GueSt COLumn

Elie Lipnik, 3, lives with his family in West Bloomfield.

Elie Lipnik
(with a little help from his mother, Natalie Lipnik)
Special to AppleTree

ial site of Shimon HaZadik, a popular place for
boys' first haircuts. I sat on a chair and was sur-
rounded by everyone as they took turns cutting my
I hair. My father went first and snipped off my
his past Thanksgiving, my family and I
long ponytail, followed by my two brothers and
shared an experience we will forever carry
sister, mother, grandparents, aunts and uncles,
in our hearts. We traveled to Israel for my
I cousins and friends.
upsherin, first haircut, which took place on an
After my haircut, everyone danced together
exquisite, sun-drenched day in Jerusalem.
joyously as Hebrew music filled the air, with me
First, we had a tearful reunion with my oldest
atop my father's shoulders.
brother, Yossi, who is a student at Hebrew Univer-
After my haircut, my hair was gathered neatly
sity and who I hadn't seen in five months. After
into a clean, plastic bag to be sent to Locks of
davening at the Kotel [praying at the Western
Love. This Florida-based, nonprofit organization
Wall], my family and friends gathered at the bur-
provides wigs for chil-
dren with hair loss
due to cancer treat-
ment and other life-
threatening illnesses.
We were thrilled to
be able to perform
this mitzvah.
My upsherin was
el h a te
ions dick thi s person make . to the e %
more than a religious
is community? Please, do not send essays simply telling. how wonderful
ceremony. It was a spiri
your parent, grandparent, child is.
tual connection to my
A photograph of the author is appreciated, and include a brief biogra
Jewish roots and my
phy including the writer's age, city of residence, school and hobbies.
Jewish homeland. A
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Jewish child is corn-
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blossoming tree in the
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T

I should not be pruned or eaten for the first three
years, so, too, my family waited three years to cut
my hair and welcome me, their little boy, into the
I world of Torah and mitzvot.
Israel has something to offer everyone! We vis-
ited many popular sites, including the Machane
I Yehuda outdoor market, the Jewish Quarter and
Ben-Yehuda Street. Even more special to us was
I the national unity, tolerance and respect we
I saw among Jews. We attended my cousin's bar
mitzvah, which took place at the Kotel together
I with a dozen other barmitzvah boys of diverse
I backgrounds. Each family's customs were
unique, but there was only one Torah passed
from group to group, which bound each togeth-
I er at their celebration. Many of the soldiers in
uniform with guns on their shoulders were the
I same age as my brothers.
• They were members of the Israel Defense
Forces and from diverse backgrounds and inter-
ests, yet were bound together with the awesome
responsibility of protecting their country. We lit
I our Chanuka menorot together with an entire
nation, Jews from all walks of life. We celebrated
Chanuka together as one.
I didn't have any turkey or pumpkin pie this
past Thanksgiving, but the good health, freedom
I and Jewish unity my family and I experienced in
I Israel, our homeland, gave us more than enough
to be thankful for.

4/7
2000

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