I went to Tel Aviv to take my final exam for Ulpan, and my family and I did a bit of exploring there. It’s a relatively big and modern city, much different from where we live here in the pastoral hills of the north. Six months ago today, my family and I made Aliyah. And … Continue reading Seek and Find Your Hidden Gifts
Here I am, with my daughters at the Western Wall. It’s the only place on earth I feel truly at peace, my face pressed against the cool, ancient stone. I pray for my family and friends. I pray for those who asked me to. For their sons, daughters, spouses. For health, for love, for good … Continue reading Connecting at the Kotel
It is the new Jewish month of Shevat, and the sun is setting here in Eretz Yisrael as my son modge-podges a Star Wars puzzle he put together over Shabbat. I can smell glue fumes so I open the windows. Now I can hear birds singing quietly in the trees surrounding my house. And it’s … Continue reading Inner darkness leads to greater light on the other side
It was a good but challenging week, trying to get more clarity on who I am and how to best use my skills for parnassah. Four months ago I made Aliyah with my family. As an Oleh Hadasha, I’ve been getting free business consulting sessions during this transition. It’s one of the many benefits we … Continue reading Gaining Clarity Along the Journey
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
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!
I’m still trying to find adequate words to express the magnitude of what I experienced yesterday. We went underneath the Kotel, the site of our Beis HaMikdash, and took a newly created tour of the ancient tunnels. We saw spaces and structures that were only discovered within the past few years. My body and mind … Continue reading Beis HaMikdash Tunnel Tour: Fusion of Finite and Eternal
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
It’s alive and vibrant here. I can hear chanting and prayer echoing through the Wadi behind our house — along with Eurasian jays and howling tanim. The food is fresh and tastes unbelievable — the juiciest dates, massive mangoes, salty olives, heavenly halava, crispy falafel, warm hummus, freshly roasted cashews, homemade passion-fruit liquor… The natural … Continue reading Second Night, Appreciating Light
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!
Mindy Morasha 