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everything for them, a person they could
have known. A person they might have
ALIYAH DIARIES called “chayim sheli” or “neshama sheli.”
I write this as I sit in Casa Lavi, one of
my favorite cafés in Jerusalem. The girl
opposite me is sipping tea and anno-
tating a page of gemara. A boy is sitting
cross-legged, absorbed in his book. A
group of friends are softly chatting. An
elderly couple is sipping their coffee. I
don’t know anyone here, but somehow,
I belong among them. Last time I was
here, I noticed that the bookshelf inside
the café has a wonderfully incongruous
selection of books. The Coffee Dictionary is
sandwiched in between Orot by Rav Kook
and the Kitzur Shulchan Aruch. What I Know
About Running Coffee Shops sits beside The
Story of Rabbi Akiva and his Times. It’s one of
those small details you come across here
that make you smile and feel connected
to this extraordinary land and its beau-
tifully eclectic mix of people. The daily The bookshelf at the Casa Lavi café.
fabric of life here is one that resonates
with me as a Jew, a setting where I feel at see the daily miracles and how, in Osna’s a quick coffee and began chatting with
home. I’m not blind to the extreme polar- wording, having returned to Israel and the couple next to us. As you’d expect, the
ization in Israeli society. And maybe I’m embraced the land, the land has embraced man was Israeli – you hear snatches of
naïve or overly optimistic. But however us back. Hebrew everywhere in central London!
our views might differ, I believe that all of – and we began speaking in Hebrew.
these people around me in the coffee shop And then there is our connection with He’d been living in London for the past
would be there for me if I need them, as I Hashem. In Eim Habanim Semeichah, Rabbi forty years. When I told him that I live in
would hope to be there for them. Yissachar Shlomo Teichtal writes: “The Yerushalayim now, his eyes widened. “At
essential point is that Hashem is waiting meshuga’at?”, “Are you crazy?”, he asked
Connection here takes other forms too. for us to take the initiative, to desire and me. The truth is, sometimes I think I am
At Zechariah’s funeral, his sister, Osna long for the return to Eretz Yisrael… when a bit crazy for moving here. But I can’t
Haberman, said, “I can’t even embrace we, of our own volition, truly and with all help thinking that sometimes in life, we
you. So I thought to turn to the ground our strength, desire and strive [to return need to be a little crazy. Life may be a little
and ask the land to embrace you. After to the land], then G-d will bring our work chaotic here, but it is also exciting. It’s full
a few minutes I understood that I didn’t to a successful end.” Somehow, being here, of life, full of meaning, full of promise of
even need to ask. The land embraces I find myself just talking to Hashem more, a vibrant Jewish future.
you so strongly… there is absolute love noticing His hand in my daily life. After a
between the son that gave everything hard day, He sends me whispers of encour-
for the land and the Land itself… You agement: a warm hug from a friend, an
are together now.” While I will always old man with a peaceful smile joyfully
feel connected to England and to British playing his violin on the street, a chance
culture, a connection to the land itself to meet someone new and wonderful.
is something I never felt there. To live These small boosts of love push me for-
here is to be part of an ancient love story ward, and I’d like to think they’re a sign
between Jews and the Land of Israel. In that Hashem is happy that I’m here, and
the 75 years since the establishment of that He wants me to be happy here. Odelia Glausiusz
the State, our people have revitalized this is a graduate of English Literature
from Kings College London. She
land and built up a high-tech democracy I recently returned to London for one of recently moved to Jerusalem, and is
in the very place where, thousands of my best friends’ weddings and was out currently in ulpan learning Hebrew
years ago, our ancestors first became a with my mum one day on Marylebone and working as a freelance writer.
self-determined nation. It’s hard not to High Street. We walked into a café for

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