Can you keep a secret?

Well, we made it home safe and sound.  A few of us caught a few hours of sleep here & there throughout the 12 hour flight, but clearly not enough to give us a sense of "restfulness".  Standing on the bima to conduct services last night, I realized JUST how over-the-top exhausted I really was.  I must thank Cantor Fishbein and our Adult Choir for bringing the ruach to the service that I was unable to provide, as my body began to collapse on itself from having been awake (mostly) for about 48 hours.  I found myself unable to find phrases I use every week.  Happy to say that I was able to get to sleep around 9:15pm and slept through the night. 

I was a little disappointed to wake up and find that I had to find my own breakfast.  I already miss the buffets provided at every hotel.  I was grateful, however, to my son for volunteering (happily) to fix breakfast for me.  It was delicious, and made me realize how great it is to be back home with my family.

So, I realized that I left everyone "hanging" at the end of my last posting.  As I was preparing to finish typing, the Continental Airlines agent made the first boarding call -- which, as we all know, means that EVERYONE must begin rushing the gate, regardless of what rows are called.  So...I rushed along with everyone else.

Where I left off, however, is the BIG SECRET.  If ever you have a chance to visit Israel, you must add the Ayalon Institute on Kibbutzim Hill to your itinerary.  This was my second visit to this site which was the location of a secret bullet factory dug 25-feet underground.  With only one usable entrance, hidden beneath a moveable clothes washer, this factory was staffed by 45 sworn-to-secrecy kibbutzniks during the earliest days of Israel's struggle for independence and security.  The engineering, talent, and chutzpah of these pioneers is unmatched.  Yet those who participated in this part of the war-effort would say that they were "just doing their job."

In the coming few days I look forward to reviewing my photos and recalling the many remarkable experiences this trip provided for all who participated.  I also look forward to sharing my reflections with my faithful blog-readers.

Faithfully,

Rabbi Jeffrey Astrachan