25 Days of Israel: Day 1 - Arrival

This is Day 1 in a series of posts I have chosen to write during the time of my current - and last, for a while - trip to Israel in March 2023. My experience of Israel in these last 7 years of my residence has been vivid, inspiring, nerve wracking, debilitating, and wholly, precisely, profoundly the medicine I've needed. Words will not (yet) fully express the treasures I've received from my presence here, but I believe the commitment, challenge, and confidence of these 25 Days of Israel are a beautiful homage to their glory in my life.

For all the general talk about it, for all my talk about it, Israel is truly a godly land. At the very least, I was reminded of this by the godly welcome I received when I touched down today for the last first time in what I imagine will be quite a while.

By “godly,” perhaps I might also say well loved and well loving. Sure, there’s a lot of controversy surrounding this country - and I don’t want to minimize any of the valid challenging experiences about it, my own included - but today, I was reminded of just how much fiery, powerful love Israel also explosively contains, if only as a physical land itself.

I was in an absolutely poor state as we made our descent - I had only just made it back to my seat after nearly collapsing from lightheadedness in the plane aisle - but as I looked out across the various beautiful landscapes I’ve come to call home these last 7 years - the infinite bright coastline, the craggy smooth desert hills, the defiant stretches of evergreen Israelis best call forests - the land that has inspired explosive hearts was plainly evident.

I saw the land that moved people - moved minds and ideologies along with them. I saw the land of home and heartbreak, the host of the dramas of this human life in both comedy and tragedy. I saw the earth that is so steeped in philosophy and ideology and discovery and magic, I had no choice but to let it plant its flag in my life 7 years ago as I cried, “Hineni!”

Today, on this, my last first day, I started, from my first moments back, to complete the cycle. I felt I was mightily and entirely received by this country - a contrast to the last months and years in some ways - as my entire system received her right back.

From the “Woo Israel!” offered by a lone voice after a few renegades clapped at touchdown, to the “Adina” restaurant sign on the 3am Berlin bus, to the 11:11 at the exact moment of landing following a wave of inexplicable ecstasy, to the above and beyond VIP welcome at the Tel Aviv airport that took me express from plane to passport control to train station without my lifting a finger, to deeply kind sabras around me who further assisted the tourists I was helping along their way… Israel once again shone brightly in her true colors as I once knew and loved her.

I am choosing to leave, but she is my home. She is my romance. I have, do, and will always love her profoundly. Within this love, I recognize the closing of the chapter now that has last been and the transmutation of us all into something passionately, inspiringly next level.

Her message today: “Dream big. Live big. Love like there’s no tomorrow.”