To My Dear Kallas, ש“עמו 

א גוטן חודש!  

I’m not a big traveler or vacationer. I love the familiarly of home, and my traveling is limited to  visiting parents, children, or speaking engagements. The last time I was in ישראל ארץ was pre covid, 3 years ago, and had the incredible pleasure of visiting our children and being there for  the birth of a delightful granddaughter.  

I don’t take being able to be here once again, for granted.  

Visiting our children, walking the העליג streets of ירושלים ,davening at הקדושים מקומות ,including  רחל קבר ,the כותל ,davening by the רים קב of our grandparents and Rabbi Hirth ל”זצ on הר המנוחות ,will give me a boost for a long time! 

Something that never ceases to amaze me is the incredible פרטית השגחה that I feel when I am  here. 

And, if you’ve been here, you get it.  

How you meet just the person you’ve been trying to get in touch with forever; the timing of my  arrival somewhere allows me to do something, or see someone that had I come a minute  earlier, or a minute later, I would have missed; hearing the exact וארט ,or thought from a  “random” person, that I needed to hear at that very moment; a space opening up right in front of  the כותל right as I approach;  

I could go on and on… 

But it got me thinking. 

Being in י“ א certainly gives me a heightened awareness of ה‘s constant hand holding, but it  exists everywhere, wherever I am, and whichever situation I find myself in. Many of these  “wow” type of moments happen to me daily, as I go through my routine, and to the extent that  I’m tuned in, and open to seeing them, I’ll feel ה‘s love and protection, closely and personally.  

As we begin אדר חודש ,a month of good מזל and שמחה ,I’m going to try to be more aware of ה‘s  constant presence and protection in my life, and the sense of calm and security that creates for  me. By focusing here, I will be more grateful and less grumpy (who…me???!!!) 

Adar is a month of joy, yes…. also, א אדר! 

We can create much joy for ourselves by looking out for little things, (that are often not little at all!), that remind me “You love me, and you are guiding every step of my life.” 

The parking spot in just the right place, all the lights being green at the same time, the  headache that just went away, the $20 bill unexpectedly found in a jacket from last year, the  unexpected “thank you”, or hug from a child, the car repair that I thought would be $3000 but  was $300, (does that even exist?) 

You get my thinking.  

Let’s create joy this month! 

Wishing you a טוב חודש!