The following was the first thing I wrote on this blog (which was a newspaper column at the time.) Six years ago today.

First Thoughts

July 14, 2005
“Today is the Tomorrow that We Longed for Yesterday”

The words from one of my favorite songs could not have been more appropriate as we waited to disembark from the Aliyah flight. After years of longing, we were finally about to step off the plane as citizens of Israel. I thought of all the pain of leaving the family and friends we loved. I was anxious about what our new life would be like. At the same time, I felt so proud that we had finally taken this step – that we had done what we talked about so often.

The flight had been like no other. The plane was an all-Aliyah charter sponsored by Nefesh B’ Nefesh. Exhausted but proud, we listened as we were welcomed “home.” Just hearing the word “home” brought tears to my eyes.

We stepped off the plane into the sunshine and heard our friends screaming for us from the other side of the barricade. They had made Aliyah the year before and had inspired us in our decision. I cannot relate the feeling of joy as I ran over and jumped the barricade into their welcoming arms. Our new lives in Israel had begun.

 So now, here we are, six years later. We are facing an ordeal that makes making Aliyah seem easy. We are shedding tears, but this time not from a happy feeling of accomplishment, now they are tears because we are afraid. Our friends who were screaming from the other side of the barricade are still with us, holding our hands and being our “rocks.”

We look back at the last six years, and have to say they have been the best of our lives. While we relished our times at Colgate, Washington, and Maryland — there is nothing that could ever compare with waking up each morning and looking out over the rolling hills of this holy land. Maybe we have been remiss sometimes in thinking how incredibly fortunate we are to have found this place, this Neve Daniel.

We hope and pray that the next six years will be even more rewarding.

Stella will begin chemo next week. And believe me, she know that thoughts of thousands — from neighbors we met in the last few years to childhood friends — from as close as next door to as far as America, Scotland, Ireland will be with her.

Give us some e-mails to read during chemo.

We hope that everyone reading has a Shabbat Shalom — A Sabbath of Peace.

Yarden & Stella