What people are saying about Rabbi Ebstein

Dear David,

What a trip! What an awesome bar mitzvah! We realize that it was far from the traditional-but it was just perfect for us….and that couldn’t have happened without you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for all you brought to this momentous occasion. It was meaningful, low key, beautiful and very appropriate-everything we could have wanted! Although Jacob has been reluctant to attend a service since, Alain and I know that the event brought him that much closer to his religious identity and sense of place. It is a rare leader that can accomplish that with such flexibility, warmth and kindness. It was a pleasure to meet you. Jacob, also, has a few words of thanks-if you could send your address, he will be able to mail off his note.

Warmest wishes and fondest regards,
Marit, Alain and family

On June 30th our daughter, Amalyah, became a Bat Mitzvah at Robinson¹s Arch, next to the 2000 year-old Western Wall that supported the steps that led to The Holy Temple. Amalyah led the Rosh Chodesh service, read from the Torah, and delivered a D¹var Torah in English and in Hebrew. It was one of the most precious days of our lives. What made today even more wonderful? Because we were in the pulsing heart of the Jewish people; the blood and breath and spirit of the place and the moment will live with us, with our parents and family, and with our daughters forever.

Every Jewish family might wish to consider this extraordinary opportunity. Located in a quiet and protected setting a few steps to the right of the Kotel, the Davidson Archaeological Park contains Robinson¹s Arch as a small archaeological remnant of the walls that supported the Temple foundation. The space has been made available by the Masorti movement as an egalitarian setting for B¹nai Mitzvah and other simchas. There is plenty of room for guests, and during the morning Shacharit and Torah service, it is shady and surprisingly cool.

While we love and are active in our synagogue in Connecticut, we felt an intense emotional and spiritual desire to have our younger daughter become a Bat Mitzvah in Israel. We had no idea the experience would be so uplifting. Our 80 guests sat on chairs under arches and on wide, smooth stones as Amalyah led the weekday service in front of the same wall that our ancestors walked beside. She held the Torah to be kissed by religious and non-religious Israeli friends, most of whom had never seen a girl read Torah and who had never been or even known of this magical site. Our dear friend Rabbi David Ebstein officiated with warmth and wisdom, reminding us that "The Torah is portable; Israel is not." Jews can live, learn, and adapt to anywhere in the world. But Israel is our heart, and we must come to it.

The memories will last forever.

Dan Oren and Jeanette Kuvin Oren

I'm emailing you to let you know how my trip to Israel and my Bar Mitzvah impacted me. The trip made me realize how supportive my family is. For example, my Uncle Mike cheered me on to do well with my Bar Mitzvah. And my mom gave a really inspirational speech about me in the past and how it'll affect me now and in the future. Traveling around Israel with all of my family reminded me about how much my family loves me. I also realize that you made my Bar Mitzvah special, and I have to thank you for that.

Sincerely,

Joshua Mirman

My family and I had my Bar Mitzvah with you this past August. When my parents and I first met you at our hotel in Jerusalem you asked me a very important question; if i felt any different standing in Israel than back home in Illinois. I did not have the amount of time I needed to give you a complete answer. So I simply answered with two words in a confused tone of voice: not really. I am pretty sure you heard my confusion and told me to send you an email a couple of months after our trip.

My response to your question has changed as you would have imagined. Almost as a no brainer, I should have said yes to that it felt different.  I knew it deeply inside but it did not come out as I had hoped. Just as I took my first step onto the holy land of Israel I felt a difference. I felt as if I was closer to all of those stories told to us in Hebrew school.

With Chanukah just passing, I recalled the story.  Israel is the exact land where the menorah's light lasted for eight days instead of the expected few. Israel is the land where everything took place or where the Jewish people were running to. Standing in the USA, I feel nothing even close to that spiritual feeling I acquired in Israel.  While we took our tours around Jerusalem and the desert, many new things where added to my knowledge. Standing at the Kotel and having my Bar Mitzvah (which was wonderful I might add), at every historical landmark, I had a rush of that feeling, THIS is where it all happened.

Thank you for giving my family and me a great Bar Mitzvah service, we still talk about it.  I am looking forward to when we come back in a few years for my little brother to have his Bar Mitzvah.

Bye for now,

Eric

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Thank you so much for making my grandson Kory's bar-mitzvah the meaningful experience that it was for Kory and his entire family. It was everything that I hoped for and more. I believe this trip has strengthened my grandchildren's ties to their Jewishness and the land of Israel.

My wife and I are frequent visitors to Israel but to see my son reliving experiences from his prior trips with his children and seeing the land thru our grandchildren's eyes was very special to us.

Sam, Kory's brother has asked that his bar-mitzvah be in Israel next summer. G-d willing we all meet again next summer in Jerusalem

Cordially,

Jules Silberg