Keeping Connected    November 2023

Growing up, I never had a strong connection to Israel.  In fact, probably the most connected I felt was raising money in 5th grade religious school selling fruit slices at Passover to plant trees there – which spoiler alert: the Jewish National Fund doesn’t keep track of your trees like my 10 year old mind expected.  So when I landed at Ben Gurion airport this past spring and there were signs and banners that said “Welcome Home”, I assumed it was a message for Israelis returning from overseas trips.

But the message “Welcome Home” was in fact, for me.  For me, the 8 other New Hampshire women I was bringing to Israel – most for the first time – and for the 150 women from across the country that were all there on a trip with Momentum.  Momentum is focused on bringing the biggest Jewish influencers – Jewish mothers – to Israel for an empowering and inspiring journey.  Working with the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, Momentum combines traveling throughout Israel with personal and Jewish growth.  Think of it as “Birthright for Moms – with Wine”.

To say that the trip was life-changing is an understatement.  I was lucky enough to be there on Yom Ha’atzmaut – celebrating 75 years of Israel – complete with dancing in the streets of Tel Aviv, flyovers, fireworks, and a BBQ with IDF soldiers.  I climbed Masada, floated in the Dead Sea, rode camels, looked out over Lebanon from Rosh Hanikra, visited Tsfat, Akko, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, ate everywhere from gorgeous restaurants to market sabich stands (and ate and ate and ate…).  I experienced Israel with other women from my state and country, but also with a small group of women who were until almost 3 weeks ago, retired IDF officers and commanders.  These women have now been called up and instead of trading photos of our kids, we are sending prayers and receiving photos of them in their IDF uniforms.  Connecting to Israel during my trip was more than JNF trees and dutifully singing Hatikvah like when I was 10 years old.  I felt a true, yet unexpected, connection to the people and the land.

As I crisscrossed Israel, travelling to places I had only seen in pictures, I truly began to understand that the message “Welcome Home”, was actually for all of us.  While I was at the Kotel, someone asked me, “how many of your family members, your ancestors, have stood here with their hands in this place?”  The truth is, none that I know of.  But something deep in my soul understood that this was in fact, a homecoming.  Israel is home for all of us, regardless if we have been there once or countless times.  Israel is our home, even if we have never stepped foot on the land.  I hope for everyone to feel that deep sense of connection that I was able to experience.  Israel will be waiting to welcome us home again.

Am Yisrael Chai.

Becky

Keeping Connected     October 2023

I’m wondering… how did I get here?  Maybe you’re wondering the same thing?  Not in an existential kind of way, though that may be a thought for these days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur… but I mean, how did I end up standing in front of you on Rosh Hashanah morning, delivering the President’s speech?

The truth is, this is perhaps a role that has been generations in the making.  For those of you who don’t know me, I grew up at Congregation Shalom.  I had my Bat Mitzvah here with Rabbi Bard, my Confirmation with Rabbi Perry.  I was a religious school teacher as a high schooler, a Shalomites board member and President.  I was an advisor when I was in college.  I got married here in this sanctuary.  As I was growing up, I watched my mother involve herself in temple life.  I would see her already very busy calendar fill with temple activities – youth commission meetings, executive committee meetings, board meetings.  There would be special projects, events or fundraisers that she would commit herself to.  Maybe that commitment wasn’t a surprise for her, because she watched her father, my grandfather, as a founding member and President of the North Shore Synagogue in Syosset, NY.  He was involved in the purchasing of the land and the building of the temple, as well as the hiring of the first Rabbi there.More