A Trip to Israel and a Bar Mitzvah

Last month my son turned the big 13! It's hard to believe that he is a teenager now. 

My son had an exciting year last year. He took his first trip on an airplane in November and it ended up being a long airplane ride to Israel!  In December he turned 13 and had his Bar Mitzvah.

Calling him Little Man doesn't seem so appropriate anymore- does it? I'll have to rethink what to call him on my blog now! 

In November my husband and son went to Israel for 12 days. Bug and me stayed home and had a lot of girl time while the guys were away.

It was a miracle that the guys got to go. We felt it was a God's timing as he approached his Bar Mitzvah. Most importantly it made the Bible really come alive to him and to experience the land that our Rabbi Yeshua our Lord and Savior walked. What a privilege and blessing for my son to make aliyah(going up to-Jerusalem).  I love hearing my son say things like, "Mom we were there in Israel while reading the Bible" or seeing pictures of Israel and relating to it by being in the land.

He was able to read his Bar Mitzvah portion at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. That was very special to him and his father. It is something he will never forget.

 

He is no longer under the chuppah for the children's blessing and can hold one of the chuppah poles now.

He can now wear a tallit. He found his tallit and matching kippah in Jerusalem. Finding his tallit in Jerusalem makes it even more special to him. He recited the tallit blessing in Hebrew before putting it on.

 I love this picture of him putting on his tallit for the first time. His dad looks pretty proud of his son.

Look at those big smiles from my guys. 

 

Little Man lead the liturgy and gave a sermon. He had worked hard on his sermon and the Hebrew for 8 months. It was a lot of hard work for him. Of course as a mom I'm real proud of him.

He taught on Genesis 45: 1-15, Ezekial 37: 15-28, and Luke 24:13-31. The portion was perfect for his trip to Israel.  

One thing he added to his sermon after coming back from Israel was a quote from Mark Twain:  

"[It is a] desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds-a silent mournful expanse… A desolation is here that not even imagination can grace with the pomp of life and action… We never saw a human being on the whole route… There was hardly a tree or a shrub anywhere. Even the olive and the cactus, those fast friends of the worthless soil, had almost deserted the country."

My son seen how the nation of Israel is now flourishing in many ways.  His Bar Mitzvah portion impacted him being in the Land of Israel and comparing the quote. He seen God's hand on the land and His people. I loved how he shared his relationship with Yeshua to the congregation too.

He loves Yeshua with all of his heart and loves the nation of Israel and her people. He hopes to one day join the IDF an be part of Israel.

Afterwards we celebrated with cake, chocolate fountain, all kinds of wonderful food, family, and friends. 

I love watching my son growing up and embracing Yeshua as his Lord and Savior!