Dream of Coming Home

Dream of Coming Home

The dream began and ended in the same place – in the mountains of Switzerland, seeking G-d in a season of deep solitude.

But in between I was in California and Florida, meeting with people and encouraging Aliyah from America. Even now the details of the dream are slipping away, but I do remember being turned away from breakfast at the conference hotel in San Francisco. While waiting outside in the lobby, various conversations drifted by from Israelis of the wealth, comfort, and safety of being in America. Things had changed and were definitely looking up there, but an annoying feeling lingered that said this was only temporary.

As I drove off in my rental car, I arrived at a steep hill and began to descend. Suddenly, my feet slipped and became entangled in wires that were dangling from under the dashboard. There was a moment of panic yet peaceful clarity while rapidly descending, hurtling toward a busy intersection with many cars and pedestrians.

While desperately yet calmly trying to set my feet free, I had to make a quick decision and considered running into the fire hydrant below so that I wouldn’t run into anyone. At the last second my feet were released and I brought the car to a grinding halt just before the red light at the intersection – what a relief!

The sky at sunset surged with waves of brilliant shades of red, orange and yellow. And I knew it was time to return to walk through Switzerland toward home.

The valleys had been raised up and the mountains made low. And the memory returned of swimming in Lake Neuchâtel when the shift occurred, causing rivers to merge and flow into the sea. The ships that had been quietly waiting were filled up and at last able to pass through to the sea, trembling from the West.

14.3.25