For me, as much as the name Bruriah invokes the intrepid and scholarly Talmudic heroine, it brings to mind a street. A humble, narrow lane not far from where I live. One of the things I love best about Israel are the street names – inspired by the Torah, both Written and Oral, and by our Jewish history and heritage from ancient times to the recent past. Many street signs contain a short description of their namesake. The streets in our part of Jerusalem lean heavily on the Biblical – such as the names of the twelve tribes – and on Gemara giants such as R’ Yochanan Ben Zakkai, Yehudah HaNasi, Resh Lakish, and yes, Bruriah.
Nearby you’ll also find gedolim through the ages, including Ramban, Rambam and Rav Charlap – as well as memorializations to the birthpangs of our State: Palmach, HaLamed Hei, Kaf Tet b’November.
Some street names, including Herzl, Jabotinsky, and Ben Yehuda, are so popular it seems there’s one in nearly every city in Israel. All these roads, housing ordinary (G-d-fearing) people and the mundane fixtures and detritus of modern life, brim with a grandeur not found on any Parisian boulevard or New York avenue. Taken together, they tell the miraculous story of our people, our faith, our destiny. And they never cease to remind me what a blessing it is to live here.
