"I think my grandfather would be proud."

Yom revi'i, 24 Av 5770.

  Yeshiva Bochur and friends greet new olim who plan to serve.  
Photo credit: Jacob Richman

Yesterday morning, 234 new olim from North America landed in Israel, with the help of Nefesh B'Nefesh.  Of those new immigrants, 85 have arrived with the intention of serving in the Israel Defense Forces.

In honor of them, and of our new IDF Paratrooper, I would like to share a short video. Thank you all for your service to our country.

The following introduction is from my friend and fellow blogger, Devra, who writes several blogs under the nickname Ye'he Sh'mey Raba Mevorach. 

If you haven't heard of the movie, Defiance, look it up and see it. Amazing true story of two brothers, the Bielskis. After the Nazis murder their parents and one brother they become partisans and, incidentally, save about 1200 Jews from the Nazis. The grandson of one of the Bielski brothers is now a chayal boded. This clip is an interview with him.

Defiance is an awesome flick.

                                                                                            Film produced by Friends of the IDF

"I think my grandfather would be proud."

Yeah, Elan.  We think so, too.

Some of our Baltimore heroes:

                                              Yaakov Abergel
                                              Ami Bennett
                                              Aryeh Eastman
                                              Josh Eastman
                                              Michoel Nathan
                                              Jeremy "Petey" Petersen
                                              Yehoshua "Josh" Reznick
                                              Aaron Dovid Schwartz
                                              Yaakov Tenenbaum
                                              Meir Verschleisser                                  Thanks, guys.


Glossary:
Olim: new Jewish immigrants to Israel
Chayal boded: "lone soldier" -- a soldier who serves in Israel while his parents live outside the country

238 more reasons for dancing on Tu B'Av

Yom revi'i, 15 Av 5769.

After so much sadness, yesterday was a great way to prepare for the special joy of Tu B'Av.

"There were no holidays so joyous for the Jewish People as the Fifteenth of Av (and Yom Kippur) for on those days, daughters of Yerushalayim would go out dressed in white clothing and dance in the vineyards located on the outskirts of the city."  [Mishna, Masechet Taanit 4:8]

Another planeload of olim landed at Home, courtesy of Nefesh B'Nefesh, El Al, and the Jewish Agency.  It included 55 young people whose first goal in life is to strengthen the IDF with their vigor and idealism.  One of these is a young man who decided to leave West Point to fight for his People in his Land.

Among the olim were the head of the largest greeting card company in America, the head of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins, and a musician who backed up the likes of Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, Miles Davis, Seals & Crofts, and the Doors.  We hope to be privileged to jam with him here in the yishuv, as rumor has it he has family here...

For folks back in the Old Country, Penina looks beautiful, the married Goetz daughter and baby look radiant.  Mrs. Colabella is of even greater regal bearing than in the past.  Israel will be richer and even holier, now that these precious Baltimore neshamot have arrived.

Welcome Home, dear family.  May we dance together through many joy-filled days in Yerushalayim ha'Bnuya!

To see great pictures of this event, check out Jacob Richman's always-amazing photos, as well as the extremely professional shots at the Nefesh B'Nefesh site.  Bring a box of tissues, if your heart swells with the thought of filling our holy Land with the Jewish people.