A Look at Israel's Future

Boy, you can really get depressed if you listen to the news. Politics, housing, Arabs, no loss of troubles around, ugh.

But we're standing in the midst of the three weeks of consolation, days of optimism, a time when we feel the future is bright.

Tonight, B"H, I was witness to this consolation up close and personal.

Mordechai Goodman, owner of Pizzeria Efrat, invited me to come to the pizza store today to meet Efrat's new olim (immigrants).

There, B"H filling all the tables in the store, were about 25 children, straight off the Nefesh B'Nefesh plane. One actually came yesterday from New Jersey.

They were participating in Efrat Olim Camp, making friends, acclimating to their new life, and maybe even learning a little Hebrew. There were sisters from Toronto, triplets from Cedarhurst, and kids from scattered neighborhoods all around the Americas. They were happy, smiley and laughing - eager to tell me where they moved: Zayit, Zayit, Zayit, Zayit, Neve Daniel, Dekel, Zayit..., and what school they would attend next year.

These 25 little children are a nechama for all Am Yisrael. They are our future. They are the positive tomorrow that we always hoped for. Our dreams are coming true with the thousands of children who have flown here from the four corners of the world, and because of those wonderful native children who are here to greet them and with whom they can join together to build our nation.

Am Yisrael Chai.