In Parshat Re’eh (Dvarim 11:31) we
read the famous words “For you shall pass across the Jordan to come to inherit
the land that HaShem, your God is giving you, you will inherit it and will
dwell in it.”
Rashi quoting Sifrei comments that
the miracles of the Jordan river (it miraculously split like the Red Sea so
that B’nai Yisrael could pass through) will be a symbol for you that you will
enter the land and take possession of it.
Just as God miraculously brought us
to the Land of Israel, so too will He take care of us while we are there.
As the new school year begins, we
look back on a summer where 6000 olim (new immigrants) arrived in Israel from
countries including Russia, France, The USA, Brazil and Belarus.
Many of these olim are children who
will now have to adjust to a new language a new culture and a new school
system.
Twelve years ago we were in their
shoes when Dov, age 4 1/2 started kindergarten in Jerusalem just two days after
making aliya.
Dov, now fluent in both Hebrew and
English is starting 12th grade at Himmelfarb high school. Last
night, the school announced that they accepted many new olim from different
countries and they will be opening up special ulpan classes for those students
to help them catch up and acclimate.
As long as the new olim are made to
feel at home they will keep coming.
Packing up your entire life and
moving to a different part of the world is not easy. However, when one is made
to feel welcome when they arrive the absorption is made much easier.
May we do what we can to help those
who would like to make aliya as well as those who have already arrived in
Israel.
