Rabbi's Blog

Dear OZ family,

Greetings from Ben Gurion airport. Our trip to Israel began with a 5 hour delay and we left at the ungodly hour of 4:30 am. As I showed my boarding pass at the gate, I was flagged and asked to wait on the side as others were being boarded. Alisa joined me and we felt like unruly students sent to the principal’s office as everyone was walking past us. Fortunately the reason for our detention was quickly revealed and we were both offered a free upgrade to Premium seats.

Not only that but our whole row was empty, so Gam Zu L’tovah.

We have to drive through Tel Aviv to get to Netanya, and another fortunate by-product of the delay is that at 10:00 pm, the highway is not likely to be congested with demonstrators (by the way, my phone’s spell-check changed that last word to democrats).

Israel is a very special place. Where else is someone likely to cut you off on the highway forcing your car off the road and then he stops to help you change your flat tire and then helps you get back on the road, and then he invites you over for coffee and cake. Casual acquaintances here can become life-long friends.

We’re all connected because we all stood at Har Sinai as the Torah reading this past Shabbos attests. Hopefully by the time we return from this amazing country some meeting of compromising minds will have taken place.

Alisa and I wish everyone a wonderful Tu B’Av. Mazel Tov to Michelle and Mitch Golner who are celebrating their Sheva Brachos this week.

Stay well and healthy,

Rabbi Allen Schwartz