world

Memories,

Memory

Temple Israel mission-goers
capture Israel's pull.

At Yad Vashem: Dan Bagdade and his wife, Sarita (third from right), with

relatives Linda and Myles Lash, and Carol and Steve Lash

Robert Sklar
Contributing Editor

Eilat/Israel Journal

E

very once in a while, you enjoy a
truly aha moment, an uplifting
instance that makes you a more-
rounded person by the sheer virtue of its
energy and inspiration. Such moments were
on steroids during the Temple Israel of West
Bloomfield Adult Mission 2012.
The 114 mission-goers came home with
spiritual backpacks filled with experiences
that spoke directly to them, that reinforced
their Jewish identities, deepened their sense
of being part of a people and stirred their
Jewish souls.
This year's version of Temple Israel's
roughly biennial adult mission to the Jewish
state was dubbed the "Super Troopers; and
Cantor Michael Smolash put that fitting title
to music at the dosing get-together at Mini
Israel near Ben-Gurion International Airport
in Tel Aviv

Under the inspired leadership of Rabbis
Harold Loss and Paul Yedwab, their wives,
Susan and Wendy, and Cantor Smolash and
his wife, Jen Green, mission-goers easily
adapted to schedule changes to maximize
the time on their April 19-May 2 sojourn.
The itinerary included an optional day trip
to the stunning archaeological ruins of the
1,800-year-old Nabatean city of Petra in
Jordan.
Bobbi and Gary Feldman of West
Bloomfield shared how wonderful it was to
be part of the Jewish majority in Israel, "a
place where you can feel really good about
showing and expressing your Judaism;
Sarita Lash Bagdade of West Bloomfield
visited Israel's Holocaust memorial in
Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, with her husband,
Dan, and brothers Myles of Bethesda and
Steve of West Bloomfield and their wives,
Linda and Carol — a travel group that was
extra special for Sarita.
"After our mission's memorial ser-
vice; she recounted, "we walked through
the maze of stone plaques that listed the
towns that were devastated by
the Holocaust. There, my broth-
ers and I found the name of the
small Polish town that our grand-

"Ain't no camel high enough
Ain't no Dead Sea low enough
Ain't no Jordan wide enough
To keep away the Super Troopers!"

— Cantor Michael Smolash

parents had left years before leaving much
family behind.
"Near the plaque was a larger name,
Radom. That finally explained why my
grandparents were so active for so many
years in the Radomer Aid Society"
Michelle Millman of Farmington Hills
was moved by Kinneret Cemetery, where
many of Israel's patriots rest, The cemetery
is on the Sea of Galilee, south of Tiberias.
"The graves are arranged not in rows, but
randomly in sections; she said. "They are
close together, like old friends greeting each
other after a long absence.
"There are many moving stories about
the lives of people buried there. Each story

speaks of hardship, frustration and loss
amid enormous challenges marked by
courage, strength and determination?'
Nancy Kwaselow of West Bloomfield
began her poem Ode To The Israel Mission
with the moving verse:
"Oh, Israel, I'm coming home
To be with my people, no longer alone;
Susan Loss was moved to tears recount-
ing how she and her husband walked along
the Eilat boardwalk filled with young par-
ents pushing babies in strollers.
"These little ones are Israel's future; she
said. "I just want to hold every one of them
and reflect upon the rich future they hope-
fully will have;

❑

141"

Herm and Barb Moehlman at the Israeli

Independence Day dinner in Jerusalem

Gravesite of Israel's renowned Rachel the Poet
at Kinneret Cemetery near Tiberias

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May 24 • 2012

Larrie Globerson of Farmington Hills
with two soldiers in Jerusalem on Israeli

Independence Day

Ann and Bob Cohen of Bloomfield Hill

at the ruins of Petra in Jordan