I am typing this post sitting under the beautiful starry sky above Masada. We are staying at the Youth Hostel at the foot of Masada along the Dead Sea. More on that later…

Steve and I spent two delightful days with his cousin (second or second once removed – not sure which) Max on Kibbutz K’far Nasi. It was exactly what we needed after the total balagan (chaos/disaster) of Sunday’s break in and theft from our rental car. Arriving with our new luggage and Steve’s new mini wardrobe, we were made to feel totally welcome and all of our needs were catered to by Max. On Monday we took a driving tour to the northern corners of the Galil and along the border with Lebanon. We stopped by several viewpoints and visited the cemetery Tel Khai where Joseph Trumpledor is buried along with those who fought with him – the Shomrim. Max is a wealth of knowledge about the history of Israel and particularly his little corner of it and made an excellent tour guide. Pictures will be forthcoming of the fantastic views of the Hula Valley from far atop the Galil.

Our tiyul (tour) was followed with a very Israeli lunch of hummus, tahini, salad, cheeses and crackers. This was followed by a strictly enforced nap time – which with all the recent stress, we all needed. After our nap we chatted while Max got dinner prepared and then went for a short visit to the Kibbutz’s new pool. I was the only one who went swimming and it was very refreshing. Interestingly the water in the pool was salt not chlorine. Max joked that I was being marinated to be cooked for dinner and that I needed to be sure to stay in for at least half an hour. Dinner was delightful as was the after dinner discussion. Max is a wonderful conversationalist and had fun challenging me on many topics. He is quite amusing and witty in a dry and sarcastic way. I really enjoyed getting to know him and hope that this is not our only visit together. We talked about him coming to Seattle to visit us. Steve’s sister’s family will be visiting him next spring and then hopefully he will be able to come to see us all in Seattle. This morning we had another enjoyable meal together and a last conversation before Steve and I headed out to continue our discovery of Israel.

One topic we talked about a lot with Max was Steve’s family as Max is working on a family history. He shared his work so far with Steve on Monday night and then last night shared with me a real find! He had, from among his mother’s things, a copy of an article from the San Francisco Jewish Newspaper July 1947 about the arrival of Steve’s mother’s family from Shanghai.  We had never seen this article before and it was a fascinating read. He also was able to provided copies of photos that Steve had never seen before of his mother as a baby and of other relatives. Max’s family went to England from Germany during the Shoah while Steve’s mother’s parents went to Shanghai along with another aunt and her  husband. Putting all of the pieces back together and meeting up finally has been really rewarding.

Today we had a lot of fun driving from K’far Nasi to Masada. We started out by actually heading north to Kibbutz Ne’ot Mordechai which is where Naot/Teva shoes are manufactured. I was disappointed that they did not have a pair of the sandals that were stolen but did find two pairs for great prices and Steve found sandals and belts to replace items of his that were taken. We are saving up all the receipts as we have, thank God, found out that our homeowner’s insurance will cover our losses after a deductible.

After this stop we headed south along 90. We drove through Tiberias where there are many famous rabbis buried but it was too hectic to stop and we are a bit gun shy at parking anywhere with all our stuff in the car. We did stop at Kibbutz Kinneret which is apparently famous for its dates and its many date related products. We tasted many sauces and spreads and four or five types of dates. We bought chocolate date honey sauce, halvah date honey sauce, date syrup, date honey and honey sauce and some spices. We then continued south on 90 stopping for coffee, salad and wifi at an Aroma along the way. Soon we entered the West Bank and were waved through a check point without any questions or even looking at our passports. Steve was taken aback when he realized that there was a soldier with a rather large gun pointed at “us” (read everybody who comes through). The drive south was uneventful and we did not go through any other checkpoints. It was very barren and there were many abandoned buildings dotting the highway. There were also huge date tree “farms” and other agriculture alternating with huge barren stretches of rock and sand. We also went through a couple of nice little towns. As we got to the top of the Dead Sea there was a sign for an Ahava shop and a hotel and we turned off. We drove down this road that was lined with abandoned and partially demolished buildings but lined with new signs advertising a beach, a hotel, restaurants and other services. We got a bit nervous and turned back but as we were driving out a tour bus turned is so I guess if we drove far enough we might eventually have found the advertised amenities.

The Dead Sea valley is really unlike anything I have seen – somewhere between the surface of the moon and certain places in the US west though made of sand rather than rock. The surface of the water is reflective because of the salt content and the fact that the bottom of the sea is coated in salt. I really wanted to pull over and take pictures but Steve was nervous about this. I finally saw a place and just as I pulled over so did another car. We heralded each other and then talked about the need for more pullouts along the road. My fellow photographer was from Italy. I can’t wait to post the pictures next week so you can all see how amazingly beautiful and strange it all is. I also took some amazing pictures up close later when we drove to Ein Bodek and stopped right along the shore. Can’t wait to get in it tomorrow.

