I love that we were given the opportunity to do a mitzvah (good deed) within five minutes of landing back on Israeli soil.
As we dragged ourselves off of the plane, I stood around waiting for my stroller to unload while Josh went ahead a few feet with the other kids. As I was standing there, a young guy approached me.
Looking confused and nervous, he said, “Did you make Aliyah?”
Hmmmm….I was stumped by the question. Kind of random, don’t you think.
“Um,” I started to reply.
“I mean, you know, did you make Aliyah in recent years?”
“Yes…” I said, having no idea where this was going, and trying to make sense of his need through my sleep-deprived fog.
“Well, um, I just made Aliyah and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do now.”
“What?” I think I replied, a bit too loudly. “You just what? All by yourself? Where’s the group? Where are the crowds? This isn’t how we make Aliyah these days.”
“Yeah,” he started again. “I mean, someone was supposed to meet me here. But our plane is early and I just don’t know……………”
Laughing, and enjoying the surprise he was about to receive I replied. “You’ve definitely come to the right place.”
“What?”
“See that guy over there?” I said, pointing to Josh and the surrounding chaos of little, previously-cooped up boys.
“Yeah.”
“Ok – go right over to him. That’s Josh, my husband and he works for Nefesh B’Nefesh. “Today is definitely your lucky day for more reasons than one.”
Looking relieved beyond any description, he said, “Oh my gosh. You’re kidding me…”
Soon, we were escorting Gabe to the appropriate office where he was taken care of and wished a hearty Mazal Tov!
Thanks Hashem, for putting us in the right place at the right time; and thanks for welcoming us home by allowing us to welcome another Oleh home, to Israel!
Welcoming Them Home
August 26, 2012
Wow. How awesome! Gave me goosebumps. Like the Yad of Hashem directing him to you. How nice that you were greeted back with a mitzvah. Brucha Habaa.
Awww…that's amazing! Sorry for Gabe that he wasn't greeted with at least some fanfare, though 🙁
Everyone should be made to feel like a celebrity when they make aliyah. It's so much fun 🙂