Page 5 - HaMizrachi #29 Yom HaAtzmaut 2021 USA

TORAT MIZRACHI

Rabbi Elie and Dr. Rebecca Mischel

Go Home Jacob

hen we married 16 years ago, On a deeper level, turning 40 this year There are times when G-d speaks
we were on the “five-year strikes us as an opportune time to take through Prophets, but there are also
Waliyah plan.” Rebecca would the leap. The Mishna in Pirkei times when the words of those Prophets
get her doctorate and Elie would finish Avot teaches that “with the age of 40 are written on subway walls and tene-
law school, because it was realistic for comes understanding.” Bnei Yisrael ment halls, when G-d’s message reaches
an American to practice corporate law achieved a new level of understanding us from the most unlikely places. “Go
in Israel. We had our plan! of life as they entered the Land after 40 home Jacob, go home!” Watching this
But as we soon learned, life was more years of wandering in exile – a transfor- scene unfold in Minneapolis, we heard
an echo of similar words uttered thou-
complicated than our plan. Elie wasn’t mation we hope to experience ourselves. sands of years ago, to the original Jacob.
satisfied with corporate law and began At the same time, our decision to make
exploring assistant rabbi positions. aliyah is based on more than purely After living in exile for 20 years in
Before we knew it, we were pursuing personal considerations. In the last Lavan’s house, Ya’akov was confronted
a different dream, and living a deeply two years alone, we’ve seen a spate of by an angel of G-d: “I am the G-d
meaningful life as a community Rabbi antisemitic attacks in America, from of Beit-El, where you anointed a mon-
and Rebbetzin. Between long-term extremists on both the left and the right. ument, where you vowed to Me a vow.
projects, lifecycle crises, and the day- Never before has our community felt Now arise, leave this land and return to
to-day intensity of work and family life, so vulnerable, and so afraid to speak its the Land of your birthplace” (Bereishit
the aliyah dream slowly moved to the mind. Rav Meir Simcha of Dvinsk, in 31:13). “Go home Jacob, go home!”
backburner of our consciousness. an oft-quoted passage, explains that we
are experiencing a pattern of events that It cannot be said enough that we are
When we shared our aliyah plans with living in miraculous times; that we are
the Livingston community, we were has repeated itself throughout our exile: blessed to witness events our great
astounded by the reaction. The vast “For the thousands of years that swept grandparents could only dream of. It is
majority of the congregation reacted in over the diminutive nation, so weak and awe-inspiring to play our small role in
the same way: “We wish we were going helpless, it was the way of Divine Prov- fulfilling the great hope of the Jewish
too!” Rav Ya’akov Moshe Charlap writes idence that they would rest for close to people: “Sound the great shofar for our
that “the nature of a Jew is opposed to a hundred or two hundred years. After- liberty, and raise a banner to gather our
exile, and is constantly seeking ways to wards, a storm wind would emerge and exiles, and gather us together from the
leave exile and return to the root of his give rise to many waves; it would destroy, four corners of the earth…” May we
nature” (Mei Marom, Volume 6, Chapter decimate… and it would remind them merit to soon see all of our people return
57). with a raging sound and an earthquake: home, in joy and celebration!
“You are a Jew. Who made you into a
Still, why now? Why give up meaningful man? Go for yourself to a Land you do This article is reprinted courtesy of the
jobs that we both love and are deeply not know...” (Meshech Chochma, Vayikra Yeshiva University Benjamin and Rose
grateful for to make aliyah this summer? 26:44). Berger Pesach To-Go 5781, www.yutorah.
The answer is multilayered. org/togo/pesach.
At a protest this past spring, Jacob Frey,
With children already in high school, we the Jewish mayor of Minneapolis, was Rabbi Elie Mischel is the Rabbi of Congre-
feel the clock is ticking. In a few years, speaking with a crowd of angry protes- gation Suburban Torah in Livingston, NJ.
and an Ambassador of the Orthodox Israel
our older children will be graduating tors. The crowd began to scream at the Coalition.
high school and leaving home. Though mayor, over and over again: “Go home Dr. Rebecca Mischel is the Director of Guid-
we are far from old, our window for Jacob, go home!” Defeated, Jacob Frey ance at The JEC Lower School in Elizabeth,
making aliyah together as a family is slowly walked away with his head down. NJ. They will be making aliyah with their
closing. “Go home Jacob, go home!” family this summer.

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