It is quite loud here at the Youth Hostel as there are at least two large groups of teens – one American and one Israeli – staying here. The Cheder Ochel (dining room) was total chaos when they showed up – particularly when they started singing happy birthday to one of their number. Steve was having a great time people watching but the manager of the dining room was not pleased with their behavior. He told us that the Israeli kids were crazy but the American ones were fine. We are hoping to not be climbing Masada in the morning with their rowdy company – though they might be considerably less noisy at 5 am!

Tomorrow, as just hinted at, we plan to climb Masada in time to be at the top for sunrise. We need to leave around 5 am for that to happen. It is about an hour hike at most according to the hostel worker to whom we spoke. We will return in time for breakfast – which will hopefully be tastier than dinner – and then head out to swim and play in the Dead Sea mud. I am sure that we will be back at Aroma in the early afternoon – which is when this will go live on the web. I think we should get Aroma sponsorship for our trip considering all the mentions they have gotten from us on Facebook and here. Between the good coffee – once you know how to order what you want – the huge salads that feed more than the two of us and the free Wi-Fi, I think Steve could stay there forever. Especially the one that is in the Mahane Yehuda Shuk – his other favorite place here in Jerusalem!

Signing off for now and hoping to upload this tomorrow. I so wish I could be posting pictures with this but will not be able to do that until I get home and B&H Photo delivers my new memory card reader. It should hopefully be there waiting for me on Monday.

B’vrachot,

Nance

This past Friday night and Saturday were Steve’s first Shabbat in Israel and Jerusalem, my last in Jerusalem and Yiscah’s last in Jerusalem and Israel (this time). We began by finally visiting the tiny shul of Rabbi Raz Hartman in Nachlaot. This tiny room – barely 10 x 10 contained more joy at the welcoming of Shabbat then many shuls many times its size. The singing was uplifting and FINALLY there was dancing even in the women’s section during L’cha Dodi! The men were dancing wildly and Steve got pulled into it. On clear clue to the enthusiasm and kavanah (intention) with which Raz greets each Shabbat was that the pages of his siddur were ripped and worn from him pounding his hands while praying.

From there we went to dinner at Nati and Michelle Cohen’s home on the other end of Nachlaot. Nati works as a tour guide and they open their home on Shabbat to visitors who want to learn about Shabbat. We were not there for that purpose but they did have a lovely family from Toronto as guest who Nati was guiding through the city. They also didn’t need to know about Shabbat as they are Chabad. They were on a three month tour in celebration of their son’s bar mitzvah. They were very nice and we had a lovely dinner. Michelle is a splendid cook and we had foods from around the world and Nati is a great story teller.

Shabbat morning we davened at a Masorti (Conservative) minyan – Mayanot – in Talpiot. This was also a small congregation but the service was lovely and Steve and I both had an aliyah (blessing) at the Torah. Afterwards we met Yiscah at my flat for Shabbat lunch. After a long Shabbat shluff (nap) we met up with Yiscah to go to Rabbi Brodt’s holy home for Seudat Shlishi – the third Shabbat meal. It was such an amazing experience. The singing after the meal just about blew the roof off of the house. There were about 30 people packed into the room and everyone was singing with a full heart. It really was transcendent. Rabbi Brodt and his son-in-law both gave teachings and then we marked Havdalah – also filled with singing. I can not imagine a better ending to my last Shabbat in Jerusalem – other than it so made me want to be there for many many more Shabbatot. To be in a place filled with people so in love with being actively Jewish and so in touch with their Jewish souls is inspiring and beautiful.

