Page 50 - HaMizrachi Pesach 5783 USA

I Count Everything

Sholom Feldheim

count everything. I’ve dropped off Miami. “Are you disappointed that they son-in-law shares the same first name as
my daughter Elka at Bais Yaakov didn’t stay in Florida?” Nah, I’m proud of my great-great-grandfather. So we know
212 times, left her off at Jewish day their Aliyah. “Are you going to miss your the power of a name.
Icamps 147 times, brought her to the grandson?” Um, yeah. If I wanted to see These anecdotes, like leaves, fall and scat-
homes of Jewish friends 89 times, and to my six-month-old grandson before he and
Jewish/Israel events 71 times. So you can his parents made Aliyah, I walked down a ter around the trunk of my family tree,
nourishing it and bringing life to my off-
understand that I wasn’t shocked when I twelve-foot-long hallway. Now, I have to spring, particularly my grandchildren.
dropped off Elka (for the 519th time) with fly for twelve hours – that’s a heckuva long
her husband and baby at the ElAl Termi- haul (or hall!). Aliyah is my grandson Ari’s movie. It’s a
nal for a one-way flight to the Holy Land. grand film. I rejoice when I envision a
Yes, they made Aliyah. Ironically, I did not understand Judaism or teenage Ari on a hillside wielding a hoe,
have an attachment to the Promised Land
People ask me, “Are you worried for their growing up in a rural part of New Jersey bantering to friends as they clear a plot of
land for a park, his peyot flying. Or, I see
safety?” No, I feel less secure living in with more cows than kohanim. I only knew him in a beit midrash discussing in Hebrew
that the country had loads of stones and the finer points of a Gemara. I have a clear
sand and yet produced big, delectable mental picture of Ari going off to his army
oranges. Phylacteries? I thought they
were braces a dentist used to soothe base with his assault rifle in his hands and
a siddur in his backpack. Later, I imagine
cavities. It wasn’t until becoming him laughing with friends in a cafe, drink-
observant in my 20s that I learned
about Israel, tefillin, and tuition. ing beer, and strumming guitars until the
early morning.
I understand that Jews in America Ari is oblivious to my ‘visions’. He is more
and Israel are divided not only by
an ocean but also by the notion that interested in flipping over in his crib than
one might have to give up a safe thing history or hashgacha pratit, Divine Provi-
in exchange for something holy and dence. But, someday, he will learn about
his ancestry and appreciate the meaning
miraculous.
of his parents’ sacrifice. And, on that day,
My daughter and son-in-law Ari’s life will fulfill the verse: “They shall
already knew this. They could’ve dwell in the land… They and their children
stayed in Miami and settled on and their children’s children shall dwell
making ends meet, juggling there forever.” (Yechezkel 37:25)
schedules, and carpooling. But
instead, they are engaged in a Until then, I’m proud of my ‘fam’ and feel
everything is going as planned. And, yes,
thrilling, honorable enterprise – I intend to visit them. You can count on it.
the Jewish Homeland.
They aren’t my first
family members to
make Aliyah. On an
earlier trip to Israel,
Elka discovered a
photograph of my
great-great-grand-
father hanging in a Sholom Feldheim
museum with a blurb has had his anecdotes published in ESRA and
beneath the photo Mishpacha magazine. His story “A Tale of Two
saying, ‘First Koy- Kisses” aired on National Public Radio’s Miami
danover Colo- affiliate, The Public Storyteller. He is currently
nist in Israel at work on a screenplay. Mr. Feldheim lives
[1910]’. Inter- in Miami with his wife and family. You can
estingly, my contact him at legacywriter999@gmail.com.

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