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TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Aron and Miriam White

Aliyah Diaries

he great Ernest Hemingway once gives new meaning to the words we say is often enjoyed by those who come
wrote that change occurs “grad- three times a day – םילשורי הנוב, “who decades later.
Tually, and then suddenly.” builds Yerushalayim,” which is written Making aliyah in 2020, we feel like
in the present. The cranes, diggers and
For us, this really captures the journey of that grandchild eating from the tree
our aliyah. We began the process almost workmen spread throughout the city planted by his grandfather. 70 years ago,
a year before we actually arrived, and are living fulfilments of this blessing Israel was a nascent society, trying to
– we can see Yerushalayim being built
gradually chipped away at everything absorb Holocaust survivors and Jewish
we had to do. There are so many aspects every day, with new parks, light-rail refugees. Many of the cities we know
lines and homes being built every day.
that have to come together to make so well, like Beit Shemesh, Efrat and
alm
ud, t
her
e
In t
aliyah happen – bureaucracy, trying In the Talmud, there Modiin, didn’t even exist then. The
he T
p
a
i
s a c
ting st
or
y
tiv
a
to find a place to live, is a captivating story entire Israel had maybe a handful of
of Choni, who
packing up a lift, of C honi, who yeshivot, and at that point, one couldn’t
encounters a man
saying goodbye encounters a man visit the Kotel and the Old City of
planting a carob
to family and HDR planting a carob Yerushalayim. When we arrive in the
tree. Choni asks
friends and so tree. Choni asks Land in 2020, we experience a totally
him how long
much more. And him how long different country – a thriving and
it takes for the
of course, when it takes for the bustling country of over nine million
carob to bear
COVID-19 hit, carob to bear citizens. Within walking distance from
fruit, and the
everything was fruit, and the our apartment, we have dozens of shuls,
man informs
delayed by months. man informs schools, shops and parks. And more
him it t
e
ak
s 70
But then, after this him it takes 70 is being built all the time. From Torah
years. Choni is
year-long process, years. Choni is institutions to start-up companies,
en a
.
k
ac
b
ak
we then made aliyah t taken aback. there are so many areas in which Israel
Why plant
so suddenly! Why plant a a is expanding every day. This has all been
e
t w
ill
e t
ha
tr
tree that will planted over the past seven decades, by
We got on the plane, not pr ov ide Jews from Israel and from around the
not provide
experienced the fruit for world, and we are the beneficiaries.
for
fruit
incredible moment of de c ade s?
de c ade s?
touching down in our The man This realization is humbling but
The man
new home, and then ans wers inspiring. It is our job to not only enjoy
ans wers
special government Portrait 1:1 that he is the fruits of their labors but to plant
that he is
helpers escorted us off Short video Video Photo planting new seeds too. Through our collective
planting
the plane and personally t the fruits efforts, we all are trying to continue
uit
he f
r
s
whisked us through the f for his to build and support Israel, so our
hi
or
s
airport. Only three hours children, children and grandchildren can enjoy
r
e
i
h
c
d
n,
l
after touching down, we not f or those fruits. As we celebrate the New
not for
were already processed and himself. Year for Trees, we feel blessed to be able
had arrived in our apartment Choni to plant ourselves – and trees – in the
(the government pays for then falls Land of Israel today.
the taxi from the airport). asleep for 70 years, and when
One disclaimer – we had the he wakes up he sees a man gathering Rabbi Aron and Miriam White made
somewhat special situation of being the carobs from the tree. He asks the man if Aliyah in October 2020. Miriam previously
taught at Yeshiva University High School
only people on our flight making aliyah, he is the one who planted the tree, and for Girls (Central). Rabbi Aron is complet-
so it doesn’t always go so quick! the man replies that he is the grandson ing his semicha from Yeshiva University,
In the weeks and months since then, of the man who planted it. Whether and recently began working as the Coor-
dinator for Tzurba Community and Torah
we have been able to get to know the story is literal or not, it conveys a Projects for RZA–Mizrachi. They first met
Yerushalayim, the city we now merit powerful message. One person’s work at Mizrachi’s Shalhevet educator training
to call home. Walking the streets really program in Jerusalem.
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