Sunday morning dawned on the work week and a separation from my month in Jerusalem and immersion in being surrounded by holy learning. What a shocking break it would prove to be! Our first stop was the Thrifty Car Rental office where the female manager was being yelled out and badgered by a man who clearly wasn’t happy to hear that he couldn’t walk in and get whatever car he wanted. It was really intense and he made the young woman helping him cry. After they left, Steve told the employees that we was really impressed with how they had handled it and the manager’s response was “Welcome to Israel.” We got our car and headed to the apartment to pack it up. I had rented the smallest car since there are only two of us but it was almost too small for all our luggage. I guess that concern got out into the universe as three of our bags were stolen from the car while we were parked in the lot at the National Park in Caesaria. Someone smashed the back passenger side window and they took one suitcase with all of Steve’s clothing and what I was planning to wear this coming week, a carry on with a number of items such as my camera battery charger and some knitting stuff and my backpack which had all our flight information, my charge for Elana’s bat mitzvah and other papers. Thank God they didn’t take the bag with the computers – that really was God watching over us as it was sitting on the floor of the car and was clearly the next thing that they would have taken. I assume that they must have been interrupted. They did get my jewelry and Kindle and Steve’s small digital camera. The clothing is a really inconvenience and we spent today in Haifa shopping at the mall rather than sight seeing. Not sure about other sight seeing as we are a bit burnt on parking the car anywhere with our stuff in it. We are grateful that our documents and credit cards were all on us. There was a little cash in the suitcase but not much. The jewelry is upsetting as there were many favorite pieces. But all told, it is only things that can be replaced and we are safe. Thrifty finally brought us a new car at about midnight and we were back on the road this morning.

This does mean that there will be no more pictures till I get home and replace the memory card reader which was taken. I pray that my mobile phone and camera batteries last the next week as those chargers are both gone as well. Inconvenient but not irreplaceable. I keep telling myself that. It has been very upsetting and filing a police report was a total nightmare as the only officer on duty spoke no English. Thank God a military policeman showed up who did and he was pressed into service as a translator. He was very kind and spent 30 minutes or more helping out. The police never looked at the car, though someone did call and let me know that they wouldn’t be fingerprinting but did help me find our way to the hotel we were trying to find. The MP and this officer made up for the difficulty I had at first with the non-English speaking one. Even he became much friendlier once there was a translator and I quit freaking out and yelling at him in confused Hebrew (my mental state destroyed whatever command of the language I had). The people at Nachsholim – where we stayed last night – were very kind as well as were people at the mall today when they heard our story.

We are now with Steve’s second cousin Max on Kibbutz K’far Nasi in northern Israel in the Galil. It is peaceful and beautiful here and lovely to be in a home. Speaking of which, it is time for dinner.

B’vrachot,

Nance

Tisha B’Av, (the 9th of the month of Av) for those who aren’t Jewish, is the ultimate day of mourning in Jewish tradition. It is the day that, traditionally, many bad things have happened to the Jews. It all started with the spies who returned from touring Canaan coming back and saying that there was no way that the Children of Israel could win the land. Since God had promised to help them in this endeavor, their doubt and spreading of fear was unforgiveable. Trust in God had been betrayed and the people are punished by God declaring that they will wander in the desert until all those over 20 are dead – or 40 years. The destruction of the First Temple by the Assyrians and the Second by the Romans also happened on this day and it is this destruction and loss of the central place of Jewish worship and God’s “home” on Earth that is really being mourned on this day. There is still no Third Temple and, even though there is now a Jewish state in Israel, the Jewish people still are distance from God due to it’s absence. I have already shared some of the learning I have done in preparation for this day, but even all that wonderful learning did not prepare me for how meaningful last night and today were.

Yiscah and I had our last meal – a boiled egg dipped in ashes – and proceeded to the Old City. We had learned on Sunday night at the shi’ur with Shlomo Katz that he would be leading services Monday evening at a private home with a terrace overlooking the Temple Mount. We had been unsure of where to go and at this news both looked at each other and knew that this was where we needed to be. Shlomo has been so central to the learning we have been doing and has given over(from R. Shlomo Carlebach) such deep learning about Tisha B’Av, we couldn’t imagine being anywhere else. The house was unbelievably beautiful with stunning views – I will post pictures on Facebook of the views. By the time we started services there were probably 70 people sitting on the ground on the terrace. It was a cool evening with a breeze and all around us were the sounds of other Jews marking Tisha B’Av as well as Muslims marking Ramadan and the celebrating that comes each evening at dark. Their celebrating made an interesting backdrop to our mourning – their party music and fireworks punctuating our songs of mourning and reading of Lamentations.

