Page 40 - Holyland Magazine - 2018 Edition

World, my great grandparents were true
Zionists, and their destination was the biblical
homeland of the Jewish people, Israel, or, as
the region was called at that time, Palestine.
Packing up what valuables they could carry
on their bodies, our large family split into
five small groups, each led by one of the
brothers or uncles, and headed into the
troubled continent on their long journey to
Zion. Joining millions of
other refugees driven
across thousands of miles
scarred by battlegrounds,
destroyed communities
and anxious masses
of humanity, our five
small groups slowly and
painstakingly made their
way to predetermined
rendezvous points on
their long and dangerous
journey.
Grandpa and his young
bride were sent ahead
as scouts. Their mission
was to reach Palestine,
establish some sort of
a beachhead, and send
word that they had arrived
safely and that the rest of
the family could follow. However, running out
of options and funds along their dangerous
journey, grandpa bought grandma passage
on a ship headed to Jaffa with their last coins,
and he himself continued the journey on foot.
Joining one of the Aliya (immigration to Zion)
groups organized by Joseph Trumpeldor, the
legendary Zionist fighter and leader, grandpa
crossed a hostile continent, enduring hunger,
danger and constant hardships on his way
to the dream of every Jew - Zion.
While grandpa was walking, grandma
arrived at her destination and was carried
off the ship to the shore of Jaffa by Turkish
laborers. There she waited for her husband
for an entire year, and though we know very
little about her activities and livelihood at the
40
time, we know it could not have been easy to of new hope and renewed life were, and still
care for herself on her own, stay safe amidst are, inspired by the Almighty.
waves of refugees and pioneers seeking safe
haven in the new land, and keep her faith And what did they find in the ancient
alive. homeland? What awaited them in the land
of their dreams? More dangers, hardships,
We do know that when grandpa finally malaria infested swamps, arid deserts and
arrived in Jaffa, weakened by sickness and hostile neighbors. The difference, however,
malnutrition after having traversed across was that now they were fighting not just to
Eastern Europe, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and survive as pilgrims and refugees scattered
around the world;
now they were
Jerusalem old city wall fighting for the right
to live as a nation
born anew in their
own homeland.
Now, they became
Ezekiel’s “dry bones”
coming back to life.
The question God
asked the prophet
long ago, “Can these
bones live,” was a
sobering question
that required a
real answer. The
scenario the prophet
was shown was
hopeless and
seemingly beyond
repair, as the word of
Palestine on foot, he made a statement that God described it as (1) being a valley “full of
still reverberates throughout our family’s
generations. Grandpa wrote in his diary, bones,” (2) that they were “very many,” and
“The entire year-long journey seemed to him
to have lasted for only one day in light of the (3) that they were “very dry.” Ezekiel 37:1&2.
great joy of reuniting with my young bride on
the shores of the ancient homeland.” In other words, a dreadful situation that was
Countless families in Israel can relate similar beyond human repair or healing; a condition
tails of faith, sacrifice and courage as Jewish
people from the four corners of the earth left that would require a miracle to reverse! No
the 2,000-year-old diaspora and joined the
great flood of hope and faith as they returned wonder the prophet’s answer was “O Lord
to Zion. Against all odds and at great
sacrifice, Jewish pioneers were drawn as if God, you know.”
by an invisible and powerful force to come
back home. All those who love the word of This year, as Israel is celebrating its 70th
God believe that these unstoppable waves anniversary as a reborn nation, I hope
you will travel with us to Israel, where faith
becomes sight, and meet some of these "dry
bones" coming back to life face to face.
The author is the Director of Biblical Tours with
Genesis Tours.
www.bibletours.com