I feel really blessed.
I have just arrived in Israel to spend some time with my dear Mother and then to participate in the long awaited Trip 17.
Jwcatlanta partners with Momentum to bring women to Israel for a week long immersive experience. We have been so blessed to take 16 groups to date. Hundreds of Atlanta women have journeyed with us to Israel on this unique mom centered trip.
Trip 17 was supposed to go two years ago. The women were poised for the trip of a lifetime.
Then came October 7!
The trip was canceled, our hearts were broken by the travesty and horrific tragedy that occurred in Israel.
The following year we were set to go once again.
Yet, it was not meant to be.
It was not the right time.
And now we are waiting for our Trip 17.3 sisters to come home.
Before I left the States, I called my Rabbi and shared that I was traveling to Israel with a group of women and I asked for a blessing.
He responded that it was just the right time to go to Israel (balm to our souls Trip 17), because the portion we have coming up is Lech Lecha.
This is how Gd commands Abraham our forefather to begin the journey to the Land which He will show him.
At the time Abraham did not know where that Land is, but we know that it was the Land of Israel.
Much ink has been spilled on the words Lecha Lecha and much commentary is found for those words.
The literal explanation is that Gd was telling Abraham just to go, the destination and change of venue would be good for him.
Rabbi Shlomo Yosef Zevin, 20th century rabbi, teaches that Gd wasn’t giving Abraham a physical destination but rather a commandment to go to himself. In other words it was to be a journey of self exploration to discover his own soul and essence.
Another explanation is given by the Chassidic Master, Rabbi Alter, the first rabbi of the Ger dynasty, who shares a fascinating insight. He posits that Gd was actually saying Lech Lecha to everyone at that time. But it was only Abraham who was on a spiritual journey of self refinement and connecting to Gd, who heard the message and then acted upon it.
By embarking on this
Lech Lecha journey Abraham becomes the primary example of how to live a meaningful life.
So as Shoshana Judelman, an educator in Israel writes, Abraham personified all the aspects of Lech Lecha.
“Physically, Abraham has to leave the place where he grew up and the way he was used to doing things. But Lecha Lecha also means go for yourself. To yourself. On a spiritual and and psychological level this journey would be one of even deeper personal growth and refinement.
And it’s meant for all of us.”
She quotes Rabbi Elimelech of Luzinsk, Polish 18th century Chassidic master, who explains that Lech Lecha is a “call to come out of our comfort zones”
(I doubt that was his original language)
It means reexamining ourselves and making sure that our behaviors are properly aligned with our exalted mission.

We just landed in Connecticut. We are on the way to a Brit.
Our children had a baby boy a week ago, and we are blessed to attend the occasion.
I was struck by the confluence of events.
This Shabbat we will read of the very first Brit that took place when Gd commanded Abraham to circumcise himself
Now our grandchild will follow in those same footsteps as his great grandfather Abraham, participating in a rite of passage that is 4,000 years old.
Our patriarch Abraham had to undergo 10 challenges or tests.
These tests were designed to set Abraham up for success.
In Hebrew a test is called a nisayon.
It’s built upon the word nes.
A nes is a miracle.
A nes is also a flag.
It means that there is something to be noted in that spot, something quite miraculous.
You plant a flag to recognize the ownership of a place.
A nisayon, a challenge, highlights the greatness implanted in a person. It recognizes there is something deep and special that has now come to light.
The nisayon, the test, shines a light on an inner facet of the individual that has heretofore been buried, unexplored.
It gives a whole new context to the idea of a challenge.
We are creatures of comfort.
If you ask someone if they would like to go out of their comfort zone with any type of challenge the response is often
“I’m good”!
But what of all those inner strengths that lie beneath the surface, waiting to be mined and brought to light. Those strengths can actually change a person and in turn change the world.
I often think of the amazing institution called Shalva, located in Jerusalem.
Shalva is a treasure. It is a national gem which supports every family in Israel, be they Jewish, Christian or Muslim, who have a child with special needs.
It was borne of tragedy. A healthy toddler was given a tainted vaccination which left the child deaf, mute and blind. Rather than giving in to despair, his parents began to provide respite care to other families in a similar position. They did this in their own home.
Their desire to help families who were struggling with special needs, as they were, inspired them to create Shalva. This incredible organization is a beacon of light and hope to countless families in Israel.
It was a stop on the Lech Lecha journey of this family.
Lech Lecha means go for yourself.