Israel Why are we here, after tens of Battles, thousands of lost lives, and millions of prayers? Why do we care about a dessert land that's no bigger than the state of New Jersey? What keeps us coming back to a place where we wonder when our bedrooms, coffee shops, synagogues, and playgrounds will turn into the next battleground? <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">Is it not enough that we<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-mso-bidi-">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">ve been dragged out by the Babylonians, murdered by the Romans, and oppressed by the British who wouldn<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-mso-bidi-">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">t let us come home after we<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-mso-bidi-">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">d survived the unthinkable? <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-"> Don<span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-ascii- mso-bidi-">'<span style="line-height: 115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi-mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria">t we give up after we witness the never-ending acts of barbarism and terror in an effort to annihilate our people in the name of Allah? <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">Why are we holding on to this land? Can<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-mso-bidi-">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">t we choose another one? What about Uganda? Alaska? Madagascar? <span style=" line-height:115%"> <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">Why do we call this place our HOME? <span style=" line-height:115%;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold">Because it's <span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">more than just a Sukkot Getaway and diverse culture. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">It is the very essence of the Jewish people; the heart of our identity. <span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">It links our people to our past, illuminates our present, and inspires our future as the Jewish nation. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-"> Every wall we touch, every stone we turn, every ground we kiss, every stream we hear- is overflowing with the rich history of our people. It<span style="line-height:115%;mso-ascii-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">'<span style="line-height:115%; Times New Roman';mso-hansi-mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria">s the very same land our forefathers trekked, the place where the history of our people was, is, and will continue to be born. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-"> It<span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-ascii- mso-bidi-">'<span style="line-height: 115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi-mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria">s a land of pure miracles, yet a country built with our very own tears, sweat, and blood. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">It<span style=" line-height:115%;mso-ascii-Times New Roman'">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">s a fusion of the mundane and the holy, of the spiritual and the physical worlds. Moses only dreamed <span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">of performing G-d<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-mso-bidi-">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">s holy commandments in the promised land, because he understood that the spiritual growth we experience in this land are not in spite of the physicality, but because <span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">of it. From the luscious fruits of the land to the corners of the wheat fields, everything <span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">in this land not only holds so much holiness, but inspires our very own spiritual journeys. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">It<span style=" line-height:115%;mso-ascii-Times New Roman'">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">s a beacon of light for a nation that often finds itself in the most bitter of turmoil. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-"> It<span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-ascii- mso-bidi-">'<span style="line-height: 115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi-mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria">s a symbol of the beautiful love between a people and its creator. Eretz Asher Tamid Einei Hashem Ba- Mereishit Hashana Ad Acharit. <span style="font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;mso-bidi-">Its G-d<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria;mso-bidi-">'<span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">s baby. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">A nucleus of vibrant Jewish life, Jewish continuity. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">A pillar of the Torat Yisrael in a world that continues to lose itself each day. The land that brings an age old book to life. Ki Mitzion Tetzei Torah, OoDvar Hashem Meyerushalayim. A land that makes our people, and our Torah, LIVE ON. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">A spiritual oasis, a place of belonging, for every single Jew. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">It<span style=" line-height:115%;mso-ascii-Times New Roman'">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">s a symbol of remarkable courage, determination. A country constantly under attack and so much the subject of those who seek to destroy us, yet one that never ceases to give back to the world in infinite ways. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">It<span style=" line-height:115%;mso-ascii-Times New Roman'">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">s the very land that makes each and every one of us so incredibly proud to be a Jew. A land that gives the Jewish people a sense of faith, a sense of mission. KiEar Shechubrah Lo Yachdav. A call for solidarity, a reason to hope strong and dream on. Because no matter what hat we wear, we stand proud-shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, and heart to heart when it comes to the land that every Jew can call HOME. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">Its the land we<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria;mso-bidi-">'<span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">ve cherished for thousands of years. The land we dream of, the land we pray for, the land we will never forget. The land on our hearts and on our minds at every hour of every day. The land we come from, but most importantly, the land to which we WILL return. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">It<span style=" line-height:115%;mso-ascii-Times New Roman'">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">s the land that reminds us that we<span style="line-height:115%; Times New Roman';mso-ascii-mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria">'<span style="line-height:115%;font-family: 'Times New Roman';mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">ve strayed far from home for far too long. That no matter how comfortable we may feel, we just don<span style="line-height:115%; Times New Roman';mso-ascii-mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria">'<span style="line-height:115%;font-family: 'Times New Roman';mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">t belong anywhere but HERE. HOME.<span style="line-height: 115%"> <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">It<span style=" line-height:115%;mso-ascii-Times New Roman'">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">s a place of refuge for the Jewish people, a country that never closes its doors. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">It<span style=" line-height:115%;mso-ascii-Times New Roman'">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">s a culmination of nearly 3000 years of our people<span style="line-height: 115%;Times New Roman';mso-ascii-mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria">'<span style="line-height:115%;font-family: 'Times New Roman';mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">s history. <span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">A brilliant testimony to the never-ending struggle of our nation, yet a beacon of hope for a people so small, yet forever strong, a people that will continue to LIVE ON. <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">A Member of the English Parliament once asked Chaim Weizmann, the first President of Israel,<span style="font-size: 11.0pt;line-height:115%"> <span style="line-height: 115%;Times New Roman';mso-ascii-mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria">“<span style="line-height:115%;font-family: 'Times New Roman';mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">Why do you Jews insist on Palestine when there are so many underdeveloped countries you could settle more easily?<span style="line-height: 115%;Times New Roman';mso-ascii-mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria">” <span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi- mso-bidi-">His answer?<span style=" line-height:115%"> <span style="line-height:115%; Times New Roman';mso-ascii-mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria"> <span style="line-height:115%; Times New Roman';mso-ascii-mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria">“<span style="line-height:115%;font-family: 'Times New Roman';mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">That<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-mso-bidi-">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">s like asking why you drove twenty miles to visit your grandmother when there are so many old ladies living right on your street.<span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-ascii- mso-bidi-">”<span style="line-height: 115%"> <span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">My friends, you didn<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-ascii-mso-bidi-">'<span style="line-height:115%;Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-mso-bidi-">t just travel twenty miles to visit your grandmother. You<span style=" line-height:115%;Times New Roman';mso-ascii- mso-bidi-">'<span style="line-height: 115%;Times New Roman';mso-hansi-mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria">ve trekked 6,000 to return home.<span style=" line-height:115%">
(photo credit: The Jerusalem Post)