If there is any one lesson that I learned in these past two challenging years is that the more you embrace the inevitable change, the easy and more amazing the ride is!

6 months ago, we felt that we want and need to go to Israel in December for two main reasons: to see our friends and families, after 3 years, and to celebrate Ben’s “bar mitsva” (1.5 year delay). Yet, at the same time, it seems like an impossible mission 1, taking all 5 of us, 2 grown ass kids, and one teen, without their partners (who were not allowed to visit since they are not Israelis), into a week of quarantine, find a flexible place to celebrate the event, a rabbi for the Aliya, and do it all against all the voices around us that says we are crazy. Well, that is not new…

The flights were changed three times, quarantine rules changed every day or two, the kids wanted to cancel, our families were terrified, but we kept on believing that if we need to be in Israel, it will happen, and we kept riding the waves of change.

I was determined to do this, yet at the same time, allowed myself to surrender completely to what is. Two weeks before the flight, we rescheduled the whole party, two days before our flight, we were still not sure we will be able to enter to Israel. The day of our flight, Israeli’s healthy ministry website collapsed, we managed to send the kids, as we stayed behind since the flight was closed before we were on it.

What did we do? Took a deep breath and continued to believe that the impossible is indeed possible, and indeed it was!

After a week of quarantine, we were free again and started our celebrations. Slowly but surly we did everything that we planned to do!

We had a beautiful “Aliya” in the “kotel” in a super sunny day in Jerusalem, we gathered the whole family and friends to celebrate with us in a beautiful venue, we spent quality time with our friends and family (we didn’t have the time to see all of you), saw some of the most unique places in Israel, ate the best food and gathered so many more sweet moments and memories.

Despite its roughness, Israel was good to us, everywhere we felt welcomed and hugged, whether in the “Shuk” (street market) or in a fancy restaurant. When I told my bestie about it, she said we brought softness and kindness with us, so we received it in return. That’s true! The only place I didn’t feel it was while driving, maybe because on the road, you can not really show who you truly are.

Anyways, after tons of carbs (the best I had in a long time), so many hugs and kisses from people I love, some very touching moments and memories, quality time with my one and only hubby and my three amazing kids, I’m heading home, to a new year and all I can think of is to thank myself and the universe, for my persistent on one hand and my ability to flow and embrace the constant change that is the main indicator of these times.

Mission impossible 2 is now in the making, here we come….