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September 11, 2009
Israel a lifelong dream
Work offered for help with Melton seminar cost.
VIOLETA MOUTAL
At the end of a two-year learning binge, chewing, relishing and ingesting ancient and contemporary Jewish writings as part of the fascinating Florence Melton Adult Mini School curriculum, my dream of visiting Israel is more alive today than ever.
A native of Mexico City, I received a traditional Jewish education both at home and at school. Mexican Jewry is known to be a committed and cohesive community. My early childhood family experiences, synagogue affiliation and attendance at a Jewish day school during my formative years, helped me to develop a very strong sense of identity as a Jew and nurtured my natural spiritual insight, curiosity and questioning. As a teenager, I dreamed of visiting Israel and living on a kibbutz surrounded by fellow kibbutzniks, working the land and ending the day sitting around a bonfire, singing and dancing the reverent tunes and marches of the newly established eretz Yisrael.
Later on, my life became more complicated. I lost my mother (z'l) to cancer when I was 19 and then got married and had children. While my desire to visit Israel remained alive, it was put on a back burner because, for many years to follow, I lived mostly in "survival mode," overcoming significant challenges that pushed me to confront my Jewish faith and eventually pushed me to develop a resiliency to believe (ani ma'amin) and remain hopeful. And here I am, now in my midlife ... still dreaming, seeing myself mirrored in the faces of my two beautiful daughters, whom I have raised on my own and whose Jewish identity and passion emulate my own. Only this time, I can really feel it coming. The time feels right.
My Melton studies have built momentum and have provided the context in which a visit to Israel with a Melton seminar is a natural step. My various conversations with the Melton faculty in Israel and its alumni have been very encouraging and convincing. So, what am I waiting for? A nes gadol (great miracle).
In reality, I believe that the miracle is here. I take great pride and joy in looking back, having overcome considerable life challenges– one of which was to raise two daughters on my own, without financial or family support in a new country and new culture. I don't know how I did it. Raising children is the most sacred, demanding and rewarding experience anyone can ever have.
At the Melton graduation ceremony on June 16 at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, I delivered a speech. In it, I used the metaphor of my Melton learning experience as that of a feast, sampling a substantial assortment of symbolic dishes, of which I could only consume small bites, leaving me hungry for more. Following is an excerpt of my speech:
"Each dish nourishes a different part of me, and together, the festive meal appeals to all my five senses. As I chew, savor, swallow and digest each dish, I reclaim a part of me." Some of what I reclaim are: "My connection to Hashem / My connection to parents and children / My connection to all Creation.
"I reclaim ... / My Covenental Legacy / My gift of free choice / My commitment to passing on the Torch.
"I reclaim ... / The suffering of my people / The suffering of all people / The vision of a world of peace.
"I reclaim ... / My human capacity for compassion and kindness / My courage for justice / My strength of faith.
"I reclaim ... / The Divine Spark in Me / The Divine Spark in You / Our mutual need for love and acceptance.
"I reclaim ... / My link to the past / My gratitude for the present / My Hope for the future.
" I reclaim ... / My yearning for meaning / My awareness for purpose / My path toward holiness."
Over the past several years, I have reached out to various local community organizations, seeking a grant that would allow me to visit Israel, such as Birthright, which is available internationally to young adults. Unfortunately, while there are grants and funding supports for Israel programs for young adults, there is nothing available for anybody over 30 years old.
My new plan is to invite private and community donors to come forward and help make my dream of "Next year in Jerusalem" come true. In exchange, I am willing to contribute time and skill to a good cause and/or Jewish organization that can benefit from my Jewish spirit, expertise and love for Israel. Being fluent in three languages, I am a certified provincial language instructor and I have strong administrative, interpersonal and organizational skills. Interested donors may contact the Jewish Independent, Box 5146, #200-291 East 2nd Ave., Vancouver, B.C., V5T 1B8.
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