Like millions of parents across the country, we dropped our children at school this week. But this was hardly something we took for granted.
One of the challenges of living in our beautiful town is not having the type of religious Jewish schooling found in larger communities around the country. It’s essential to us that our kids receive a strong Torah education in a loving, faith-based environment.
So over the years, we've done a little bit of everything. We’ve done online school long before most people even heard of Zoom. :). We've homeschooled. We currently have 2 kids living with their grandparents (thank you Bubbys and Zeidys!) out of town while attending Jewish Schools. And thankfully, over the last 2 years, we were able to organize a homeschool group with 5-7 kids in the back of Chabad for our younger children.
But this week was different. It’s hard to describe how amazing - almost miraculous - it was to see 25 children gathered together for Torah education, from all over Central NC. Having classmates in real life and not on the screen, having a principal other than us
One of the school parents, the Chabad Rebbetzin in Greensboro, forwarded us an email I had long forgotten about. Back in the summer 2012, shortly after we moved to town, I called together 5 families in the area to brainstorm about the idea of starting a school for (at least) our own children and we outlined the steps we'd need to take to make that a reality.
She pointed out how, incredibly, everything we discussed at that meeting is exactly what is happening right now.
I never could have imagined it would have taken 10 years.
And please G-d, one day, (much sooner!), we will be able to grow this school and cater to the wider community.
Good things take time.
This Wednesday we'll be having the kickoff event for our new shul and Jewish Center. I am excited to show the community the beautiful renderings, dedication opportunities, and the timeline going forward for this important project.
While preparing for the event, I thought about the twists and turns it took to get to this point. How long we've been talking about this project. The hundreds (or thousands) of hours invested in other sites that almost worked out. The blessings of finding the incredible donors who made the purchase of land possible. The lengthy re-zoning process with all of its ups and downs. And the crazy construction prices we are now dealing with…
My mind sometimes wanders and I begin to ask “How come we did not know X some four or five years ago?” or “How come it took so long to get to Y?”
But then I remember: Good things take time.
The Parsha this week promises blessings to those who faithfully follow the Mitzvot. It guarantees that those who give charity generously will see blessings of richness in their life. It tells us that this reality is something we can tangibly "see with our eyes."
If only it was real easy to always see this! Even putting aside the many unanswered questions about “bad things happening to good people,” (some of which we will only understand in the next world), it just doesn’t always seem like success follows those who strive hardest to do Mitzvot.
But here too we remember good things take time. I have no doubt in my mind that a life connected to the source of goodness will lead to actual goodness to our lives. It may not always translate in the metrics that society uses (though sometimes, such as with tzedaka, it might!) but I have absolute faith that a Torah life done right leads to the ultimate blessings of a happy and meaningful life, even if not apparent right away. I am blessed by knowing many people who wholeheartedly affirm this in their lives.
Consider for a moment some of the most significant blessings given in the Torah:
- Avraham and Sara were promised children.
- The Jews were told they would redeemed from slavery.
- Our nation was told they were going to the Holy Land.
Each of these incredible blessings took time.
In today's "microwave generation" we have a hard time with delayed results. From traveling across the world in a matter of hours to finding out information about anything within seconds, we have little patience for a delayed process.
But like the difference between instant soup and Bubby's Chicken Soup, that which is real and nourishing always takes time. Planting a tree. Educating a child. Changing hearts and minds.
This all takes time. Because the change is coming from within.