I was born with severe strabismus and astigmatism in both eyes. By age three, I had two surgeries and wore very thick glasses. Because of the bullying, at age nine, I got hard contact lenses. The eye doctor said I was his youngest patient ever. I was so grateful for those contact lenses, even though … Continue reading Darkness to Light: Poor Vision and Trauma Lead to Spiritual Insights
Tag: aliyah
Holy Donkey!
Today we visited the village of Beit Lechem HaGalilit, or Bethlehem of Galilee, a moshav in northern Israel 10 minutes from our home. The name Bethlehem, or Beit Lechem, is Hebrew for ‘House of Bread.’ (Another town of the same name is located in Judea.) The area we visited is mentioned in the Tanach as … Continue reading Holy Donkey!
The Eyes of G-d Are Always Upon It
Yesterday we went on a Chanukah hike and picnic in the woods behind our house. At this spot, we were high enough to see the moshav and kibbutz nearby. Putting my bare feet in the dirt and grass, sitting on the ground, feeling the warm sun on my face, and watching my kids run free … Continue reading The Eyes of G-d Are Always Upon It
A great miracle happened HERE!
Dreidels in galus, outside of Eretz Yisrael, have a Nun, Gimel, Hey, Shin. It’s an acronym for Nes, Gadol, Haya, Sham. A great miracle happened THERE. But now that my family and I made Aliyah, we are living where the actual miracle occurred nearly two millennia ago, in the year 3622 (139 B.C.E.). For many … Continue reading A great miracle happened HERE!
Passing the Torch, One Step at a Time
I cried this morning after walking our son to school. It has been exciting building a new life in the Holy Land, and it’s all starting to come together. And for the first time in my four decades here on Earth—as I walked from his school back home, amidst the buzzing cars and blooming bougainvilleas—I … Continue reading Passing the Torch, One Step at a Time
Israeli Olives
I recently picked out some fresh Israeli olives from a makolet here in the north. In the Torah, the olive is a symbol of holiness, beauty, rejuvenation and peace. The olive is also one of the seven sacred species (shivat minim) of Eretz Yisrael. It’s been 10 weeks since my family and I crossed the … Continue reading Israeli Olives
Tree, My Teacher
Six weeks ago we made Aliyah. There are ups and downs, mundane and transcendent moments sometimes all mixed up together. Here, in Eretz Yisrael, I can see and feel the glory of G-d with more depth, but I’m still human. There are times when G-d feels hidden, and, during those difficult moments, I am learning … Continue reading Tree, My Teacher
Full Moon Feelings in Eretz Yisrael
Why can't I just feel "good"? I keep resisting whatever this is inside. The uneasiness is hard to explain. Like I'm uncomfortable within my body, here in this place. What is this place? It's not where I'm meant to be. Not really, anyway. My soul knows; it's not natural. But I -- like other souls … Continue reading Full Moon Feelings in Eretz Yisrael
My First Time: A Magical Visit to the Kotel
By Mindy Morasha Rubenstein This morning I pressed my forehead against the cool limestone of the Kotel, the Western Wall in Jerusalem. How can it be that I was actually there? For years I longingly watched the Kotel live online. It was like a dream — a place only others were fortunate enough to visit. … Continue reading My First Time: A Magical Visit to the Kotel
Aliyah Journey – Part 3
We sit here in gray plastic chairs at the airport waiting for Israel to process us and make us official. We made it through the 12-hour flight, skipping over Tuesday night and going right into Wednesday morning. I told the kids it’s like daylight savings time, but instead of losing one hour, we lost seven. … Continue reading Aliyah Journey – Part 3
Mindy Morasha 