Making History Aboard UJA’s Centennial Journey to Israel
A CENTENNIAL JOURNEY
Written in honour of Marcy Abramsky, Steve and Rosanne Ain,
Susan Jackson and Keren Levy
With love from all of the participants on the Mission
Our mission, worth a century wait
Breakfast early, bedtime late
All the planning made it great
In summary: we came, we saw, we ate
Houses of hope, peace, justice all on hand
Sixty first timers in the land
Guides, drivers, guards: we’re fully manned
The trio, and staffers, had it all planned
Many tracks each day to do
In the home of every Jew
Pretty soon we’ll bid adieu
So here’s our mission in review
Museum, models, Leonard Cohen
Rooftop, cyber, Balfour showin’
Bar Mitzvah dinner at the port
Some speakers just can’t keep it short
Gush, Knesset, Segway ride
Tastes, Habimah, hi-tech pride
While feeling true patriot love
Arrive: Yerushalayim shel zahav
From all hotels to Waldorf move
A banquet the Astors would approve
Mayor, coexistence, Imagine song
Late panel: Jews not getting along
Friday tracking, Kotel, train
Politics, museum, Hurva reclaim
Kabbalat Shabbat, Old City, wheat
Aren’t the a cappella singers sweet?
Shabbat dinner, soup that’s steamy
Yes the Kippalive boys are dreamy
Our hearts in the east, we came dancing from the west
Then finally a day of rest
Shabbat menuha, lot’s to do
Choice of prayers to go to
Walking tours, much to show
Then 5.15 on patio
Candles, spices, arm’s around
Catch the view in the background
Sing, from holy to the plain
Shavua tov, rev up again
Yad Vashem, horrors see
It’s love not work that sets you free
Natan, hero, Auschwitz flight
Sderot, a hill, Gaza site
Children showing what they know
Traffic circle, car horns blow
Kfar Gvirol, barbecue
Luggage outside, rush to do
Massada, Dead Sea, ATV
SodaStream: work peacefully
Aliyah, crater, Negev wine
Arrive Eilat in time to dine
Solar power giving light
Perfect wind to fly a kite
BGU, make desert bloom
Robots glide across the room
Celebrate, party, what a night
We’re in Eilat in blue and white
Let’s all come back here again
Next year in Jerusalem
We’re of a people, community
Part of one big family
What a week, much to feel and see
Today is tomorrow’s history
We have a homeland, finally
Israel-Toronto, we’re a we
What will our joint future be?
That is up to you and me.
by David Matlow
November 7, 2017