Dreams DO come true!

When I was 18, I had a chance to go to Israel for a month.  However, the administration of my school said no, I can't take off and go.  It's been a dream of mine since then to go to Israel.  When I taught first grade, part of the curriculum was learning about the Land of Israel.  I taught the kids to love a country I myself had never seen.  I learned Torah, read stories, and always my heart was in Israel.  At one point, we considered making Aliyah.  Yes, I am totally willing to move a country I have never seen.

Then it happened!  All the stars lined up (JK), and now, here I am, in the Land of Milk and Honey!  

The flight was long, and very uncomfortable.  (I paid to upgrade to Delta Comfort Plus.  Problem is, I must be a little shorter than the average person (5'3"), so my legs did not hang comfortably from the seat in the recline position.  Let's just say it was a terribly long flight.  The ride to Shauly's house was also long.  I left 1 foot of snow in VA, and arrived to find Jerusalem expecting snow.  The main road to Yerushalayim was closed.  We were stuck in horrible traffic, and had to turn around and take another route.  It ended up taking well over 2 hours to get to Shauly's apartment.  At that point, it was really too late to do my first item on my itinerary, going to the Kosel.  

First thing (11:30am!), we headed out to the Kosel.  WHAT AN EXPERIENCE!  I had made sure to bring with me a shirt to be able to tear kriah on it.  You can go on eruv shabbos or rosh chodesh, but I wanted to show mourning for the loss of the Bais Hamikdash.  It was a very dreary, gray cloudy day.  It was also quite cold, in the 30s.  We went through security, and as we turned the corner, there it was in all its glory.  We tore our shirts, and went up to the wall.  There was a spot that a lady vacated, so we "claimed" it.  It was a very small spot right up against the wall.  I took the far end with a chair right near the fence.  And then I touched the wall.  I can't explain the feelings.  I was suddenly overwhelmed, and just started crying.  I started davening, and at one point, in the middle of shemonah esrai, I started crying again.  I couldn't even get the words out, so I just stood there and cried.  It was cleansing, like a Yom Kippur cry.  Here is Hashem's Holy House, and it is gone because we haven't yet earned it back.  I finished up, and then sat down to begin my tehillim.  Then it started to rain ... a few tiny drops.  And then ... came the sleet.  Tiny little balls of sleet, and nothing mattered.  I was sitting at the Kosel, a place I have dreamt about for so many years.  We finished our davening, and left.  Overall, it was a very moving and emotional visit.  A perfect start to my visit of the Holy Land.

MAY MOSHIACH COME SPEEDILY AND WIPE AWAY ALL OUR TEARS FOREVER AND EVER.