Moshe and Rachel Saperstein's Zionist Dream or Reality?

Rachel and Moshe Saperstein with MK Aryeh EldadThe story of the Sapersteins and their commitment to Israel is a story of strength, courage, steadfastness and commitment.

Submitted by email from Ira L. Jacobson
From: Judy Lash Balint, Jerusalem

There's the Zionist dream and then there's the Zionist reality.

There are those who dream about living in Israel but can't quite make it for compelling personal reasons, or who just missed the boat when they had the chance.

Others, like Moshe and Rachel Saperstein, confront the reality. The Sapersteins came to the country when things weren't as comfortable as they are today.  Fired up by the Six Day War, the young couple and their small kids arrived full of Zionist fervor and pride.

Fast forward to September 2012, and the dining room of a religious kibbutz in the southern part of the country.  The Sapersteins, their grown children, a gaggle of beautiful grandchildren and a couple hundred friends and admirers have gathered on a warm Friday morning to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.

The price the Sapersteins have paid for their love of Israel would have made lesser mortals run back to wherever they came from.  But Moshe and Rachel stayed--and triumphed.

Moshe was severely wounded in the 1973 Yom Kippur War, but after a year in the hospital and five more years of rehab. he continued to contribute to the country in every way. In the mid-90s, with their grown kids thriving and independent, the Sapersteins decided to take another pioneering assignment, and they moved to Neve Dekalim, the largest of the beautiful Gush Katif communities.

They quickly established themselves as pillars of the community--Rachel teaching in the ulpana girls high school and Moshe relishing his retirement and using his time and talent to write about their experiences living next to Gaza for the rest of the world to understand.

Rachel became the de facto foreign relations representative for Gush Katif and every foreign journalist stationed in the area between 1997-2005 knew her name and spent time in the Sapersteins beautiful home.

The Gush Katif Viewpoint e-mail newsletters developed a massive worldwide following and Moshe's wit and story-telling ability became a legend.

Driving home one winter's day in February 2002, Moshe witnessed a lone terrorist at the side of the road fire on the car in front of him--mother of two, Ahuva Amergi, 30, of Ganei Tal was killed instantly.  Without hesitating, Moshe drove his car at the terrorist, running him down, but not before the murderer fired off a few rounds hitting Moshe in the leg and his good hand.  Rushed to Soroka Hospital, Moshe sustained serious injuries, but in true Saperstein spirit, he sued the Palestinian Authority for damages and won (don't hold your breath for the award to arrive in Moshe's bank account any time soon...)

But nothing was to prepare the Sapersteins for the most devastating blow of all--the Israeli government plans to "disengage" from Gaza in 2005 and destroy every last inch of the Gush Katif communities they had helped grow and prosper.

Anyone interested in Moshe and Rachel's activities during the months and years preceding the horror of the destruction can Google Moshe's name and pick up many of his heart-wrenching diary entries.

When the reality set in and the Sapersteins found themselves in the Gush Katif "temporary" housing refugee camp of Nitzan, Rachel set up Operation Dignity to help her fellow evacuees with their basic needs.

Back in 2009, we sat together at the ground-breaking for their new community, and here we are in 2012, and the Sapersteins, together with many Gush Katif evacuees, are still living in Nitsan.

But none of that mattered today, as Moshe and Rachel re-lived that fateful day in 1962 when they joined their lives together.

 


The simcha was overwhelming in the room at Kibbutz Ein Tzurim as Moshe and a radiant Rachel, preceded by Moshe's mother, their kids and grandkids, walked down the aisle again and took their place under a chupa of Moshe's tallit.

Rabbi Yigal Kaminetsky, former chief rabbi of Gush Katif, blessed Moshe and Rachel and their family before Moshe smashed a glass underfoot to a roar of "Mazel tovs!"

 


Friends and family pulled Moshe and Rachel into separate dancing circles to rejoice in the celebration of people who have led and continue to lead most meaningful lives.  Taking their part in contemporary Jewish history--in fulfillment not necessarily of the Zionist dream, but rather the Zionist reality.

 
Moshe (center in suit jacket) and friends__._,_.___
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