We are a people of generations. When we listen to our story, we must recognize the stories that came before us.
Today’s youth know the name Ben Gurion as the airport located in Tel Aviv, but those who know a bit of Israel’s history know that David Green, born in Poland, became David Ben Gurion and the first Prime Minister of Israel.
This week at the annual JNF-USA event, we heard from Alon Ben Gurion, grandson of the prime minister, 75 years after he declared the existence of the State of Israel.
When asked how he had the chutzpah to declare a state, Ben Gurion said, “When I had questions that no one could answer, I decided to give the answer myself.”
Years later, Ben Gurion was invited to dedicate a kindergarten in Yerucham, when a child asked him, “Prime Minister, tell us about one day that you were satisfied.”
His answer, “You should never be satisfied. When you are, you become lazy and never create.”
This is the story of our people: always seeking to create. The names of our parshiyot tell that story. Bereshit is about creation. Lech Lcha is about journeys. Vayetzei details Jacob’s travels.
Our ancestors understood the difference between achievement and satisfaction. There is always more to do, so why not be part of this story too?
