Ethel Fischer had
a problem. Her lift had left, and she herself was about to board the plane – on
her way fulfilling her lifelong dream of aliyah.
But how, during these pandemic times, would she say goodbye to a whole host of
friends from many stages of her life? How would she show her gratitude to the
wonderful people from diverse segments of the community with whom she had
worked? Should she take out an ad? Call for a Zoom meeting? Arrange a drive-by
goodbye? I suggested writing this article as an alternative, and Ethel took me
up on my offer. I penned this just hours before she left.
Israel: a Household Word
Ethel, a native
Baltimorean and beloved member of our community, grew up in a home that was Israel focused.
“My parents bought an Israel Bond for each of us children, and gave it to us
with a special letter with a directive,” begins Ethel. “The letter spoke about
how they wanted us to realize the importance of our connection to Israel, and
that we should go there and use the bond. It was part of who we were.” Ethel’s
parents, Mr. and Mrs.Albert Goldscheider, a”h, were involved with the
religious Zionist organization, Mizrachi. Although her father had a passport to
go to Israel,
he unfortunately never made it.
Gearing Up for Aliyah
Ethel met her
husband Eugene, a”h, who was born in hiding in Europe
and came to the States at the age of five. He and his parents, Rabbi and Mrs.
Leopold Fischer, a”h, always maintained a strong kesher (tie) to
Eretz Yisrael. Indeed, although Rabbi Fischer and his family moved to Baltimore after surviving
the Shoah, Rabbi Fischer’s mother and three brothers, a”h, had
immigrated to Palestine
before World War II.
Eugene became the head
of the Bnei Akiva movement in Baltimore,
which was an active organization in the 1960s. The members’ mantra was that
they were going to make aliyah. The Fischers made the move in 1983 with their
three sons, both high school and elementary school students. “It was a
challenging, hard year for us” Ethel recalls. “We knew we were not prepared for
Israel.
Although we didn’t succeed in our aliyah journey, we remained positive.
We said it wasn’t the right time of our lives, and it wasn’t.” They returned to
America
13 months later.
The Fischers kept
the hope alive that perhaps their children would go to Israel one day –
and they did. Their sons went to learn in yeshiva, and their son, Rabbi Yoni
Fischer, made aliyah six years ago, establishing a yeshiva in Moshav
Matityahu.
“My son, Yoni,
says that my husband and I planted the seed in our family for the love of Israel,” notes
Ethel. “That was part of our mesorah – part of what we handed over to
our children. We always felt exceedingly connected to Eretz Yisrael. We knew it
was our home.”
The Right Time for
the Right Place
About two-and-a-half
years ago, before Eugene
passed away, he said to Ethel, “I know you really love Eretz Yisrael; think
about moving there.” She did in fact travel to Eretz Yisrael a number of times
after her husband passed away. On her trip this past fall, she said, “This is
the place for me at this time in my life.”
Ethel’s decision
was confirmed when she returned from Eretz Yisrael this past January, just as
COVID-19 began to take the world by storm. She gets emotional when she shares,
“I felt that it was in my DNA, in
my blood. I love Baltimore
in a way that is very special, but there is nothing like living in Eretz
Yisrael. I am very grateful that Hashem has given me the privilege to make aliyah!”
Before leaving Baltimore, Ethel wanted to
express her hakaros hatov, tremendous appreciation, to all the Jewish
organizations and Torah institutions in which she held a position – in addition
to each and every one of her colleagues and dear friends. “My friends gave me
strength and inspiration” remarks Ethel. “I also met dedicated professionals
and lay leaders who had a major impact on my life.”
Over the course of
nearly 50 years, Ethel worked in numerous Jewish organizations, including Baltimore Hebrew College,
Beth Tfiloh, Chizuk Amuno, The Associated Baltimore Jewish Council, Israel
Bonds, and Hadassah. She spent the past 15 years at WITS/MAALOT.
Ethel emphasizes that each position gave her the opportunity to engage with a
variety of different groups of Jews throughout the city.
“I loved meeting
new people and hearing their perspectives,” says Ethel. “I gained so much
appreciation for their achdus (unity) and the vibrancy of the Baltimore Jewish
community. A common theme throughout my interactions made me realize how Israel unites
us all, by connecting us back to our Jewish homeland: Eretz Yisrael.”
Settling In
Ethel has made her
new home in the Baka neighborhood of Yerushalayim, thanks to family and friends,
who are assisting her in the aliyah process. It is situated close to
Emek Refaim and the Tachana Rishona (The First Train Station) and is a
40-minute walk from the Kosel.
Now that she has
finally arrived, Ethel will be transitioning to a whole new way of life, and has
aspirations of connecting to family and friends, touring Eretz Yisrael, taking
advantage of the wealth of Torah classes offered, and teaching a class at Darkaynu,
a seminary for special needs young women.
An Everlasting
Bond
Whatever happened
to the Israel
bond, that Ethel’s parents gifted her? “We cashed it in, and Eugene and I used
it on our first trip together to Israel, when we went to my nephew
Judah’s bar mitzva in Yerushalayim. I recall saying to my husband the day we
landed, while walking in Yerushalayim, ‘I don’t know why we live in Baltimore – we should be
living here!’” Like mother, like daughter. When Ethel’s mother went to Israel she
would say, “I love to walk the streets of Yerushalayim!”
Concludes Ethel,
“I never really understood it, but I do now.”