Shlomo and his father each read part of Eicha (Lamentations) and I have to say, with all respect to those I have previously heard chant Eicha – that this was the most beautiful reading of it I have ever been privileged to hear. Such emotion and deep kavanah (intention) in the reading and such musicality as well. If it wasn’t clear that this was not just a “recitation” already, it became clear when Shlomo stopped mid verse at one point. I couldn’t believe he had lost his place and then I looked at the line that he was reading and knew why he had stopped. Shlomo has two young daughters who he talks about frequently in his teachings and clearly loves more than life. The line was about the daughters of Zion boiling and eating their children during the siege on Jerusalem. He could simply not bear to read the line and when he did continue it was with tears in his eyes and breaking in his voice. This broke my heart as well. After Eicha was finished, Shlomo continued for another hour or more alternating beautiful teaching with niggunim (songs, usually wordless). He really opened his heart and poured it out for those who were blessed to be in attendance. When he was done, the hostess, Pamela Claman, asked if she could share part of a teaching he had apparently given at dinner prior to the fast. She shared about the difference between a prayer and a blessing and that a blessing is more holy because it involves two people (or more). In prayer it is us and God and we are usually asking for something, probably for us. But when you give a blessing – you are giving and you are involving at least one other person. It is this giving and bringing together that makes the blessing so holy. I thought that this was really beautiful, and as someone who signs all her correspondence with “with blessings”, it really spoke to me. On Sunday I had met a friend of Yiscah’s who upon our separating had given each of us, and even my husband who she hadn’t met, a long and beautiful personal blessing. I had found this so moving and was so impressed with how comfortable she was in doing this. I aspire to such ability to share holiness and blessing.

Today I spent most of the day at Pardes where they had a day of learning for Tisha B’Av. This is no easy feat to arrange as Torah learning is actually forbidden on this day as it brings joy. There are a list of things you can learn about – mourning, destruction, loss and such happy topics. I attended a number of great sessions on the laws of mourning and grief in Judaism and their role in helping us to process our grief “appropriately”. I have always thought that the Jewish customs of mourning are a brilliant part of Jewish ritual and, though, thank God, I have not been a mourner myself, find myself grateful for them when comforting mourners and helping them through their loss. The second session was a bit more “touchy feely” and had us think about the destructions in our own lives and then what good or change had come out of them. She referred to this process as “composting”. It was a good exercise as it is always good to remember that good can come out of bad. I personally am forever grateful to a person who caused me great heart break because without them I wouldn’t have the life I have now and this exercise was a good opportunity to remember that . All of the wonderful things I have, my job, my husband, my community, being here in Israel this summer are worth the pain suffered in the creation of who I am today. The afternoon sessions were with Danny Gordis and Natan Sharansky and were both fabulous and memorable. R. Gordis spoke about what has been lost due to the history of the Jewish people and how we aren’t a “real” people because we have had to move around so much and because of the existential threat that we have historically (and continue to) live with. As he said, “It isn’t normal for a People to constantly live with the knowledge that other people want to kill them.” Natan Sharansky spoke beautifully about the power of identity and the centrality of Jerusalem and Israel to his work for human rights and freedom.

It has been a great week on other fronts and I will try to share about them later. I was in the middle of the historical protests here on Saturday, August 6th and also had fun meeting two formerly “virtual” friends in person and spent Shabbat with the family from Seattle whose daughter’s bat mitzvah I will be doing on the 20th. For now it is bed time! My husband arrives tomorrow and I can’t wait for him to be here!! The apartment is cleaned, I have cleared him a shelf or two and a drawer and I can only hope that he actually fits in the bed (I am not sure it is long enough!).

I wish you all the blessings of happiness, health and plenty.

b’vrachot,
Nance

Jerusalem, for that matter all of Israel, is not a place of half measures. The past week has been full of highs and lows and more amazing experiences. It’s now been over two weeks since I got here and, while I am having an amazing time on so many levels, I really miss home and my husband. I am also beginning to fully realize how much I need to have in place for the new school year and how hard getting that done from here is going to be. Today was not a great day – it began with Steve finding a bill on my desk that is due tomorrow which led to an unpleasant exchange and moved on towards panic about being ready for the school year and then moved into realizing that all my new friends at Pardes will be leaving in two days and I will have a week stretched out in front of me between the Curriculum Workshop ending and my husband arriving. Needless to say, not my best day here. Busying myself with laundry and then with booking tours and rooms for when Steve is here got me through the evening and allowed some mental space to actually contemplate the past week.

My week at Pardes was very busy with working on my curriculum unit and attending a variety of workshops. I have so enjoyed getting to know a variety of the other teachers at the Workshop and really hope to stay in touch with them. Pardes does an excellent job educating them and I find myself envious of their time studying there and wishing I had a couple of years to come and learn in their Educator’s Program. I had a meeting with a second mentor midweek and came up with some fabulous texts for my unit and was able to have a couple of really productive days Wednesday and Thursday. I also did a “sharing” presentation on my Inquiry unit on Rites of Passage from this past year which was well received. We also went on a tiyul (field trip) to the Israel Museum where we went through the archeology section with a guide. I also then went to see the Shrine of the Book and the model of Jerusalem during the Second Temple period.

