We had our annual Yom HaAtzmaut tiyul and BBQ today. We share it with another 10 families, families who like me, went to Bnei Akiva in the UK and made Aliyah. After eating (extensively) we took out a guitar and sang all those classic "shirei Eretz Yisrael" - kids and parents all joining in. It was quite beautiful.
I took it all in and just thought to myself... Once we were all singing these same songs at age 14 and 16 and 18 [the ages of our kids!] around a campfire at Bnei Akiva camp in Somerset and dreaming that one day we may live in Israel. And here we are, 30 years later, living here, working here, hiking in Israel's gorgeous scenery. And today, on such a special day - Yom Haatzmaut - we are singing together with our beautiful children - all Israeli - surrounded by the beauty of the hills and trees of our homeland.
We are indeed living a dream! We can count our blessings!
On Erev Yom Haatzmaut, I spoke to my Eretz Hatzvi students. I sought to communicate to them the remarkable gift and significance of modern Israel, and inspire them with the religious obligation of thanks and praise on this historic day for the Jewish people. I am sharing the shiur here.
Enjoy!
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