My apologies for not writing a blog last month but Yossi and I were travelling for five weeks in Brazil and Argentina. I did not want to travel and leave Israel and the incredible nation that it is despite how tough life here can be.

Everyone I told that we are heading to Brazil, sincerely blessed me wishing me a wonderful trip and made sure to say that we should make sure to enjoy every moment!

During our travels we attended two Chabad Shabbat services. The first was in Buenos Aires and the second was in Rio De Janeiro. I felt such profound emotions as Jews united in prayer and in October 7th collective grief. It is amazing that reading in Hebrew in the “siddur” our Jewish prayer book is the same all over the world with a few changes according to respective customs. This is a testimony of our remarkable Jewish lineage and our enduring Hebrew written prayers.

On Wednesday, February 27th we ushered in the new Hebrew month of Adar after we buried Shira Bibas and her young children Ariel and Kfir Z”L (May their memories be of eternal sacrificial blessings). We heard the agonizing eulogy of Yarden Bibas and Shiri’s sister and we all wept worldwide tears of heart stabbing magnitude.

Collective pain transcends in a time-stricken way and lives in a constricted chamber of sorrow inside the heart. Yet the energetic forces of love and compassion have no boundaries and have an infinite lifespan.

Returning to Israel after being away five weeks felt like finding my way back to a place that I love and where I feel that I belong. This is the place where time and time again Jews in the Diaspora pray in Hebrew that next year in Jerusalem they will return to Zion.
The Hebrew word for time is ‘zman’ consisting of 3 letters “zayin” “mem” and “noon”. This root derivative can also be conjugated into a verb that invites ‘le-hazmeen’.

Last week we were invited to the celebrations of Purim where we dressed up in costume and read from the Megillah celebrating our triumph over evil. During this month of Adar we are summoned to be happy many times over during the entire month.
Our remaining hostages are not home yet, and this prevents us from being happy. October 7th, 2023 is etched in history and is painstakingly recorded as the worst tragedy for the Jewish people since the Holocaust.

One thing I know for sure is that being Jewish on our timeline of over 3000 years in exile is a formula that equates survival, tragedy and sorrow with resilience, choosing life and celebrating our existence in the land of Zion. This place is known worldwide as our beloved complicated country called Israel.

And another thing I know for sure is that from the river to the sea, Israel will always be!!!

Debbie Havusha
dhavusha@hotmail.com