In addition to the learning at Pardes, I also went to a shi’ur (lesson) at the Yeshivat Simchat Shlomo led by Shlomo Katz. This was “giving over” of a lesson by Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach about Tisha B’Av (the 9th of Av – a day of fasting and mourning of the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE as well as a host of other tragedies in Jewish history which all conveniently seem to happen on this same day). It was a beautiful teaching and one of the main points – which I was able to figure out from the very esoteric teaching – is that there are two ways to sin and one is easily forgiven and one is largely unforgiveable. The first way is through the breaking of a commandment – like the building of the Golden Calf. The Israelites sin, they plead for forgiveness (well, Moses pleads for them), they are punished and God forgives them and life goes on. This is like a servant who works for a king and makes a mistake. The second way is a breaking of a trust or a betrayal of faith or love and this is much harder to forgive for the damage is much more serious. Rabbi Carlebach says we actually shouldn’t even ask for forgiveness but rather approach the person and kiss them – acknowledging both that we have hurt them and that we have no right to ask for forgiveness. This is likened to the sin of the spies who go to see the Promised Land and come back and scare the people into believing that there is no way, even with God’s help, that they will be able to conquer the land. This sin is a betrayal of faith in God and is not forgiven. The punishment is wandering for 40 years until all the adults responsible for this betrayal have died. This is likened to the relationship between a parent and a child. Another part of this teaching was about how we, 2000 years removed from the destruction of the Temple are supposed to connect to this tragedy and mourn it. Carlebach brings down (teaches) that what we are mourning is that God is homeless and has been for 2000 years. The Temple was God’s dwelling place on Earth and without it, God has no fixed place to reside. The message is that it isn’t about us and what have lost but rather about what God lost. A fascinating way to frame this most serious and somber day in the Jewish year.

Shabbat was again an amazing adventure. Friday night we returned to Mayanot in Nahalot for another rousing Kabbalat Shabbat. I still wish I was on the other side of the mechiza but am encouraged by other women singing,clapping, stomping and swaying to give way to my own impulses while the men are pounding tables and dancing. Yiscah again arranged for dinner for us both – giving up an invite on her own with friends to instead venture out to a potluck meal recommended by a friend. What an experience it was. It is amazing to me that people here open their homes so readily to huge groups of people – some of whom they barely or not all know. This meal is a regular weekly potluck and most of the people knew each other. We recognized a couple of people from other large group meals we have been at as well as from Mayanot. The host was newly living with a new roommate who was the unofficial host of the meal and a bit of a celebrity as I was to discover. The meal was wonderful, the food plentiful and the company varied and fascinating. I am torn about what to say about the unofficial host out of respect and appreciation for the hospitality that I received. Suffice it to say that he was larger than life and quite entertaining. It is strange the “table fellows” that one can encounter when one is willing to venture out and be a guest in people’s homes. I have to say it is a most unique Jerusalem experience and continues to push my boundaries and comfort zone. The growth will do me good.

Shabbat morning we went to Shira Hadasha which is a “halachically inclusive minyan” that I had been to when I was last in Jerusalem. This minyan was founded by a group of people who were interesting in finding what were the true limits of what women could and could not do in a worship service based on Jewish law rather than customs. It has inspired similar synagogues in the US, including one in Seattle. I was honored to be asked to open the Ark for the Torah service and it was a very meaningful experience – especially after so many services where women can’t do such things. For lunch we came back to my apartment and Yiscah, Elena (from my Pardes group) and I had a delicious lunch which was followed by a long nap. In the evening we went back to Yeshivat Simcha Shlomo for Seudah Shlishi (the third Shabbat meal). There must have been 30+ people crammed into the charming house – they were down the hall and into the kitchen. There was delicious food, wonderful singing and a lovely teaching based on a teaching by Rav Soleivetchik. The evening was marred by one young woman passing out from heat exhaustion and needing an ambulance. It was particularly hot here Friday and Saturday and I felt quite awful myself on Friday after being out and about in the Old City in the heat of the day.

Tomorrow I will present on the unit of curriculum which I have been developing over the past two weeks and on Tuesday we will have a farewell lunch and my time at Pardes will end. I do look forward to returning there on Tisha B’Av for a fantastic day of learning and also to now being an alum of Pardes with all that entails. I will be meeting in person on Wednesday a “virtual” friend of a few years which will be fun. I am worried about filling the time and remaining busy between Pardes ending and Steve arriving. I am sure Yiscah will have ideas – though she is leaving me on my own this Shabbat!! There is so much to see and explore here and if all else fails I could do some of that work that I was freaking out about for school!

b’vrachot

Nance

Shavuah tov! A good new week to you all. It has been a whirlwind for me here in Jerusalem. I have had two amazing Shabbatot, met such amazing and beautiful people and learned so much already – not just in my program, but from those I have met, from what I have seen and all that goes on in this unique and holy place.

