Farewell Memory Elliott Oshry

In June of 2004 I made my first visit to Israel as part of a Temple Sinai group led by Rabbi Gibson. It was a life-changing experience. I was told by friends to expect an extremely emotional reaction when I step off the airplane and set foot for the first time in the land of Israel. So I was very disappointed when I felt nothing as we disembarked from the plane. Jamie said, ‘Don’t worry. It will come.’

Some days later as we walked up to the Western Wall I was unexpectedly overcome by emotion. Almost paralyzed. And I was standing there alone, I thought. Then Jamie was with me. He took my hand and together we touched the wall. And we stood there, together, as I tried to regain some sense of composure. Jamie was there for me then, 16 years ago. And he’s been there for me ever since.