It was our last day in Israel, the first week in October 2009. Alan and I chose to say our goodbyes to our families a little early and spend our last few hours in the Holyland by taking part in two special activities which we felt would be especially meaningful to us as individuals and as a couple.

It was our last day in Israel, the first week in October 2009. Alan and I chose to say our goodbyes to our families a little early and spend our last few hours in the Holyland by taking part in two special activities which we felt would be especially meaningful to us as individuals and as a couple.

Our first stop on the way to Ashdod, was at the small trailer on the road right outside Moshav Yad Binyamin, where Alan made a point to visit every time he was in Israel. This trailer housed a small food concession owned by a religious, middle-aged couple, formerly residents of Gush Katif until they were forced to leave their home. This was their “new beginning”. The schnitzel in pita that I had was exceptional, but the experience of speaking with the couple about their life challenges, sharing their tears, aspirations and love for Israel was priceless. I too, even if just a bit, was now able to share in my husband’s special feelings toward the misplaced Gush Katif community that he has put much effort into helping all these years.

Our second stop was at HaRav Hershtik’s modest home in Ashdod. As we drove towards his home, he remained with us on the phone and in his soft-spoken Israeli Hebrew, he made sure we were headed in the right direction. When we finally reached his home, this pleasant, young Hasidishe family man graciously welcomed us into his home. He insisted that we eat and drink something so that he would have the zechus of us making a bracha in his home. He then showed us to his small office where he engaged in writing our Sefer Torah. Even though he was a soft spoken, gentle person… even though this clearly was not the first time he was writing a Sefer Torah, the excitement, joy and simcha that filled his heart, so bountifully overflowed to us. The warmth and true simcha in the room grew and grew. His appreciation of the 613th mitzvah and of meeting the people for whom he was the shaliach mitzvah (messenger/tool for the mitzvah) really reached the depths of our souls. His writing was angelically beautiful and clearly a product stemming directly from his heart and soul. Feeling how the person who was helping us carry out this special mitzvah was so spiritually elevated and dedicated to Hashem and Torah was exceptionally meaningful to us. HaRav Hershtik shared with us some of the spiritual and technical aspects of writing a Torah. Only later did we realize how we surpassed by far the level of excitement and love of the mitzvah that we had before we entered Rav Hershtik’s home. We could not have imagined, nor predicted this reaction. Finally, Alan, so excited, with hands shaking, sat down and was able to write a letter for us in our Sefer Torah.

Alan and I are truly thankful to Hashem for the zechus he has given us to share in such wonderful moments and mitzvos. We are even more grateful that Hashem has enabled us to share this zechus of our Sefer Torah with our friends and community.