Shabbat in Yerushalayim

It truly has been a Gainesville shabbat in Jerusalem. We left the hotel before shabbat to visit the Davidson Archeological park located on the southern end of the Western wall. Areyeh, our guide, explained the digs and we learned about the Temple and its eventual destruction.

As evening approached we gathered in a corner under Robinsons Arch, at the Wall, and began our Kabbalat Shabbat service. Although it was cold and windy we found a small spot to light shabbat candles and before long our voices rang out with the songs of a spirited welcoming of shabbat. The whole group sang out and filled the space with the joy of shabbat and celebration of standing at the wall. (I was moved that just to our right another Conservative congregation, just moments behind us, began their service. We were seperated by a few feet at this moment - and probably thousands of miles apart in our home communities, but here at the Wall there was little seperating us and I reveled in their echoes of the same words, tunes and songs that connect us one to the other.)

A few took taxis back to the hotel but most of us walked through the alleyways of the Old City to celebrate shabbat dinner together. Despite the cold we were warmed by the memorable alleyways and byways that snaked through the city. Walking by the individual flats we could smell shabbat dinners prepared for familes.

And how special it was that when we arrived at the hotel and friends greeted us. Nine young people, all connected to Gainesville in one way or another were my guests for a scrumptuous meal (in general I don't put names on the blog for privacy and other reasons but all you guests know who you are - we enjoyed you Rafi, Sarah Beth, Ellie, Micah, Becky, Margo and partners!). After dinner we had a rousing Birkat Hamazon and these young people shared their special knowledge of Gainesville, their experiences in Israel and the passion and idealism that young people bring when living and spending time in this special place. We laughed and smiled and I left the group in the lobby as they continued celebrating their Gainesville connection in the lobby for more than an hour.

Shabbat morning saw us all off in different directions - exploring the richness of spiritual life in Jerusalem. Rebeca and I took several to the closest synagogue which happened to be Moreshet Yisrael, the Conservative synagogue on the corner of Agron Street and King George. The rabbi of that synagogue had been a Chevruta of mine during our rabbinical school years and it was wonderful to renew friendships and share in magnificent davening by talented congregants. Another guest of Moreshet Yisrael this morning was the Assistant Dean at American Jewish University in Los Angeles who is not only a former Gator but actually a current member of our Congregation! Good to see you Rabbi A! Many others attended services at Shira Hadasha - an Orthodox feminist minyan. Still more went on a walking tour of the neighborhood and two even got lost on an adventure of a lifetime!

After lunch together we all retired for a well-deserved Shabbat menucha (rest) as we prepared for Seudah Shlishit (the third Shabbat meal). At 4:30pm we walked to the Conservative Yeshiva where we were greeted by another good friend and colleague who is the Director of the Fuchsburg Center for Conservative Judaism in Jerusalem. What a beautiful facility! I was touched to see a group of Solomon Schecter students from Westchester County, New York who were on their two month Senior year trip to Israel and Poland. After a nice meal in the cafeteria we spent time in study with one of our own community members who is a third year rabbinical student at JTS. Thank you Rafi for an inspired teaching. We also met another of my colleagues who is currently doing pastoral care work for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast and who just happened to be on vacation in Jerusalem this week. Best of all we were joined by the Gottschalk family (former members of our congregation) who have returned to Isreal. Again, our congregation family spreads far! So good to see you!

After a soulful Havdalah we boarded the bus to head back to the Western Wall for a tour of the tunnels underneath the wall. Informative, inspiring and educational!

Some have now made their way back to Ben Yehudah street while many have gone to rest as we prepare for our adventure toward Masada and the Dead Sea tomorrow.

Of course there are no pictures today since I did not have my camera with me because of Shabbat (no pictures on Shabbat)....but our memories live best in our hearts and souls!

Shavua Tov (Have a good week)!