We watched history in the making this past Monday as the US Embassy was officially opened in Jerusalem. We don’t think as many people were absorbed in this as they might be watching a final game of the Stanley Cup or the clincher of a tie in the ninth inning of a World Series game, which is unfortunate. Tears rolled down Nina’s cheeks as she “shepped nachat” from the speakers. One can say whatever they want about the words that frequently spout forth from our president’s mouth, but he has done something outstanding by moving the embassy. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu remembered vividly the days when he was not allowed to play on the street where the embassy now stands due to the threat of snipers. Each word spoken was said with humility, passion and gratitude.
We have had the opportunity to live through many other momentous events in our lifetime. We remember the days during the Korean War that we hid under our desks in school as radar sirens pierced the quiet of the day. Students were issued dog tags by the New York City school system, which Nina remembers wearing each day. These provisions were made in case of an attack in the New York city area. Eerily, no one really thought about it each day. Or, better, perhaps we didn’t because we were small children.
As years passed we lived through many other historical moments. There was JFK’s assassination on a Friday afternoon just a few hours before Shabbat was to begin. Again, Nina remembers men sitting on the LIRR “Shomer Shabbat” express leaving Penn Station, bringing observant men and women home just a few hours before Shabbat. As the train was about to pull out of Penn Station the news came over the loudspeaker, “Ladies and gentlemen, the president of the United States is dead.” Men sitting next to each other held hands and weeped. No one could believe it.
Obviously we are skipping through history. As we chanted to free the Jews behind the Iron Curtain outside of the Russian embassies in Ottawa and Montreal, strollers and wheelchair in tow, we never anticipated the thrill that we would feel when we saw Avital and Natan Sharansky finally reunited. Similarly, we could never imagine the awe we would experience as we saw Yuli Edelstein spending his first Shabbat in Alon Shvut, having had the privilege of being there at that time.
Obviously not in any particular order, there was the euphoria we felt when Yerushalayim became a united city. There have been so many passages of history through which we have been blessed to live. And now, on this day, we finally have the city of Jerusalem recognized as the rightful and official capital of Israel, thanks to the United States.
Once again, doing what is right is causing our sons and daughters in Israel the extra angst of fighting at the Gaza border and protecting our borders throughout the country. One has to wonder when there will ever be a peaceful solution to this never-ending problem. Consider the miracles to which we are exposed each day. We cannot imagine that in 1948 anyone would have considered what the state of Israel has become today. What the world does not realize is that during those days long ago when Moshe Rabbeinu received our Torah at Har Sinai, we accepted the responsibility of fighting for and defending our rights to our land. Certainly the odds have been against us so many times, as nation after nation has fought against us. The numbers have been overwhelmingly not in our favor, and yet here we are today declaring Jerusalem our capital with the help of the largest democratic power in the world. We do not know what is left for us to experience in our lifetime, but we feel confident that today’s events will probably be the highlight of world news for us.
Chag sameach to everyone, and we hope that you all feel as exhilarated as we do on the occasion of this amazing moment in history.
By Rabbi Mordechai and Nina Glick
Rabbi Mordechai and Nina Glick are living in Bergenfield after many years of service to the Montreal Jewish community. Rabbi Glick was the rav of Congregation Ahavat Yisroel as well as a practicing clinical psychologist in private practice. He also taught at Champlain Regional College. The Glicks were frequent speakers at the OU marriage retreats. Nina coordinated all Yachad activities in Montreal and was a co/founder of Maison Shalom, a group home for young adults with special needs. They can be reached at [email protected].