The first couple of days of the Summer Curriculum Workshop have been great and I have made good progress on my unit. Thursday there were sharing sessions where other participants shared units of study or other programs that they use and feel might be of use to others. I learned about a great Pesah unit based in Mishnah that would be good in 6th grade and also about how to use catchy posters all around the room to engage students and enhance your curriculum. We also had a workshop on classroom management that was scheduled because so many of the participants listed help with classroom management as the number one thing that they wanted to have help with during their time at Pardes. The most interesting thing that I learned – not that I didn’t at some level know it already but really “got” – is that one “problem” can manifest itself or look 10 ways and have 15 different reasons for its existence. For example – a student who is off task can be a number of different things other than their work, and could be off task because the work it too easy, too hard, boring or they’re tired or hyped up or just feeling ornery. Maybe they had a fight with a friend or are upset about something at home. One behavior – 10 ways to look – 15 reasons – you can’t fix it just one way!!! You have to know all three parts and then figure out what is going to fix it.

Thursday evening I went out with Elena, who is another Fellow in the Workshop with me. We went to Ben Yehuda street and had fun window – and actual – shopping and had a lovely dinner. I was able to find a pair of Naot’s in a pattern that I had seen on Tuesday evening. The pair on Tuesday were in a style that I can’t wear and Khalifa Shoes on Jaffa Road had the style that I can! Aren’t they cute?

Friday was a free day – the weekend is Friday and Saturday here – and Yischa and I went to the shuk (market) at Mahane Yehuda and shopping nearby and then to lunch. We had a fun time wandering around the market looking at all the fabulous produce and dried fruits, nuts, spices and such.

It really is amazing to see it all. The people watching is also amazing. Friday morning half of Jerusalem seems to be there as everyone is shopping for their Shabbat meals and preparing for the stores to be closed from mid-afternoon Friday through Saturday evening.  After making some purchases in the shuk we went to Bat Ayin, which is a Laura Ashleyesque women’s store here in Jerusalem. Dressing modestly is a mitzvah and doing it with style and class a challenge. Women in Jerusalem really do an amazing job with layering and mixing and matching. I bought a beautiful dress that could be just a cute short summer dress, or with layering…well, you can see the picture.

As many of you know, I am in the habit of covering my head when teaching or praying and usually wear a knitted kippah. Here in Jerusalem it is fashionable to wrap your head in a tichel or scarf. I decided to give this a try on Friday and was so happy with the look I wore a different one Friday night and another on Saturday! It is a bit cooler than the knitted kippah and they are quite versatile. Oh – and at lunch we met a St. Bernard who speaks Yiddish!

Friday evening we went to the Kotel – Western Wall – to greet Shabbat. We were there quite early and did some people watching as well as praying. It was so moving being up near the wall and being able to say my private prayers with my forehead against it. It is so amazing how just being in that place is so moving and seeing women from many countries and faiths there communing with the Divine was quite amazing. Seeing all of the various Jews gathering to welcome Shabbat in this most Holy place was also fascinating. From scantily dressed young girls, to overly dressed up families (Who wears 5 inch heels to walk through the Old City and pray at the Kotel?), to modestly dressed Orthodox girls and women, to the Kabbalists all in white to the more frum all in black and a group of African women in brightly colored traditional clothing – the variety was mind boggling.  I felt bad for the one guard whose job it is to offer a wrap to those who aren’t appropriately attired as there were far more people in need of covering up than she could possibly monitor! Really, it is inconceivable to me what some people feel is appropriate to wear to a holy site where people are praying. I don’t expect everyone to be covered from head to toe – but barely there leggings, stomaching baring shirts and micro-minis seem an odd option – and this wasn’t all on teenage girls.

We had brought candles along with us to light when it was time. We had hoped that there would be a place near the Wall where we would be able to light but were informed that it wasn’t safe and had been outlawed. We were told to check over near the restrooms (really) as there was a ledge there where the guard thought you could light. There was and we were debating whether to light or wait till it was actually time – about another 10 minutes. We had just decided to light when a group of young women came up and asked if we knew where they could get some candles to light. We said that we didn’t but that they could join us in blessing the candles that we had brought. They all circled around us and as a group, Yischa and I and 8 young Brazilian Jewish women, we all brought in Shabbat. We then hugged and kissed and wished each other a Shabbat of Peace. Yiscah and I were so glad that we had not decided to wait as we would have missed this opportunity to share in that moment with these young ladies. It was such a blessing to be able to provide them with an opportunity to light candles – particularly in such a special place (the Kotel, not the restrooms)

