Home Sweet Home Via Nefesh B'Nefesh

Soul Muse will be a series of “Musings” based on my experiences traveling back home with “Olim Chadashim,” New Immigrants to Israel on a Nefesh B'Nefesh flight. Some will be written for the exclusive use of various publications, and I’m still accepting commissions.

To contact Nefesh B’Nefesh:
Aliyah Services:
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Soul Muse #1
August 3, 2005
The 27th of Tammuz

Home Sweet Home
Via Nefesh B'Nefesh

Baruch Hashem, we have arrived home! “We” includes all of the more than two hundred olim chadashim who were on the Nefesh B'Nefesh airplane with me. They ranged in age from two months to eighty-five years, and there were also cats, dogs and birds.

Yes, the airplane was full! It was full of joy, enthusiasm and energy. Even though the majority of immigrants seemed to be Torah observant, there were still a great variety of backgrounds, goals and personal stories.

Nothing seemed to be able to dampen the pleasant atmosphere. Miraculously, babies slept and children played happily in their seats or in the aisles. Even the cats in their carry-cages and the poodle sitting politely at his owners’ feet knew to be silent. Service with a smile on El Al was an added bonus. How could anyone resist the charm of the passengers who came from all over North America with the goal of making aliyah, ascending to Eretz Yisrael to live?

I managed to speak to many of the olim as they waited for the flight, or were on the plane or waiting again for luggage to arrive. I’d even been emailing some of them before the flight and look forward to continuing to keep in touch in order to discover how they cope with the reality of our very unique country.

There were many, many young families with school age children, babies and even those already expecting their first sabras in a few months. Since their housing had to be settled, ok, arranged, before boarding the plane, they had their children registered in schools. Many are just renting to give them more flexible housing options, since they want to live in a very specific type of neighborhood. Some have jobs, and some are hoping to find one soon. Army service is the plan for at least one very idealistic oleh chadash and choosing an “assisted living” home is on the top of the list for another.

I was encouraged by the fact that they weren’t oblivious to what is going on in Israel in the political and security spheres. Actually at least one new immigrant gave that as a reason why he feels that he mustn’t wait. He said that he, his wife and kids made aliyah today because the only way to help the country is to do it from here. The olim chadashim who flew with me are really fantastic people.

The news that greeted me here was not good. My neighbor’s fourteen-year-old daughter is jailed under conditions worse than what an Israeli murderer gets. And all she did was to bravely protest against Disengagement. Thousands are gathered to march into Gush Katif. The pathetic, perverse scenes on the news of well-armed soldiers, shoulder to shoulder, to block good Jews who treasure Eretz Yisrael are difficult to watch. The People’s Revolution is strongly against the immoral and dangerous policies of the Sharon Government.

Sixty years ago, there were similar scenes, but the soldiers were British who tried to keep Jews out of Eretz Yisrael. Now Israeli soldiers are obeying foreign dictates to restrict the settlement of our Land. Just a few minutes ago the television screen was filled with an unpleasant scene in which the armed forces are blocking demonstrators led by well-known rabbis who are attempting to march to Gush Katif. So far, there is no physical violence, just vicious battles in the psychological, emotional and spiritual war.

And davka today over two hundred Jews began their new lives in Israel. I wish these olim chadashim wonderful, fulfilling lives here in Israel. That, too, is a victory of Jews and Eretz Yisrael working together.

Thank G-d I’m home!

Batya Medad
shilohmuse@yahoo.com
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