24 | FEBRUARY 2 • 2023 

OUR COMMUNITY

For those of us who were 
lucky enough during Chanukah 
to be with You, with our feet 
on your ground, 
breathing your 
sacred air; it was 
a dream. Often, 
we had to remind 
each other that 
indeed it was 
real. Whether we 
had never been, 
or it was our 10th visit, our 
hearts beat a little faster when 
they announce on the plane: 
Bruchim Ha’baim L
’yisrael — 
Welcome to Israel. 
We landed, delirious with jet 
lag and smelling of the airplane, 
and yet, ecstatic. Whether we 
knew Hebrew or not, we were 
joyous hearing our ancient lan-

guage being spoken to yell at a 
bad driver or order a coffee. As 
many have said: Hebrew being 
spoken sounds like beautiful, 
familiar music in the ears of the 
Jewish people. Your warm sun 
felt good on our skin, and as we 
boarded the bus we repeated 
over and over how lucky we 
are to be in this space. Streets 
are streets and buildings are 
buildings and yet they are not. 
In Israel, ordinary space feels 
entirely extraordinary all at the 
same time. 
The Mediterranean was more 
than a sea. The desert was more 
than sand. We were already 
more than disparate families 
finding themselves thrown 
together for an adventure. We 
were seekers and meaning 
makers that had the opportu-
nity to experience your beauty, 
your challenges, your power 

and your frailty together — as a 
group — that would grow into 
something so much more. 
We would become friends. 
Parents to one another’s kids. 
Grandparents to each other’s 
grandchildren. It was a rolling 
kibbutz everywhere we went. 
And, my dearest Israel, You 
did not disappoint. We fell in 
love with Your rocks and Your 
dust, Your salt and Your water. 
We for sure fell in love with 
Your food. Did we eat. And 
eat. And then eat some more. 
Where to begin? Fresh vege-
tables and fruit? Check. Nuts, 
seeds, salads, meat, poultry, des-
sert, coffee, wine … we knew 
you were the land flowing with 
milk and honey, but we didn’t 
realize You were also the land 
flowing with soft cheeses and 
60 different kinds of halavah! 
We were never hungry that is 

for sure— but since when did 
eating have anything to do with 
bring hungry?
The Jewish state treats its 
guests like every Jewish mother 
in history: with tons of food and 
also tons of affection.
We never felt empty stom-
achs or empty souls. Yes, we ate 
donuts for Chanukah, but we 
also celebrated that a great mir-
acle happened here — in this 
place that we were blessed to be. 
We could be looking at art or 
surfing down a sand dune and 
we felt overcome with pride that 
all of it was happening in the 
place Jews fought and died for, 
and still do. 
Everything we did, we did 
as Jews. As Jews who go to 
synagogue every Shabbat and 
Jews who pray alone silently 
in their kitchens. Every per-
son had a special moment at 

COURTESY OF RABBI KALUZNY

Temple Israel and Shir Shalom 
families embarked on a 
December family mission.

A Letter 
 to Israel

Rabbi 
Jennifer 
Kaluzny

To our beloved 
 land of Israel, 

LEFT: Harvey Heller and his granddaughter Penelope Toohey. 
TOP: Rabbi Jennifer and Ryan Kaluzny (left) at daughter Bayla’s bat mitzvah.

Members of the Roth family are all smiles.

