Aliyah as Rebirth

There are three years engraved on David Ben-Gurion’s final resting spot in Sde Boker:

The year he was born.

The year he made aliyah – which he considered to be the year he was reborn.

And the year he died.

We often speak of Aliyah as a journey, while drawing inspiration from the journey of Avraham and Sarah to the land of Israel as recorded in Parshat Lech Lecha.

But by describing Aliyah as a rebirth, Ben-Gurion is teaching us that Aliyah is not just a move from one country to another.

Instead, it is a metamorphosis from one life to another.

Having made Aliyah with my family 14 years ago from London (UK), I can say with absolute certainty that Aliyah has been nothing less than a rebirth.

And yet, like every birthing experience, Aliyah is not easy, and it brings its own set of birth pains.

This then brings me to ‘Shabbat Aliyah’, which is an initiative being led by Young Israel in Israel that is taking place this upcoming Shabbat (Parshat Lech Lecha) in over 40 shuls across Israel.

The concept of ‘Shabbat Aliyah’ is about celebrating the choice of olim to move to Israel while, at the same time, recognizing that this choice is likely to have involved some form of difficulty – such as leaving behind family, friends, jobs or homes.

While Young Israel in Israel has provided each participating shul with a range of programming ideas and educational resources, each is celebrating ‘Shabbat Aliyah’ in their own way.

Some are delivering special Aliyah-themed sermons.

Others are having a special kiddush.

Some are having a special Aliyah-themed parent-child learning program.

While others are also providing a space for olim in their community to speak about their journey.

Ultimately, while Aliyah involves a journey, Aliyah isn’t just about moving to Israel.

Instead, it is a rebirth.

And just as every birthing experience is unique, so too, every Aliyah story is unique.

We are thrilled that so many shuls have registered for ‘Shabbat Aliyah’, and we hope that this initiative will serve as a further way to acknowledge and celebrate those who have now made Israel their home.