Rabbi’s Message

RTPV February 2026

For twelve days including the other new year, we were in our other home, Jerusalem.  Our whole family in an Airbnb, together around the table eating Israeli snacks. We went in order to be with our son and daughter-in-law who are studying there. We visited museums, our favorites and new ones such as Museum on the Seam https://www.mots.org.il/en.  We went to sacred places: the kotel (Western Wall), Reform and Traditional-Egalitarian synagogues where saying the prayer for Israel and for her soldiers was local and heartfelt as was every time we prayed the word “Yisrael.” Sacred also was every restaurant, bus stop, and business that had the bumper-sticker size remembrances of hostages who never came home.

We went to the new National Library which is exquisite. We returned to our seminary where Ron and I met 37 years ago and where our middle daughter also began her rabbinic studies, as well as the site of our first date.  We ate and ate and ate including a culinary tour of the shuk led by a tour guide who took time off from the army and had to return immediately after.  We walked almost 70 miles with our feet on ha’aretz (the land) looking up at the cranes that are building her future.

During and immediately following our trip, I was reminded of this phrase: nothing about us without us.  We are all talking about Israel no matter how knowledgeable and connected we are.  Perhaps you discuss a news story with a friend or relative.  Maybe because someone asked you a question and really wants to engage in a dialog or because they think that because you are Jewish you are automatically an expert on everything Israel ever starting with God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis. We pray the word Yisraelover and over again.  Have you stayed in touch with Israeli relatives, friends and colleagues? Did your grandchild or great niece go on Birthright?  Do you have memories of your own time walking the Hebrew-lined streets of our people’s convergence?
Israel is a part of each of us and I invite you to make aliyah– to go higher – not necessarily by moving there but perhaps by planning by your next trip, by upping your game about your historical knowledge and cultural awareness, expanding your news sources to include Israeli news and cooking Israeli foods. Nothing about us without us.  May we experience the “home” in homeland.