Do I have news for who ever said that there is no such thing as a time machine.
This week, I and almost thirty members from our community experienced the most remarkable trip through time.
We didn't get into a spaceship, a time capsule or even use a magic wand. We visited a land that showed us buildings built over two thousand years ago. We walked on streets built by the Romans. Traced the steps of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Kings David and Solomon and many of our peoples greatest scholars. We saw ruins of our proudest moments and those of incredible tragedy and tears. We stood in water cisterns, in tunnels and climbed many, many stairs. We visited the tombs of our patriarchs and even those of Adam and Eve. We gained a new understanding of the effort it took to build G-d's magnificent palace, the Holy Temple and of the difficulties the Jewish people faced fighting for the land they love
And we saw cities built and rebuilt and rebuilt again. Tens of times. Because the Jewish people are the quintessential perseverists. And there, I created a word! Because there is no better way to say it. We built, we created; they burned, smashed and killed. We came back and started over. They came for us again, tortured and destroyed. But the Jewish resolve was always stronger than their sticks and stones and we built again.
A highlight of the trip perhaps, was walking through the ruins of the Masada Fortress in the Judean desert. A sad and rather somber cluster of ruins under the beating hot sun. We turned the corner and entered room where the synagogue once stood. It was there that they found parts of the Holy Torahs used on Masada buried beneath the ground. We were all shocked to discover it still in use. Except this time they were writing a brand new Torah, they were young Chabad Rabbis and there was air conditioning! Once we recovered from our awe that there really is Chabad everywhere and that there really is air conditioning atop Masada, the Rabbi made a suggestion any good Chabad Rabbi would and asked Jeremy Paolercio lay teffilin, a first in his life! He did. And right there, Jeremy had his Bar Mitzvah! And that's when the Masada Rabbi did what any good Chabad Rabbi would do, he brought out the L'chaim! Tears streamed and the joy was palpable. As we all sang Sham Yisrael in unison, other men used this opportunity to lay Teffilin as well, hence turning a place of sorrow and despair into one of resilience and pride.
Another proud moment was jeeping in the Golan Heights Mountain range, near the Syrian border. While riding the windy dirt roads, we noticed a fascinating thing. There were underground bunkers extremely well camoflauged and very well hidden from the naked eye. These were Syrian bunkers used during the war in 1967. So how did the Jews win this uphill battle, hidden even from the sky, in a mere two day battle?
Israel had planted a very talented and top secret spy in the lions den. Eli Cohen, was so talented that he rose to the highest echelons of the Syrian government, even being offered a cabinet position! He was privy to the most closely guarded secrets which he conveyed to the Israeli Secret Service.
Eli Cohen became a close friend of the Syrian General in charge of the Golan Heights who invited him to come see what a fortress they built there. While there he overheard the soldiers complaining that they were too hot as they were stationed on the barren volcano. The ingenious spy, immediately suggested to the Syrian General that they plant Eucalyptus trees over ALL the top secret bunkers. These trees grow quickly and will provide the much needed shade the soldiers are desperate for. The General immediately agreed.
Now, the Israelis knew just where each bunker was. Unfortunately Eli Cohen's life came to a terrible and tragic end once he was discovered to be an Israeli spy and although he was killed two years before the war, Eli Cohen had succeeded and will be forever remembered as one of our greatest heroes of all time. Jeeping through the Golan we saw for ourselves how every single area covered in trees was indeed riddled with secret bunkers.
To me, the story of how EliCohen won the Six Day War against Syria is absolute proof, that miracles happen all around us today as well. We just need to open our eyes and realize!
There is so much to speak about this incredible country but all I can say is Am Yisroel Chai! The G-d of the Jewish people is alive and well!
Shabbat Shalom
Rabbi Dovid and Chana Vigler