Wedding Season

I thought I'd post some pictures from the weddings we've been to lately... I don't have from each one because I forgot my camera a few times :)   

Where Can I Get Some?

This past Friday, two soldiers were killed during an operation in Gaza. One of them, Eliraz Peretz, was a father of four. While it is always hard to hear about a father being killed or dying for any reason and leaving behind him four young children, this situation is even harder to understand. Eliraz had already lost an older brother in battle as well as his father a few years later. His family had been kicked out from Sinai as part of the peace agreement with Egypt and then later his family was kicked out of Gush Katif for reasons that still don't make any sense to me. He adopted the family of his friend Roi Klein who was killed 4 years ago during the Second Lebanon War. His house in Eli (West Bank) {Where David studied before enlisting in the army} is currently under demolition orders.

I have been sitting on the couch reading news story after news story detailing the eulogies delivered at his funeral that was this morning (and sobbing uncontrollably) and about his family. The thing that strikes me the most: their strength. The message his mother, a widow who already had to burry one son , wanted the world to hear was one of strength and continuation and bravery and love of life. I am sitting here and I can't stop thinking to myself: Where can I get some? some of that strength? some of that deep sense of belief if our purpose and mission here? some of the courage to allow her other children to be in combat units even after losing her first? some of that power that allows her to put the Jewish People above herself no matter the cost?

David pointed out to me that I have already made a huge sacrifice for the sake of the Land of Israel and the Jewish People- I moved here. I left my family and a cushie American life and moved here to be where I felt I belonged. Well, thats all well and good and everything, but I can't help feeling like I haven't done anything. I am afraid that were I to be put to the test, I wouldn't have the strength and courage and fortitude that the Peretz family has. I can't help feeling that I was prepared to go only half-way. I get scared whenever there is unrest. I worry whenever there are serious terrorist threats. Will I be able to continue life normally if a Third Intefada does break out? I guess the only answer is that time will tell and that I will continue to pray that I never have to be tested the way this family has been tested.

It hurts so badly to see what these people have to go through and to glimpse their unbreakable strength at a time when so much of the outside world as well as large portions of Israeli society hate them.

May we all be blessed with a safe and peaceful Passover. May we continue to come ever closer to the days when neighbor will not lift up sword against neighbor, nor will they learn war anymore. May we merit in our days to see a united Jewish People not ripped apart by internal hatred so that we can stand a chance against our enemies who wish to destroy us.

I Lived Through My Presentation

Yesterday I had to give a presentation to my seminar class on Second Temple Period burial practices. It was an hour and a half and included a power point presentation that I had to write in Hebrew. The longest I had ever had to speak in front of people in Hebrew before this was 7 minutes in my ulpan class when I first made Aliyah.

Not only did I survive, but everyone said it was really interesting and that my Hebrew was really good. I only lost my train of thought once (and subsequently couldn't get it back EVEN in English...). I haven't slept well for 2 weeks because I was freaking out...but at the end of the day I survived it.

I feel like I have crossed a huge threshold in my "absorption" to Israeli society. I can now even give presentations in Hebrew. Wow. Now I just have to start working on the one that is due in June :)