy vanilla caramel milkshake with bits of pecan and chocolate chips. Enjoyed with old friends at Cafe Gan Sipur located in Jerusalem's newly and beautifully renovated Gan Sacher park. I can hardly think of a sweeter way to Remember Jerusalem. 

Shabbos is coming and we've got a plane to catch tomorrow night but I couldn't imagine leaving without wishing you and yours a Shana Tova while still on holy soil. 

May you see the good in whatever the New Year brings.

May your labors bear beautiful fruit and

May all your days be filled with sweetness. 

K'sivah v'Chasimah Tova
from the Hazut Family's farm-to-table
 and from Yours Truly 

Coming Full Circle - Almost

I like round numbers. They keep my life organized in neat, round bundles that circle backward or forward to some memorable moment in time. 

In two weeks, our family will commemorate the 19th anniversary of our return to chu"l (chutz la'Aretz). That is, our return to living outside Eretz Yisrael, the Land of Israel. Nineteen is not a round number but it's close enough to 20. The occasion is certainly no cause for celebration but a memorable moment nonetheless. With most anniversaries of this sort, time rounds out the sharp edges. This is a gift that G-d gives us to be able to circle forward. But often the circle doesn't quite close. 

Last week, one of my children bridged the gap a bit when he and his wife and their three adorable little girls boarded their Aliyah flight to Israel. For them, it was the exciting climax of approximately eight months of deciding, planning, sorting, packing and saying farewell. For me, it was the culmination of approximately eight months of some pretty crazy mixed emotions. But I'm getting my strength from the quote at the top of this page by putting my children's proximity to Jerusalem above the great joy of having them geographically close to me.

They are living in Afula - a city in the Lower Galil (Galilee) of Israel's Northern District. Their day begins with the crowing of the local roosters in a neighborhood that is peaceful and calm. There are some "Anglos" who have lived there for years and a sizeable group of American families scheduled to arrive in the coming weeks. There is a pizza store and an ice cream store (or maybe they are one and the same) and friendly people wherever they go.

From Afula, they can see Har Tavor (Mount Tabor), mentioned in Sefer Shoftim (the Book of Judges) and sung about in our post-Shabbos zemiros (hymns) each week. 

When I'm not thinking about how much I'll miss them, I am filled with pride in my toshavim chozrim ("returning citizens" - as they are technically not olim chadashim, "new immigrants") and with gratitude for Hashem's kindness in allowing our family to come full circle - almost. 

In a few months, my husband and I will celebrate 25 years since our own Aliyah, when we followed our dream to transplant our family in holy soil. Alas, it was not meant to be. But a nice, round quarter century later (quarters are round, right?), a branch of our family tree is beginning to take root there while the rest of us cheer them on until we can close the circle fully by joining them. May it be soon.

Meanwhile, I will use the technology that didn't exist 25 years ago to keep us close: whatsapp messages and video chats, photos flying back and forth through cyberspace, family zoom calls and, of course, as many in-person visits as we can manage. As I pray each day for their klita kalla (easy absorption), for their happiness, success and safety,

I will Remember Jerusalem through my children and grandchildren living a nice, round 90-minutes (by car/bus) from the holiest of cities.

This coming Sunday we begin the three week period of mourning for our two Batei Mikdash (holy Temples). The fast day of Tisha b'Av (the ninth day of the month of Av, observed this year on Sunday, August 7) will mark the 1,953rd anniversary of the destruction of the Second Temple. Not a round number but close enough to 2,000. Nearly two millenia have made the longing great and the hope intense. Even as we thank G-d for the blessing of a flourishing, populated Homeland, we know we will not have come full circle until every one of us is Home to stay. Thank you, dear children, for bringing us all one step closer to closing the circle. 

How Can I Not...?

...it's Tu b'Shevat! 

Shkeydiah porachat*? Not here in Baltimore.

Shemesh paz zorachat**? Snow's falling at my door!

And yet to blog, how can I not

on this fifteenth day of Shevat?

Memes and messages abound.

GIFs and stickers can be found.

For those who knew (and who did not)

that today is Tu b'Shevat. 

Photos of the almond trees

blossoming for Israelis.

Reminding everyone of 

what

we celebrate 

on Tu b'Shevat.

It's not about the sun or snow

but of the sap that starts to flow

in our veins from head to toe.

We are compared to trees a lot

especially on Tu b'Shevat.

So today we'll feast and dine

on pomegranates, barley, wine.

On olives grown in holy soil;

salads dressed in their fine oil.

Whole wheat crackers on our plates,

almonds, raisins, figs and dates.

A blessing after eating them, Remembering Jerusalem:

And now with thanks for all I've got, I wish you Happy Tu b'Shevat! 

*blossoming almond tree

**golden sun a'shining

(from the popular children's song about Tu b'Shevat)

Credit for almond blossoms photos: rjstreets.com