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My visit to Israel in July was filled with joy, compassion, love, support, and thankfulness. I arrived on a Monday afternoon. The first thing I did was meet with my sister, Ganit, who is fighting cancer for the third time. It’s hard to believe that I participated in the funeral and shiva of my mother less than a year ago. My sister is a very strong young woman, a mensch like our mother. Ganit is and has always been a role model and rock for me. As soon as my plane landed, she texted me, “Welcome Home!” Home is many things at many different times in our lives. It is often stated that “Home is where the heart is.” Right now, Home is Ganit. It broke my heart leaving her. Thank you, Ganit for being such a great sister.

My best friend, Roi, said he would be on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv participating in the rally against the Judicial Reform in Israel. I walked 45 minutes to meet him there. We spoke a lot about the future of the Jewish people in the State of Israel and how this will affect our lives as Jews in the diaspora. It was a powerful rally and a great discussion. As I marched in solidarity to support and defend the democracy of Israel, I felt connected to Jews around the world. This is not just the fight of Israelis; this is our fight as American Jews to be recognized by the State of Israel as Jews. We have a voice, and it needs to always be heard. It’s a small Jewish world, after all.

On Saturday night at the end of Shabbat, we had a Havdalah service in the streets with the rabbi and congregants of Beit Daniel, a Progressive Synagogue on the Yarkon River. After this, I thought and declared that we of Tidewater should have a community trip to Israel.

I understand now why more and more people in Israel are looking towards other religious alternatives. Often, they don’t know there are other religious options other than Orthodoxy, so they move to the other extreme, and become completely secular. We know this, and therefore we will keep evolving and moving forward. This is the path of Jewish survival. The Jewish people cannot connect to Judaism without change and involvement. Growth is change, and change is growth. Often growing includes growing pains.

It was nice to see my extended family and friends, but it was sad to see Israel as a divided country.

A rabbi is always a rabbi, even on vacation :)

L’Shana Haba’ah B’Yerushalayim “Next year in Jerusalem.”