Preparing for the Journey

Shabbat Shalom.

We are still in NY. Finishing our packing, making sure we are all set for the overnight journey (mostly entertainment for Daphne, though Shara and I hope that she will sleep most of the trip - since the flight is scheduled to depart at 10:10 pm!) My exciting news is that I have recently reconnected with some of my cousins who we are now planning to see later this coming week. Facebook is a wonderful tool! (For any of you who are not on Facebook and want a crash course, I might be willing to set up a workshop at the synagogue later this year - I led a seminar for teachers at the LITE conference a few months back which was very popular....)

Anyway, I wanted to provide you with some links of where we will be staying when we arrive in Jerusalem on Sunday. My first trip to Israel was back in the fall of 1994. I participated in an Ulpan (an intensive Hebrew study program) on a kibbutz. Three days a week were dedicated to studying Hebrew, and three to working in some capacity on the kibbutz. It was a wonderful program made even better by the fact that the kibbutz, Ramat Rachel, was (is) located in Jerusalem! I have provided links below so you can check out the kibbutz and learn some of its history.

http://www.ramatrachel.co.il/ - This link gives you information to the hotel and its facilities. We will not be staying in the hotel, but we will have access to all of its amenities.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ramat_Rachel - Wikipedia, another great tool, gives you a nice descriptive history of the kibbutz

While studying/working on the kibbutz, I was adopted by a wonderful family, the Romanos, who took me in and really made me feel a part of their family. Following my 5 months on the kibbutz, I remained in close contact with them. The following year I took up residence in an apartment in Jerusalem while I attended HUC-JIR for my first year of rabbinic school (http://www.huc.edu/about/center-je.shtml). I visited with the Romanos frequently that year - it was nice to have "family" nearby for some pampering. Over the years, as I returned to Israel to lead NFTY and Birthright trips, I always found time to visit, and usually stay with them for a few days. They have provided me with a home away from home, an extended family, and lots of love.

I am so excited to introduce the Romanos to my wife and daughter on this trip. Cornel, my "abba" ("father" in Hebrew) will meet us at the airport tomorrow evening and bring us back to the kibbutz in Jerusalem. They will host us for our first 2 nights in Israel, before we journey off to tour parts north. We will return to them for Shabbat, and remain with them until the conference begins and we check into our hotel in town a few days later.

Cornel and his wife, Cornelia (I'm not kidding here!) have four children. The oldest, Alex, was married within the last few years, and he is a recent father - I guess making me an uncle! (I do have a niece and a nephew here in NY - Shara's brother's two children.) Ma'ayan, is their older daughter. I believe she is working in some capacity in the kibbutz' hotel. Marc, who recently completed his initial army duties, was in the US during the past year. I visited with him in Florida last winter. I believe he is back in Israel now. The youngest, Amit, who was a baby when I first met her, is now in high school. The last time I was in Israel, in 2006 with Deborah on a trip for Jewish educators, I watched Amit at the equestrian center, guiding her horse through many drills. I am looking forward with great anticipation to reconnecting with all of them.

My blood relatives are cousins on my mother's side of the family. My grandfather was one of (I believe, and Mom, correct me if I'm wrong) 8 siblings who came over from Russia in the early 1900's. The youngest daughter moved to Israel, where she raised her 4 children. The oldest moved to Southern California when I was a young boy, so I got to know my cousin Avi, who I believe is still living near San Diego with his wife and children. His brother, Ronnie, was in Tel Aviv, the last I knew. His twin sisters, Michal and Donna, and their families were the ones who I developed relationships with during all my travels to Israel. Donna used to work for the Weitzman Institute, though I believe they were/are living on the East Coast in/near Boston. Michal lives on a Moshav (Haniel) east of Natanya, which is north of Tel Aviv. She and her husband, Tzvika, own and operate a custom furniture business there. They have 3 sons who I got to know very well. We will meet up with the oldest, Oren, in Tel Aviv later this week for dinner. We hope to connect and spend some time with Michal and Tzvika and their other two sons, Shached and Rotem, if they are available.

I've written a lot more than I have time to write, but now you have a good history of my family in Israel and some of the people and places we will visit. Next time you hear from me will be from Israel. We are scheduled to arrive at 4:05 pm local time in Israel, which is 7 hours ahead of NY, so just after 9 am tomorrow (Sunday). If you were not at Shabbat services last night to join the cantor in the prayer for a safe journey, please say a prayer for us on your own. Every prayer helps!

L'hitraot Chaverim! (See you soon, friends!)