Sigel Hebrew Academy GraduatingClass Trip to Israel

This year's graduating class from the Sigel Hebrew Academy, from which Avi had graduated last year, left on a two-week trip to Israel. At least one year too late, the Academy finally established a policy that all 8th-grade class trips now and in the future will be to Israel. (Avi's class had gone to Washington, DC, and Baltimore.)

I gave one of the students, Avi's friend Hillel Adler, a memorial prayer to place inside the Kotel - the Western Wall - to fulfill a centuries-old custom. In addition, I asked Hillel to be a shaliach mitzvah - "Mitzvah emissary" - with some money from Avi's stash to donate to a charity in Israel.

Right now, Avi's only connection to the Land of Israel is some Israeli soil in his coffin. When Hillel performs his sacred tasks, he will make a living connection for Avi with the Holy Land.

May Hillel and all those with him have a spiritually rewarding and fun time in Israel, and may they all return safely.