1 Month

I have been home from Israel for exactly one month today. As time always manages to do, it seems both a lifetime and a heartbeat since I left. I miss it terribly. I miss walking around, feeling that special intangible something that I can't quite put words to. I miss the Kotel, and feeling Hashem's presence there. I miss the familiarity of the streets, even those I haven't been to before. I even miss the Hebrew that I can't really understand. What's changed since my time there? I have been keeping much more in touch with current events and politics going on in Israel, because, honestly, I care a lot more. I feel it personally now. I have realized that it is the Jewish land, and that is part of me, much more so than I think New York will ever be. I want to be there, even to the point of making it a goal (though admittedly it is much more long-term than short, because as much as I don't like to be practical, sometimes I just have to be). I didn't expect to feel this way. I didn't know it would touch me so strongly. I really didn't know I would miss it so much, miss being a part of the Jewish nation, the Jewish people. Feeling like even though there are so many differences between the people there - the majority of them do have one major thing in common - being Jewish. And that's something incredibly special. I hope I don't lose this feeling, and that more regular trips are in my future in order to keep the feeling alive. For now, I have set the wallpaper on my computer to an image from Israel - just to remind me every time I look at it. Have a good Shabbos!