A passing thought

The other night a close friend and I found ourselves sitting on my back mirpesset (porch) in sinfully comfortable hanging chairs, sipping an excellent wine from a local boutique winery, and snacking on freshly grilled spring chicken and perfectly ripe fruit that was probably picked the day before.

 
The air, which was perfumed with the scent of honeysuckle that grows along our back wall, was a perfect temperature - cool, but not chilly - with a soft sea breeze occasionally kissing our skin.

As we rocked lazily in our hanging chairs, we reviewed our week the way a well fed person might review a well laid banquet table; with appreciation but no real pressing interest.

The glasses were filled and refilled, and the conversation turned to wondering why more of our friends from 'the old country' hadn't come to the same conclusions we had about aliyah (moving to Israel).

We briefly toyed with the idea of calling up a few of them in Teaneck and Long Island, and actually asking them what was keeping them there.  Certainly it wasn't the high tuitions, health insurance costs or the need to make a fancier Bar Mitzvah than the Schwartz's.

But then we decided such phone calls weren't likely to produce fruitful discussions. 

Everyone has their reasons for staying in Galut (the diaspora)... or if not, at least for not wanting to live in Israel.  In fact, I'm sure that, with the very best of intentions, many of you will offer them here.  And every single one of you will be 100% correct (at least subjectively) in what you say.

We refilled our wine glasses and allowed the soft breeze to rock us gently back and forth... watching in the dim light as a couple of Geckos chirped back and forth on the stone of the back wall, lazily catching passing moths which flew within easy reach.