"Each minute that passes, I think more and more seriously about living here...my heart is overflowing with love of Israel. I could sit here all night, and just stare out the window. This city sparkles. It truly is Jerusalem of Gold. It is scary to me, very scary, how I feel right now. My heart yearns to be here. To leave home, my dreams-just to be HERE. This is what love feels like. I feel love for Israel in every fiber of my being. I feel it running through my veins--pumping my heart and keeping me alive. When we entered Jerusalem today, I wanted to cry. The air here, it fills my lungs and lifts me away."
--Excerpt from my Israel journal 2008
Well folks, I'm taking that leap of faith I always talk so much about. I've applied to Hebrew University in Jerusalem for the One Year Graduate Program. While there, I will be working on my memoir: "Shabbat Across Israel." It's about the importance of the Shabbat tradition in my family, and in my life. Starting with memories of my family and our weekly Shabbat dinners, leading up to the first Shabbat after my Grandpa died--the first without the Patriarch of the family--I will discuss how our Shabbat traditions kept us strong, as a family and as Jews. Author Ahad Ha'am once said: "The Jewish people do not keep Shabbat. Shabbat keeps the Jewish people."I will spend every weekend in a different location across Israel, so that I collect a wide range of Shabbat experiences. The mission is to demonstrate the collective Jewish family through the observation and experience of Shabbat across Israel. Through my journey, I hope to help others discover the beauty of Shabbat, and gain an understanding of how connected we are as Jews. Whether you're in New York or Israel on a Friday night...it is Shabbos, and Jews all over the world are united for 24 hours, not only with each other--but with their past, as well as their future.
Israel has always in my future...I just needed the push to get there. About a month ago, I was having dinner with a good friend at Eataly NY. We sat on the rooftop restaurant as I described my hopes to go to Israel. I will never forget her response: "Just f**king do it." And in that moment, everything made sense. Why shouldn't I do it? I can't live in fear of my what if's anymore. I have to just go. Just go, and just f**king do it.
So I began to research my options, and Hebrew University fell into my lap--it was meant to be. Their application deadline had been extended. I could do it. I could TOTALLY do it. So I threw caution to the wind, and here I am. If all goes according to plan, in one month I will be on my way.
I can't do this without outside support though. Please. Check out my fundraising page, and do a little mitzvah.
Thank you so much. Love to you all.
