I have just returned from an intense tour of Poland and a healing week in Eretz Yisrael. Once we decided to go on the Poland tour, also going to Israel was a foregone conclusion. How would I ever be able to justify traveling so far and being so close to Eretz Yisrael without visiting?! Going to Israel first was an option, but there was the worry of cancelled or delayed flights, all too common these days with flights in and out of Israel, unfortunately. If we travelled to Eretz Yisrael first and there was a delay, we could miss the entire Poland (group) tour. On the other hand, going to Eretz Yisrael from Poland meant that a delay might leave us with extra time in Eretz Yisrael; there are worse things. In fact, though, I am very thankful that we planned the trip that was. The Poland tour was intense, to be sure. It was also painful. I hadn't realized how painful it was until I was breathing the air and walking through the land of Eretz Yisrael; our land. Our land because we are the...
This is a paraphrase of the pasuk in t'hillim 84:7 -- "mei'chayil el chayil" -- which means "from strength to strength". In this case, it is my thoughts and ideas to those who are strong enough to be interested :)