Farewell,
Baltimore
by Harry Kozlovsky
After 66 years of
living in Baltimore – after 29 consecutive years of serving on community boards
and watching the tremendous growth and changes – it is time to say good-bye and
thank you. Adriane and I are making aliyah.
There is so much to be happy for, yet much to ponder.
* * *
I will miss… the balabatim
bringing so much money into the Orthodox community for schools, shuls,
safety, etc. and the tremendous, unparalleled chesed organizations led by generational leaders such as Eli
Schlossberg, Frank Storch, and many more.
Yet I ponder… how this can be
mentored to other communities.
I will miss… the tremendous “religious” presence and
the tremendous “Zionist” presence in the Baltimore Jewish community.
Yet I ponder… outside of a few, the lack of “Religious
Zionist” education in our religious institutions.*
I will miss… the Rabbis with the pure souls that put
their “spiritual side” way ahead of their “business side.”
Yet I ponder… if we appreciate them enough. Wherever you find your spirituality, give your Rabbi a big hug.
I will miss… all the wonderful schools that serve the
many needs of those who live here.
Yet I ponder… the memory of community gadol Rabbi Binyamin Steinberg, zt”l, of Bais Yaakov, who offered me
passionate, constructive advice 35 years ago, which I did not take and regret
to this day.
I will miss… being the shy innocent introvert of my
youth.
Yet I ponder… the toll being a community leader takes in
losing one’s innocence.
I will miss… being so passionate for causes I believe
in.
Yet I ponder… the toll that can take on one’s family.
I will miss… the Baltimore that was, when my parents
and all the Holocaust survivors came with nothing yet persevered and built strong
families and institutions.
Yet I ponder… the Baltimore of today, when we are
living in a very different overtly antisemitic world.
I will miss… the dynamic growth of the Orthodox
community.
Yet I ponder… both the blessings of that growth, thank
G-d, and the consequences.
I will miss… the wonderful growth of shuls throughout
the community.
Yet I ponder… the dangers of cars in tight, congested
streets before and after shul.
I will miss… the beauty of being “drunk” with
spirituality while in a great shul with a great Rav.
Yet I ponder… drinking in shul in front of our kids, so
as not to relive the community catastrophe of years ago.
I will miss… the pride of always standing up for
Israel.
Yet I ponder… the devastating disappointment in our
non-Orthodox millennials’ and Gen Zs’ lack of support. (G-d willing, this will change
with the events of 10/7.)
I will miss… the Pew Reports showing no assimilation over
decades of those identifying as Orthodox.
Yet I ponder… and hope that this does not change among the future generations of those who today identify
as Orthodox.
* * *
I grew up here in
Baltimore when my dad and mom, who owned a grocery store after the Holocaust,
made sure that Mr. Herbert Harris, our neighbor and longtime member of our shul,
walked me to Greenspring Valley every Shabbat starting at six or seven years
old – and always on time. I had my bar mitzvah there and sang in the Rosh
Hashanah/Yom Kippur choir. Adriane and I got married and had David’s brit and Joanna’s simchat bat, there.
Adriane and I
deserve no credit for making aliyah at
this stage of life. We are going to Israel in our 60s, with assets and lots of
family and friends there. In many respects it will be a seamless if not still
somewhat challenging transition. This is very different from the aliyahs of young Jews, who make aliyah with only passion and dreams and
most always succeed. Our son, David, is one in that very large group. We must
give them immense credit and hakarat hatov.
Our request in
these difficult times is that, if your son or daughter asks to go to Israel
after high school, you try not to say no – and if they ask to stay for a second
year, that you think differently than in the past, when you might have said,
“Honey, you were accepted at Penn or Harvard, etc. You cannot turn that down.” The
best way to make it work in Israel is when one is young. With the right
rationale and passion, well, they figure it out, and most will thrive.
To our friends and
family here in Baltimore, this is not goodbye. I will be back in the U.S.
frequently for work and hope to be in Baltimore for a part of those times.
Adriane will be back to see our daughter in Teaneck, and I am sure will come
here as she can. Lastly, Adriane and I, 10 and more years ago, never would have
expected that we would be saying good-bye from Ner Tamid when making aliyah. Tremendous thanks to Rabbi
Motzen for making much of the past decade an extremely rewarding experience for
us. I know everyone here at Ner Tamid loves Rabbi Motzen and knows the treasure
we have. Never ever take treasures for granted. We are certain Ner Tamid will
be blessed and continue to thrive.
We wish continued
success to the wonderful Baltimore community. It’s time to go home.
If anyone or their kids needs help, advice of any
kind, or just a place to stay, please reach out to us anytime at hkozlovsky@gmail.com or akozlovsky@gmail.com.
* Want to self-educate? See: https://outorah.org/p/85355/;
https://mizrachi.org/;
and https://torahmitzion.org/