Trying to do the Kabbalat Shabbat service at the Wall on the women’s side of the mechitza (divider) is a real challenge. There were many groups of young men who were doing the service but started very early. The young women, on the other hand, seemed to want to sing and dance in a circle and celebrate being in Jerusalem and at the Kotel, but not actually daven Kabbalat Shabbat. I eventually gave up hoping for a group of women with whom to daven and got to the business of praying on my own. There was so much going on around me – the voices from the men’s section praying, the groups of girls singing “David, Melech Yisroel” or “Avinu Shalom Aleichem” over and over and the voices of other women nearby saying their own prayers. I am not sure that I would go back again for Friday evening as it was really my earlier praying that was most moving and I would have preferred to have been in a shul for Kabbalat Shabbat itself. This is one of those times where the realities of having one’s Jewish practice controlled by the Orthodox is really most upsetting. How beautiful might the davening had been if those young people – male and female – could have combined their energy and had a Kabbalat Shabbat service together in one place where others could join rather than the boys praying while the girls sing camp songs? I so wanted to wade into the men’s section and join in their prayers and give in to their energy and spirit. I kept hoping one of the groups of women would channel their enthusiasm into Yedid Nefesh, the first song in Kabbalat Shabbat, rather than another round of “Od yavo Shalom Aleinu”. Sadly, it was not to be.

Shabbat dinner in the Old City was at a wonderful home tucked into the rabbit warren that is the Jewish Quarter. Down a narrow alley, through a door in the walls, across an enclosed and hidden courtyard and into an adorable home built literally into the walls of the Old City. The sense of being in a medieval castle or keep kept coming over me and it was amazing to be in a place so steeped in history. The company was again fascinating and diverse – foremost female Kabbalistic scholar, three young adults from Rockville MD who are there studying and were the sweetest set of siblings in their 20’s I have seen, a lesbian couple, an Iraqi Jew who fled there at the age of 3 and other interesting and unique individuals. The conversation and learning was also fascinating and enlightening and the food delicious. Yischa and I walked home at 1 am and made our plans for Saturday day. Today was a bit lower key though still lovely. Met more interesting and inspiring Jews – including one who grew up at Beth Shalom in Seattle – here living and learning and trying to bring the Messiah.

I will close now – both because this is long and because it is late and Sunday is a “school” day here in Israel. I look forward to another life altering and enlightening week. I will be working hard on my unit of curriculum and look forward to getting to learn from many scholars as well as colleagues. Wishing you a week of peace, plenty and blessings.

Nance

This link (below) can be used by anyone – whether you are on FaceBook or not – to access the album that I have posted there of additional photos from my trip. I will continue to add to this album and it will be the place to see all my photos and not just the select few that make it into a blog post.  Please let me know, through a comment here or an email, if there is an issue with the link. Thank  you and enjoy!

Photos of my trip to Israel

Today marked the minor fast day the 17th of Tammuz. I went with Yischa to the Kotel – the Western or Wailing Wall. We took a leisurely walk through the new (since I was last here four years ago) Mamilla Mall. For a moment we both thought we were in LA rather than Jerusalem. I was thrilled to see that there is now a MAC (the only brand of make-up I wear) store here in Jerusalem so, Baruch Ha-Shem (Thank God) I can know make Aliyah (move to Israel).

Apparently you can get anything you might need at this mall as they appear to have the Ark of the Covenant for sale as well.

We then entered the Old City through the Jaffa Gates and decided to walk through the Arab Shuk. There was not a lot of selling going on. We then stopped and visited the rebuilt Ramban Synagogue. The interior and the exterior are both beautiful.

There was a bit of a traffic jam caused by a group of Orthodox boys watching workmen drill a huge hole through the stone wall of a storefront. They were totally fascinated by the large drill and the workmen’s frustration when it got stuck and they had to bang it out from the other side. It made for good picture taking.

The Kotel plaza was fairly busy since it was towards the end of the fast. Yischa knew about a “secret” place for us to go daven (pray) that is inside the walls rather than along the front of them. We asked to be allowed in through the entrance of the “Western Wall Heritage Foundation” and walked through the tunnels to an area where women can daven. Of course, there was an area in front and below where the men were davening and could touch the wall. The sound of the men’s davening was a bit hypnotic and made for a great background for my own prayers. As the 17th of Tammuz marks, among other tragedies, the day that the walls of the Temple were breached by the Romans, davening from within those walls was quite powerful.

