I was at the SSNAP conference (a coming together of Israel activists from all over the US and Canada) this weekend in Canaan, New York (what an appropriate place, right) and all of the feelings that I had at last year's conference came flooding back the second I walked in the door. Last year's conference was partly sponsered by Kumah and that was the weekend I knew I absolutely had to make aliyah as soon as I could. It was incredible for me to be around so many young people who were doing what I wanted desperately to do but what I didn't think possible. That is, making aliyah before I was married, etc. That weekend, a bunch of us, who thought we were stuck in the States for a while, after hearing the stories of all the people who had successfully made aliyah, decided to just do it. After all, what were we waiting for? It was time to go home.
We obviously could not all just get up and go (as much as we wanted to), but in our heads we all set dates. I made a deal with myself that before the age of 22 I would be an Israeli citizen.
I was in Israel this summer for 3 months and almost didn't come back. I made the very difficult decision to return for the year, promising myself that I would be returning the following summer. So that is my plan now. I am here in New York until the end of this academic year (hopefully spending winter break in Israel) and then, G-d willing, I will be in Israel this summer. I have not decided whether after doing a year at Hebrew University I will come back to finish my last semester at Barnard/Columbia, or if I will simply finish at Hebrew U. But either way, this summer is the beginning of my Aliyah. And I wanted you all to be the first to know.
This week's Parsha happens to be very close to my heart, and so explicitly appropriate for Kumah that I don't even really have to say anything:
"Vayomer HaShem el Avraham, lech lecha m'artzecha u'mimoladetecha u'mibeit avicha el ha'aretz asher ar'eka." "G-d said to Abraham, 'Go for yourself from your land, from your relatives, and from your father's house to the land that I will show you.'"
Although it may seem difficult to leave so much behind, what is ahead is unimaginably incredible. HaShem is calling out to all of us and giving us all the opportunity to be "a blessing."
Let's take HaShem up on the offer. Let's all set our dates.
Thank you Kumahniks for all your support, advice, and most of all, confidence in me. You have given me the fuel to fly.
L'shana HAZOT Yerushalayim! This year in Jerusalem!
With love,
Olivia Harris