Challenge of Many Deserving Friends

Did I say that the choices are difficult? I have another Israel-minded friend, another yearner. I'll stick with her blogger name: Lady Light. Her blog is Tikkun Olam.

Somehow, back in the mists of time, we became friends. At the first annual Jewish blogger convention I was really excited to say "hi" to her on the live feed, even though we've never met face-to-face.

Lady Light is another one of those committed, idealistic, determined people whose heart lives in Israel, if not her physical body. In fact, she has FOUR children who live here, including a daughter in the army. She has a grandchild here and another on the way. While two of her sons were in the IDF she was unable to attend a single ceremony they had - their teksei kumta (completing training and getting their brigade berets) or any other completion or award ceremony. Her sons and now her daughter were and are "chayalim bodedim". These are the amazing young men and women who come to Israel to serve in the army, to dedicate their lives to their land and people, without their families and all the support that implies. If you have ever read A Soldier's Mother you can begin to understand what Lady Light's kids don't get. Just think about Eli without his mom's care packages!

And Lady Light's blog, well, it's got a good readership and it's amazingly pro-Israel. LL finds the best stuff out there and brings it to our attention. She keeps us thinking. She keeps us striving to do better. If she isn't (back) in Israel, yet, she wants to make darned sure that everyone else is at least thinking seriously about the importance of Israel in our lives.

Lady Light loves her children, loves her People, loves the Hebrew language and shares it all with us. I think that she'd do an amazing job at presenting the Aliyah experience of another family and I'd love to give her the opportunity.

C'mon NBN. You can't go wrong! I know. Take BOTH of them - Bat Aliyah AND Lady Light!