I just returned from Israel, where I spent five days touring the length and breadth of the country with two of my children. Sharing the experience with my kids brought the country to life in a way I didn’t realize was possible.
I’ve been to Israel many, many times, but travelling with my 10-year-old daughter was a whole new experience. It was as if I were experiencing it for the very first time.
When I pointed out the Temple Mount, she said, “Wow! That is where Isaac was bound by his father, Abraham. Over there is where Abraham faced his greatest test!” I could see all the Torah stories and Jewish history she has learned coming to life in her young mind. She felt Abraham’s presence, could picture the stories more clearly, and connected with our heritage in a very real way.
When we visited Kever Rachel, where our mother Rachel is buried, my kids relived the story of Rachel being buried at the side of the road by her husband, Yaakov. They could feel the presence of Joseph, praying at her graveside while being escorted to Israel.
When we arrived at the outskirts of Jericho, my daughter remembered that this was the first city the Jews conquered when Joshua lead the Israelites out of the desert and into the Land of Israel. She was able to visualize the miracle that took place there when the Jews circled the walled city seven times and the walls crumbled.
And when we prayed at the gravesite of Rabbi Akiva in Teverya, she connected with this holy man through all the stories she knows about him. She recalled the way he grew up a poor shepherd, thinking he could never learn any Torah, but with his wife’s guidance and encouragement he went on to become one of the greatest Torah sages ever. She remembered the heroic way he died at the hands of the Romans, while calling out the Shema prayer.
I watched with awe as my children connected with the land and our ancestors over and over again, in ways that I, as an adult, am not able to. For my children, this was not ancient history. It was alive and vibrant and current.
What a wonderful lesson for the rest of us!
We are entering the month of Nissan, during which we celebrate Pesach—the holiday that made us into a nation and eventually led us back to our homeland, Israel.
Our connection with and love of Israel is nothing new; it was ours well before 1948! It is our eternal home. The same place our people have lived throughout history.
We have the Torah, we have each other and we have Israel. This Passover, let’s make an effort to connect with our fellow Jews, our Jewish heritage, and the Land of Israel in a real and meaningful way.