Finally, we've ARRIVED!

Bs"d

May 10, 2007

Finally, we ARRIVED!

Yes, the Land is acquired through strife --as we are learning well. There was no nice anything at the airport. No nice someone meeting us as promised. No nice passport control, she just did not care. There was even an argument over who would have the task of processing us. The loser was one kindhearted (out of 4 people) in the Ministry of Interior where we got our teudat oleh (certificate of aliya) and finally, the most abusive sherut driver in all of Israel-you would not believe our horrible trip from the ariport to Jerusalem!! After enduring his erratic driving and hateful demeanor for an hour, he then tried to drop us and our 6, no 8 bags off blocks from home at some Paz gas station. No way that was happening; David literally blocked the door and ordered him back into the driver's seat! A student demonstration outside the Old City meant taking an arduous circuitous route-stopping as David attempted to argue our rights to entry with a policeman, what a sight: exhausted and waving our new teutat zehuts in his iron face, as onlookers stopped to stare-somehow, finally we miraculously maneuvered past it all and through Jaffa Gate.

And when we arrived ...well, hugs and warmth absorbed us. Our new neighbors and dear, dear friends, Lenny and Star were waiting for us us at the parking lot gate and demanded the attendant open it for us. The sherut driver must have swallowed a "mensch pill" because he took us as far into the Jewish Quarter as his large van could possibly go. There was soup warming for us in the Miller's welcoming kitchen. Then— we went to our cute, clean, cool (there is a heat wave here-so that is noteworthy),studio apartment-home for the next two weeks.

Our friend Leah (who also helped pave the aliya way for us) came all the way in to the Old City from Ramat Beit Shemesh and posted a welcome home sign decorated by her precious children on our door, provided plenty of nosh and a full dinner for us; Star stocked the fridge with soup (yummy, as we had a preview earlier tonight) and David Miller topped it all off with a bottle of much appreciated Glenfiddich.

We may acquire The Land through hardship, but The Land acquires us- as we see it-through love. The love that one Jew has for another. And the love Hashem has for every one of us.

We love you all.
Come home soon.

Love,
R&D