The following was written while sitting in the Old City of Jerusalem, on the last night of a family trip we took to Israel in August 2011.
I write this as I sit here, feeling so fortunate. I find myself literally in the center of the Universe. Oh, how I wish I can capture this moment!
I am sitting here with my children, in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Here, from where G-d began creating the world.
Here, where our Matriarchs and Patriarchs walked.
Here, where King David lived and composed the book of psalms.
Here, where the first and second Holy Temples stood and were later destroyed.
Here, where three times a day, Jews around the world face in earnest prayer.
Here, the gateway to Heaven for all of our prayers.
Here, where we will one day see peace and the restoration of G-d's Throne...
And here I am, looking after my son who is making cartwheels on the cobblestone.
Here my daughters are giggling as they balance on the large stone steps.
It is 9pm, yet here I see children enjoying refreshing popsicles, riding bikes.
Here I see a little girl pushing a stroller, taking her baby brother for a pre bedtime walk.
Here I see people talking, laughing, with incredible energy.
From here, I can not bring myself to leave.
The air is cool, with a beautiful breeze.
The moon is bright.
The sky is dark.
Here I see the Churbah Shull, so magnificent, with such a bittersweet and rich history. Destroyed and rebuilt, twice, now standing in full glory... Here is an example of the immortality of our People.
And here sit men, women, children, Bubbys and Zaidys.
No one is rushing anywhere. There seems to be nowhere to go!
An oasis in time.
Just sitting and breathing in the holy air is enough to satisfy both body and soul.
I leave tonight. Back "home". But I literally feel pain in my heart just thinking of leaving this city, my true home.
We hear music! A brand new Torah Scroll is being escorted to a Shull in the old city. I am uplifted by the melodies, a violin, accordion, singing, dancing, as the beloved torah is danced thru the walkways. We all rise and clap and join in the greatest joy that unites all Jews. Differences melt away in the presence of our Holy Torah, in this Holy City. A man with a big kippahoffers my daughter to choose from his basket of candies as he dances by...
I won’t forget this. Neither will my kids.
How to leave?
We can not...
“If I will forget you , Oh Jerusalem, my right hand will be forgotten…” It is here that King David wrote and sang these words... And so I will not forget, nor will I leave.
If G-d wishes for us to end up on that plane tonight, leaving the Holy Land... I will not allow my spirit to leave. I will stay put!
My body and soul will remain righ here, with the holy and ancient stone under my feet, keeping me grounded as I travel back to Oxnard, California.... And I will not rest, truly, I will not allow myself to get comfortable, until I have done my part to see that the entire Oxnard becomes Jerusalem, permeated with Jewish life, Jewish pride, and an era of Redemption.
I will sign off with sharing with you my favorite prophecy of Zachariah, regarding the times of the coming of Moshiach (which I quoted in my Bat Mitzvah speech some years ago!): “Again will sit elderly men and elderly women in the streets ofJerusalem”. Let us join together to sit in the streets again, experiencing G-d’s presence, with joy and with health. Amen!
Shalom!
Racheli Muchnik
