The Lord is my shelter… He will instruct His angels on your behalf

The current situation, combined with the winter rains, makes it harder to keep moving forward with strength and positivity.

In prayer, I find some comfort. And I try to use the resilience tools that I teach my children and others.

But sometimes I think the pain is meant to just be felt.

So I let it pass through me. And I cry, a lot. Then I get up, and keep going.

I also find much inspiration in meeting other moms here. We attend Torah classes or get together for coffee during a break from work.

Just this past week I met friends who came here from around the world, including Australia, South Africa, England, as well as New York, Texas and Ohio.

In hearing their stories, I realize I’m witnessing, and living, the literal ingathering of the exiles promised to us.

“Then, G-d, your G-d, will bring back your exiles, and He will have mercy upon you. . .” (Devarim 30:3).

I speak on the phone with women in southern Israel, including Judith and Zahava. They are moms struggling emotionally and financially. So we send them deliveries of groceries and other essentials.

And each Sunday, I meet with a remarkable woman named Miriam at a kibbutz near my home.

Born in Poland, she lost her family in the Holocaust, lived in the U.S. as a “displaced person,” and made Aliyah 65 years ago.

These meetings and calls are part of the volunteer work I do with L’Chaim, extending support to seniors and families in Israel.

Though we help them get food and basic necessities, sometimes it’s more about simply reaching out to let them know we care.

I know for me personally, as a mom now living in Israel, that is often the most important thing — to feel that I’m not alone.

As Miriam likes to say, “We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

It’s humbling to connect across generations and to learn from the strength and resilience of these amazing women, who have faced unimaginable challenges.

As I sit here at my kitchen table in Israel, listening to the rain fall on my roof and watching the grey clouds move across the sky, I know that it’s temporary. This too, shall pass. The sun is still there, even if I can’t see it.

Just like G-d is always here, even if I don’t fully feel His presence. So I keep going, trying to do His work. If you would like to help, too, please reach out.

“The Lord is my shelter… He will instruct His angels on your behalf, to guard you in all your way…” Psalm 91:9-11