Finding Your Home

Dear Yishai,

When you called me, I was on my way to Tekoa. I was totally amazed with the place. I'm not really sure what you mean about it being liberal ideologically, I think that that is a bad rap. What it is, which is totally unique in Israel, is a very open minded place where different types of people live togeather in a spirit of true Ahavat Yisrael. At the same time, I saw at least 4 or 5 guys with guns on their belt on Shabbat. There is also a very special Hesder Yeshivah there run by Rabbi Steinsaltz.

I saw something in Tekoa that I have never seen before in Israel. We were walking to Shul on Shabbat and a car came by us. We had to kind of part to let the car go by. As we parted, the car stopped, rolled down the window, and the people inside started to talk to the people I was walking with everyone wished each other Shabbat Shalom and asked how everyone else was doing. There were no dirty looks or judgmentalism. I think that if there was more of that kind of attitude in Israel, there would be a lot more people observing Torah.

I spent most of the rest of my time in Israel checking out Tekoa and getting to know the people there and the schools etc. I am very impressed and I hope to move there with my family in August. We can't wait.

Hope to see you in Israel soon,

Moshe