Leaving Israel in a short while

We are leaving this awesome, complicated, sacred land in just a few hours.  I have had an incredible experience seeing Israel through the eyes of members of Beth Am/a reform congregation visiting a Jewish State that is just beginning to accept non-Orthodox Jews as legitimate.  Members of CBA Israel Trip 2011 now share a strong bond that has brought them close together--as good friends and as members of a congregation which strives to offer avenues to increase ones sense of connection to oneself, God and others.  I hope that we bring back to Beth Am some of the sacredness, ruach/spirt that we found along the way and in this land.   I am so grateful to have been a part of our CBA Israel trip.  This trip has been inspirational on both a professional level and also a personal level. 
I have not been to Israel since 1999 when Kyle and I helped chaperone a week-long trip for 60 eighth graders--needless to say, this has been a much different experience.  On this trip I was able to go to the Kotel--the Western Wall with my family and pray with my daughters.  (the fact that I could not pray with my son is another story, for another time).  In 1999 I was not married, I certainly had no children.  Placing my hand on the ancient wall last week felt like a homecoming of sorts--I found myself saying thank You to God for bringing me the children I had always wanted, for bringing so many blessings into my life.  I didn't expect to say "thanks"-- to say Modeh Ani over and over again--but indeed that was all that came from my lips, at first.   It was a great moment of Connection and one that I will forever feel and remember.  
This trip also brought me to old friends who have been with me through great challenges and as well as many simcahs/joyous moments.  The fact that these relationships blossomed while in the Holy Land is an important piece to our friendships.  The roots of our friendships seem to be for me, connected to a feeling of wholeness/a soulfulness that happens for me here. 
There is so much more to say about this connection to holy ground yet for now, I need to go prep the kids for the 10 hour airplane ride and make sure we have some Israeli bazooka bubble gum and bisli snacks to take with us on the plane.  
Looking forward to returning to Israel and to coming home to family, friends, routine and my congregational family, Beth Am.  With Love from a moshav on the outskirts of Jerusalem~'Til Soon.