Friends of Itamar

Leah’s Blog Parashat Vayechi 2023

Vayechi –  ISRAEL- THE STRONG FAMILY -December 2023

We live in a world where the truth remains hidden and concealed. You may laugh or smile, amused to see the pro- Israel banners march through Papua New Guinea as the pro Hamas ones decorate Berkley but let’s put it this way: you can’t hide from the truth now. We are being forced to take a side. The “primitive” know more truth than the “highly educated”. This is where we are at this moment. Everything is upside down. Everything is exact and it will affect your house as much as my house. Pro Hamas demonstrators glorify atrocities done to innocent Jews, to men women children and even babies. They are closing off the roads to the airport.

I’ve been writing this blog for some years now. I’ve shared with you feelings from here in Itamar, living in the heartland, just over the “dark mountains”. I have written to you about the virgin expanses that we dusted off, about the second rich brown sheet of earth just under the dry crumbling sand and how it suddenly bloomed. I detailed the quiet before the birds began to sing and the evidence of our people’s history and backbone at every view 180 degrees from this hilltop. Israel is revealing itself, it is standing tall and majestic, stunning. The offspring of Efrayim will never be lost, and a remnant will always remain. I think my father knew that as a sole survivor in the holocaust as the Nazis decimated his entire family and the world marched against him, he knew it as I know it now. Yaakov Avinu might have not divulged the end but we are definitely in end times.

It’s no secret that my hunch was right, coming out here before this time. As our family grew, as Itamar grew, as the heartland grew, the resistance became fierce from all directions. The evidence of restoration to us was so tangible, physical evidence, actual evidence, touchable evidence at the same time opposition reared its head in many forms. Right before our eyes the visibility changed as we retreated from our core land covenant sites. They became covered over with the lie, as our own government enabled it. Blood libeling settlers is far from a new concept. Chipping away at historical sites here, time has taken us to the banner of Hamas now waving in Times Square. People believed the lie over the truth or were willing to throw us under the bus for a bit more blissful quiet. I was placed here. There is a spinal cord running up and down through the heart of this country. My identity as a woman living here, a mother building a strong family despite the challenges and provocations as thousands of mothers like me have reared the generation of JUSTICE. Now our sons are soldiers fighting the cruel beasts that have always proclaimed their intentions, yet this for the most part fell on deaf ears for some reason, because people mostly believed the lie. For those who expressed disdain for my mission- our strong family will live this claim, persevere, grow and multiply. I think of all the years I have lived here- it’s completely clarified here and now. This is Vayechi. We will live. Our progeny will survive this and thrive. Oslo has been one long drawn out October 7.

Vayechi tells about the relationships of the core family of Israel and how we became a nation. It is the summary of the book of Bereishit and about the end of the golden era in Egypt. We will be opening a new book next week in which Pharaoh did not know Yosef.  I hold no offenses to those that mocked me and tried to break me here; their hearts were closed. The realm of Israel is concealed in the time of exile.- I repeat what Yosef Hatzaddik said, ” You intended to harm me but Hashem designed it for good.” The power that Yosef had in that critical kernel stage of bringing success and bounty in exile was eventually turned against Israel- exile became a pit stop, first blessed then bitter. Pay heed to what the Torah teaches. You may feel you are safe and sound but the subject matter of what exactly is between the River and the Sea has now reached your doorstep. We have built the foundation here for you to come home to. THIS is the Promised Land!

“I will make you fruitful and multiply your offspring, I will make you a congregation of nations. I will give THIS LAND to your descendants after you as a permanent possession. The angel that redeemed me from all evil will bless these lads. They will be called by My name… they will multiply in the Land.

Friends of Itamar would like to thank you for replenishing us especially now at this critical time of need. For more information about how you can help please see our website: touritamarsupportisrael

Blessings for a beautiful Shabbat,

Leah