By Mendel Jacobson, Grade 11 student
When Moshe was giving his last speech before the Jewish nation, he said: “When you settle in the Promised Land, choose the first and best fruits, and with a Cohen, you shall make an offering, saying, ‘We remember when we were slaves in Egypt. We remember how Hashem brought us to freedom with a strong hand and outstretched arm; we remember the miracles, we remember the pain, the love and the happiness. Hashem brought us to this land flowing with milk and honey. And now I have brought these first fruits that you, God, have given me.’”
This very sentence can be applied to us, students at Hebrew Academy. We have some of the strongest teachers and an amazing curriculum to help implement the teachings of Judaism, its heritage, culture and lessons. These are highlighted by our Kollel Torah Mitzion and we are privileged to have an amazing Kollel group every year which teaches and inspires.
All of these influences help us to remember who we are and what we stand for. They help us to remember our history; our tradition. They help us to remember what it means to be a Jew.
The Jewish nation was finally leaving the desert and entering the Holy Land, and Moshe would not be there to lead them. So he gave Bnei Yisrael his advice and told them to remember it.
As Seniors this year, we are also finally leaving the “desert” and entering into our own lives. It is the teachers at Hebrew Academy and the Kollel who will be our Moshe and advise us to remember.