By Tova Knecht
What could have prompted a family that lived in New Jersey all their lives to pick up and move 6,000 miles away? A family that was so happy living in Bergenfield, NJ with friends, family, neighbors, jobs, schools, a sense of community. A family that was by all definition HAPPY? What then prompted the change?
You see, in life we have to make choices. We have decisions that could change the path we’ve been on all along. My husband didn’t realize that uttering one sentence would be the impetus for a massive life change. All he said was, “Maybe we should think about building onto the house.”
That seems like a woman’s dream come true – a large house to decorate – more room to entertain – more bedrooms and bathrooms – a renovated kitchen.
But there was one problem. That house would forever be situated on our street in Bergenfield, NJ. And so I told my husband:
“I may not know all the words in Tanach (Torah, Neviim, Ketuvim – The Bible), but I do know that Bergenfield, NJ isn’t in there!”
I am not judging anyone for not moving to Israel – I am not saying that American Jewish communities aren’t wonderful, and flourishing, and Torah centers. I didn’t say that. What I am saying is that for my family, for my future, for my family’s future, I wanted us in Israel. Because, yes, to be honest, I feel this is the place for Am Yisrael.
He didn’t agree to it right away, he didn’t agree to it months later. I remember every Friday night meal, I’d drive him crazy talking about it. Until finally, he said OK. A little while later he had said to me, “Do you still want to move to Israel?” And I responded, “Of course, why?!” He said, “Because you haven’t said anything in a while.” I answered, “I don’t need to annoy you about it anymore, you said ‘Yes.’”
So many plans were underway – find schools, a community, an apartment, find renters to rent our home in NJ (another long story about why we didn’t want to sell right away), switch over the phones, PSEG, the mail… all the nitty gritty things you wouldn’t think about… had I been blogging all along, I’m sure there would have been a blog post for each one!
I can promise you this, I will keep blogging – how’d I not start this earlier?!
So as this is my first official blog post, I will leave you with this – keep looking towards the future..you never know where it’ll take you!
Reposted with permission from TovaInIsrael
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