Aliyah Diary: Part 6

How heavy are the bags?! Do we have enough diapers for the babies?! Do we have everything we need?! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

It’s here!! The day is here.

Today is the day that our dream becomes a reality. I am not sure that it has really even hit me yet… This has been years in the making. Years of heart-wrenching longing for Eretz Yisroel, years of plans falling through, and realizations that the time just wasn’t right… But it is now… The time is finally right!!

Our apartment is long empty, the keys have been returned, all of our errands have been run, our suitcases are packed into our rented SUV, and we are about to head out the door to drive to Newark Airport. In a few short hours from now, we will be boarding the airplane that will carry us to our new life in the land we have so yearned for.

Before we leave, I wanted to thank all of my family, and friends who helped get us to this place in our lives. We leave behind so much love, care, and beautiful memories. We are leaving behind the place that made us.

I know that this journey is not going to be easy. Am I prepared? I have no idea what it means to be prepared for this… There is no way for me to know the challenges that lie ahead of us. However, there is one thing that I do know… I do know that in just hours from now, I will be able to look out of the window as we come into land at Ben Gurion, and with tears rolling down my cheeks, repeat the line that my father has always repeated. I will be able to say “I’m home”. And this time, I will mean it…

Getting in the car soon!! See ya’ll later!!

Love you all,

-Yoni