Very spontaneously, a few days before Pesach, I decided I needed to get away and booked a flight to E”Y. I left here on the first day of chol hamoed and returned a week later. It was b”H the most glorious week with exactly no agenda and nothing planned in advance.
My first day, I was super jet-lagged so I slept most of the day and had supper at a family friend. On the second day, I took an Egged bus to Mearas Hamachpela. Although I was still very tired and a little out of it, I had an emotional, uplifting experience. On a tour of Chevron that I took a few years ago, Rabbi Simcha Hochbaum told us, “You have zechus avos! When you daven here, don’t think small, think big!” and that thought really helped. And the next day (which was erev second days) I went to the Kosel.
I really lucked out because this year the Israelis had to keep the second day of Yom Tov, as it was Shabbos.
After Yom Tov, my first Israeli chametz was a crepe from the frozen yogurt place. (I actually wasn’t craving chametz at all, but my cousins went out and brought that back. It was good.)
Sunday following Yom Tov was my busy day. For Shacharis, I decided to go to Kever Shmuel Hanavi. Only thing is, after I waited for an hour at the tachana for the 136 bus, when it arrived it slowed imperceptibly and sped off again before I could make a move toward it! Now, I pride myself on not running after buses (or boys, adds my aunt) but desperate times call for desperate measures. I took off like a shot and ran faster than I’ve run probably since third grade, dodging strollers, leaping over cats, and swerving around the occasional tus-tus (kidding). And fortune smiled upon me because the bus hit a red light and I therefore managed to catch up with it and collapse on board just as it reached the next stop.
So after that minor hiccup, I had my davening there and then went to Geulah for lunch. The plan was to wait until around 3 and take the Mosdos Kever Rochel bus to Kever Rochel for Mincha. Well, into Sam’s walked a friend of mine who informed me that she had a car and was planning on driving to Kever Rochel after lunch. And she took me! And after that I went to the Kosel again.
On my second to last day, I went to Geulah to buy a couple things, back to the Kosel, and then had a girls’ night-out with my cousin. On my last day I got up early to daven Shacharis at the Kosel before my flight and halfway through davening it started to pour. Which was helpful in a way because I had no choice but to tear myself away, as my shoes were dissolving.
It was great. From beginning to end. I’m so grateful. And I felt very much that I was there to daven for many people, and that was a kind of companionship.
I just want to be back there already.
P.S. Pro tip: as of a few weeks ago, bus drivers are no longer loading Rav Kavs. You have to do it by the light rail or at kiosks placed around the city, or online/through the app.
