Sunday, June 2, 2013

The Fonder Heart

Yom rishon, 24 Sivan 5773.

It is very hard to be an ocean away from people you love.

That is the hardest thing for me about aliyah.

But I truly cannot complain.

I made aliyah in a time more technologically-advanced than I could have imagined when I first entertained the idea, back in the "olden days" of the early '90s.  I can visit my grandchildren (even babysitting one of them briefly!) via Skype or Google Hangout.  I can once again sit in the dining room of my Rabbi and Rebbetzin, chatting about Israel, and about how blown-away we are by technology.






I can spend a glorious hour on Mother's Day watching a grandson walking around in his dragon outfit, trashing his parents' house as he shows me every. toy. he. owns.  (Who says you have to "be there" to drive your children crazy?)








And sometimes, on Erev Shabbat, my Soldier Boy in America can sing Shalom Aleichem and Aishet Chayil to his mother, after learning Mishnayot with his father.

Thank You, Hashem.  It will never be easy to be away from those we hold dear.  But thank You for making it easier than ever before to "touch" each other, even while holding fast to our ideals.

You never promised us that this life would be easy, or comfortable.  But in this time, You have wrapped the difficult in a lot of clearly-discernible love and compassion.


Happy 28th wedding anniversary, Dearly Beloved!  Thanks for helping me to raise these amazing young men!

4 comments:

Ye'he Sh'mey Raba Mevorach said...

Who is rich? He who is satisfied with his lot. You beat Bill Gates, my friend. :)

Pearl Friedman said...

I first thought you wrote this beautiful blog just for my benefit alone! Thank you for sharing your experience and giving chizuk to those like myself, making Aliyah with the challenge of leaving precious family behind. With 30 days to Aliyah, and only 7 days before the movers arrive to load our container, we spent a bitter-sweet Shabbat in our home with 3 of our children(2 sons and 1 daughter-in-law) and our 2 dear and prized grandchildren. I pray that families separated on both sides of this journey find the tools and means by which to overcome this most difficult aspect of making Aliyah.

rutimizrachi said...

YSMR: Thank you, as always. Appreciating the world with you has been one of my favorite hobbies since we arrived in Israel.

Pearl: Your comment is so beautiful, and reminds me of why I write. May all of your prayers for olim and their families come true, starting with you and Daniel. We can't wait to have you as neighbors!

Miriam said...

Ruti....Mazal-Tov to you and your Dearly Beloved...I love this name...says so much about you..

May you both be blessed with nachas and simchas from all your children and grandchildren and with many more years together in good health!

Your postings are beautiful..spoken from the heart..May you continue to write and bring a smile to the face of your readers.

Miriam