We returned to the city on a bus on which we were instructed, by a kid with a megaphone sitting in the bus stop area, that women were to sit in the back of the bus. Most of the people getting on the bus were Ultra-Orthodox. I said to Yischa, “Didn’t the Israeli Supreme Court decide that they couldn’t make you do this?” I also said “Who am, Rosa Parks?” Yischa laughed and said that she had expected I might bristle at being sent to the back. I did notice a few women, Orthodox even, did sit toward the front.

We broke our fast at a lovely restaurant on Emek Refa’im where I ordered the Salad Nicioise (no idea how to spell that and spell check isn’t helping!). I had seen in the description that rather than regular tuna (from a can) that they served it with a seared tuna fillet. This sounded delightful. When I ordered it the waitress said, “Have you had this before?” “Yes.” “Have you had it here?” “No.” She then went on to explain and, it seemed, apologize for the fact that rather than serving it with canned tuna they used a lovely tuna steak that was served medium rare. I told her that was perfect. I laughed at the fact that people would be upset to get fabulous tuna steak properly cooked rather than Chicken of the Sea!

In other news, I had my first orientation meeting at Pardes today and met with my assigned mentor – Evan. It is a perfect match! He loved the piece of curriculum which I brought to work on during the workshop. He loved the creativity of it and was also really jazzed about the idea for framing all of middle school Judaics that Rabbi Light and I had been working on creating. I showed him pictures of the bulletin board I made in my room and he was just thrilled with it. Very excited to have him as a sounding board – even if he promised to be demanding and difficult – for my unit.

Off to bed as tomorrow is a long day and I didn’t sleep well last night – mostly because apparently my neighbor couldn’t sleep either and kept making noise that woke me up! So, I guess I really hope that he sleeps more soundly so that I can!

B’vrachot – with blessings,

Nance

At Café Hillel I see the woman in front of me purchase an iced latte, so I ask for an iced latte. I am told they don’t have an iced latte but that I can get iced coffee with milk. I watch the barista make what is essentially an iced latte – a shot of espresso, ice and milk! Wouldn’t it be easier to just call it an iced latte? And, from a second coffee run to a different café – apparently there is no such thing as a hot latte either – it’s a “cappuccino”. They do have a chai latte however. What is a Seattleite to do with these coffee heathens?

At the Supersol “Deal” (a grocery store on steroids) I try to get a cart. They are chained together. I ask how I get one and am told that I need to pay five shekels. That seems a steep price for a  cart and I don’t need much, so I proceed without one. Balancing vegetables, milk, oatmeal, paper towels and a six pack of water I make my way around the store. I hear two women speaking English, so I ask them about the carts. So, it turns out that you get your five shekels back when you return the cart! Why don’t they do that in America? That would solve the problem of people taking the carts with them. Probably because we don’t have any coins worth enough to make it work. Glad to know next time I can get a cart. (Ok – according to my husband, they do this in LA. but it doesn’t seem like a quarter is going to prevent theft if someone really feels the need for a shopping cart.)

Apparently it is not only legal but perhaps even encouraged that vehicles drive and park on the sidewalks here in Israel. A motorcycle – not a moped or a scooter but davka (specifically) a motorcycle – drove up the sidewalk in the opposite direction of the one way street that it was alongside. Huge chunks of sidewalk are marked as parking!

Had a whole conversation in Hebrew with the clerk in the bookstore but yet she recommended to me “My first Hebrew words” because the map I bought was all in English! Did I sound that bad or did she figure I had kids and they were learning?

Met my landlord today. I am wearing a pendant that says “Shalom, Peace and Salaam” (each in their language). He says to me “I like your necklace. I don’t believe it, but I like it.” Wow! What a statement. I told him that it is hard to believe in but worth it – but what do I know? I don’t live here.

It is a good thing that I brought multiple pairs of shoes so that I can keep rotating what part of my foot gets irritated! Walking multiple miles a day on dusty sidewalks in heat that causes swelling in my feet, does not make for happy feet. Tomorrow there will be little walking and what there is will be in sneakers with socks on. Hopefully that will allow the blisters from the last three days to heal a bit!

Am relieved that the sight of a young person in street clothes with an AK-47 does not cause the same gut reaction it did on my last visit. Not sure I should be relieved but at least it will make things less jarring since they are omnipresent here. Young people in their Zahal (Israeli Army) uniforms are also seen frequently. I wish neither of these things had to be but have learned to be grateful that they are there. Would prefer to be visiting Jerusalem of Peace in a world where there was peace between Israelis and Palestinians as well as the rest of the Arab world. Which brings me back to my landlord’s comment.