The last day of the group...

(L-R: Rabbi Moshe Kushner, Rabbi Leonard Matanky, myself, Rabbi Schwartz, shlit"a, Rabbi Alan Abramson in Volozhin)

Today marks the last day that the group will be together in Israel. (I am staying a couple more days, but I will write about that later).

Our day began with a briefing by David Roet (fomerly of the Chicago Consulate office), the Director of Resource Development & Public Affairs Unit for the Jewish Agency. He reported on various items such as:

* The upcoming elections in the USA

* How Israel has a stake in the Diaspora Jews and how the average Israeli child does not know much about many Diaspora communities and how that needs to change.

* The issue of Iran being a WORLD issue and not only an Israel issue (and the world needs to "wake up")

Next we visited Ulpan Etzion. This is the very first Ulpan set up in 1949. Amazingly, they have taught English to over 20,000 people, housed thousands of students and helped the Klitah (absorption) of them as well. Our session included a half dozen or so students from: USA, South Africa, Columbia, Argentina, Russia, Serbia and France. To hear their comments about what this facility means to them in terms of their Klitah and their Hebrew education.

We then had the opportunity to share our reflections of this trip. It was a VERY emotional meeting as we all shared various high points and items that touched our neshama. I spoke about the man whom we visited in Belarus in his home. I said that it occured to me that on my Starbucks card I had more money than he received from the Belarus government in a month! How sad...what a different world he and I live in. Thank G-d he has the resources that are available to him through JDC. Each person's story truly touched ME as to what was emotion-laden to THEM.

At this point the group split up for the afternoon to re-group later at the Kenesset. I did not re-join the group for that session as I had other itmes to tend to. Among them was a "funny" story and an interesting evening. The story...I had a ride with (no name!) to meet my in-laws in Pisgat Ze'ev. We took a slightly wrong turn and ended up driving through a little of Shu'afat (on the wrong side of the security fence!). No problem...just keep this to yourselves :)

The interesting evening....I was invited to speak at the seminary MMY to the student body. I spoke once again about Tefilla and it was truly a wonderful experience. It also brought together two "old" friends from Shaalvim (myself and Rabbi Baruch Felberman) which made for a great evening!

And now the "official" mission time is over. I must say that this was a great group and a great trip. I am proud to have been a part of this and to have had the opportunity to do this as well .My thanks go to Rabbi Gedaliah Dov Schwartz, shlit"a, Rabbi Yehiel Poupko, Jeffrey Cohen, Rabbis Leonard Matanky and Carl Wolkin (as leaders), all the members of the group and of course to the Federation for all the hard work on this trip (special mention MUST be made of Sandi Kaplan and Melissa Chapman).

While this blog will continue for the next couple of days, there is one other item I MUST mention. I have had occassion to mention to many people here in Israel that IYH we will be making Aliya in 2009. The response, support and offers of assistance have been manifold and genuine.

So, that is it for today and I look forward to being in touch again soon.

Have a great day!