Modern Role Models (Part 11)
Posted 8/3/2005
By Dov Gilor

Aliyah to Israel helps the country grow and remain a dynamic leader of the modern world. The Nefesh B`Nefesh Organization (NBN) encourages aliyah and smoothes the way for each oleh to have a happy and successful aliyah. Each installment of this series will present some of the stories of these modern role models who have come on aliyah in the past few years. Make your plans today to join your fellow Jews who are fulfilling the mitzvah of Yishuv Eretz Yisrael (populating the Land of Israel).

Ari Abramowitz made aliyah on July 23, 2003. As a fourth generation Texan, he grew up feeling the exile. There are not very many who identify themselves as Jews in Texas, and he often felt that he knew them all. ``I could not fathom a country of Jews living in the land which the Bible promised and speaking the language it was written in. It seemed too much of a fairytale. I was not blessed with visiting Israel until my late teens, and until then, my associations with the Land of Israel were rather morbid and abstract. At the age of 13, I began doing Chevra Kadisha, the ritual washing of the dead before burial. The last thing done before the coffin is closed is that a little bag containing land from Israel is poured over the eyes of the deceased so Israel is always with them. Therefore death was my very first encounter with the land itself.``

At the age of 18, after finishing high school, Ari decided to spend a year in Israel learning the Torah, with which he was only superficially acquainted. This, he felt, ``was the first year of the rest of my life. Waking up every morning to see the rolling hills of Jerusalem and learning the Torah, which can be understood at its highest levels only in Israel, was, to me, a divine gift granted after two thousand years of prayer. The only question I was left with was how and why any Jew would choose to live anywhere else.``

After spending a semester in university and after conducting lengthy negotiations with his parents, he returned and spent five months in an Ethiopian absorption center, enrolling without realizing it was solely for Ethiopians and being accepted without them realizing that he was not Ethiopian. ``The experience was priceless; the Ethiopians were warm, friendly, and welcoming. We were united by our excitement and gratitude to be living in this beautiful land, and I developed relationships which I still cherish.``

Ari then joined the Golani Brigade of the Israel Defense Forces. Without a doubt, this experience was the best of his life. He developed a strong grasp of the Hebrew language, was in peak physical condition, and most importantly he learned what he was capable of accomplishing. He was honored to serve in Hebron, the land Abraham purchased as a burial site. The community would regularly come to various guard positions to give food, drink, thanks, and encouragement to the soldiers. He also served in Lebanon where he helped protect the northern border of Israel from murderous terrorist attacks, and he always remained conscious of the privilege of serving in the first Jewish army since the times of King David.

Although Ari tried to play down the danger when speaking to his parents, their anxiety was clearly taking its toll. Upon completing his service, his parents begged him to take a ``study break,`` and return to the safety of America to get his degree. He reluctantly agreed and during his second week at Yeshiva University, he was stabbed in the back and in the arm while walking down 189th Street in New York City. The police theorized that it was a gang initiation to stab a Jew, which he clearly was. Miraculously, although the wound was deep, he emerged unscathed. The entire incident he deemed worthwhile just to be able to tell people, ``You think it is dangerous in Israel? Well I...``

Ari concluded his studies and returned to Israel. He recently returned from a month of reserve service on the border between Gaza and Egypt. There he was able to see the Jewish communities in Gaza; heroes who live mere kilometers from murderers who want nothing more than their deaths. He was humbled by the love and dedication that these Jews have for their land and their people and he was very thankful to them for serving every day on the front lines, serving as a buffer between Israel`s enemies who view all Jews as settlers and all of Israel as a settlement.

Since his aliyah, Ari with his friend and Reserve commander, Jeremy Gimpel, has co-founded an organization called Admil, which is an acronym in Hebrew for Admat Yisrael — The Land of Israel. They are a group of Israeli Soldiers who have recently completed their tours of duty and their new mission is to spread the light of Israel to the world. In addition to speaking to many Jewish and Christian groups throughout Israel and the US, they have created ``The Land of Israel Necklace.`` The necklaces are all-handmade in Israel and consist of clearly delineated naturally colored layers of earth from significant places throughout Biblical Israel. The necklace is literally a way to keep the land close to your heart wherever you are in the world. ``Israel is not something for which we should mourn as it has been throughout our long exile; it should now be a source of pride and celebration. That is the message of my life and my aliyah — Keep The Land of Israel close to your heart.`` (see picture) For additional information, visit www.thelandofisrael.com

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Benzion and Tal Shamberg moved to Israel from Baltimore, MD. They are both starting college now. In the USA, they worked at different odd jobs. Tal worked at Starbucks, as a secretary, and as a nanny and was the director and producer of the annual Tu B`av Women`s music concert in Baltimore, MD. Benzion worked as an artist assistant and an E.M.T.

Tal is studying in college in the Shomron and Benzion is working in Petach Tikvah. They live in Tel Aviv, but are planning to move at the end of the summer to a Yishuv in the Shomron. They came to Israel because, ``Israel is the most fitting place for a religious Jew to start his or her life. It is where we as Jews belong and the only place to observe the mitzvah of Yishuv Haaretz.``

They are very satisfied with their new life and feel that it is adventurous. They received a great deal of support from their Israeli family.

Their advice to you is: ``Make aliyah as soon as you can. The earlier you come, the easier it will be. Do not try to live an American lifestyle here, it does not work. Spend your time first being absorbed into Israeli society; Ulpan, Army, touring, etc.``

They strongly recommend that you come via Nefesh B`Nefesh. ``They are awesome!`` Save up some money before coming. Do what you can to support the people risking their live, for us to keep every inch of our G-d given right to Eretz Yisrael.``

Comments may be sent to dov@gilor.com.