Two thousand years have passed since the people of Israel were exiled, their Temple was destroyed, and their land became desolate. God’s curse was on the exiled people and wherever they went they were tormented and there not even one country ready to welcome them heartily. The Jewish people became a symbol of slavery, humiliation and eternal wandering. The sons were punished for their fathers’ sins. They had to live among people who hated them, without a land that belongs to them. The only hope they entertained was the coming of the Messiah. Some individuals tried to hasten the coming of the Messiah but redemption could not be achieved by the few.

When troubles became more and more acute, the people understood that they had to prepare for redemption. The Jewish people awoke with the wish to redeem itself and its land. A new era started – of awakening and revival. The people discovered many powers in themselves. Enthusiasm urged many youth to migrate to the land of Israel. The first pioneers went there singing, dried swamps and turned a desolate place into growing fields, vineyards and orchards. To redeem the land they needed money to buy it from the foreign owners. An organization was needed to carry out this task – the KK”L.

KK”L collects the small coins into huge sums with which it buys pieces of land. KK”L is not owned by private people, it belongs to the whole nation. Redemption is achieved by shared efforts. Sharing in the activity of the KK”L is a sacred obligation of each of us. We must follow the call to redeem our land. Every piece of earth is precious for us. Our land will be redeemed with our money and the sweat of the pioneers.

When the Messiah comes we will be ready for him to lead us to our land, the land of our fathers...

Esther Hannah Bugatin, 7th grade