Saturday, October 31 - Shabbat in Jerusalem

Shabbat shalom from Jerusalem!  

There is something about waking up to Shabbat in Israel, specifically Jerusalem.  There is a certain peace one feels during Shabbat here.  It begins on Friday as the entire city begins to shut down as Shabbat approaches.  A quiet and calmness comes over Jerusalem as the sun sets.  

This morning, waking up to the beauty of Shabbat I am ready for an easy day in terms of site seeing, but a wonderful day filled with lots of emotion.

Our first activity of the day is one I have been excited about for a long time, and that is our special Shabbat service that we are having on the penthouse patio overlooking the Old City.  There is nothing like praying with the Old City in our sights.  There is no way to describe the power of turning and facing the Western Wall for prayers like the Bar'chu, Amida and Aleinu.  It is transformative.  When we are back in Thousand Oaks at Temple Adat Elohim and we reach one of these moments during our services I can always picture myself right back in Israel, laying my hands on the very stones we are facing, connecting me to what it felt like to actually be here.  I really hope that the rest of our travelers have this same sense of connection.  

Yesterday we were at the Western Wall and today we get to pray overlooking the Old City.  It is a perfectly beautiful day.  We are truly  blessed.

During our service, three of our travelers chose to use this time to publicly declare how important Judaism is to them by reading Torah as they become B'nai Mitzvah.  They all wore a Tallit for the first time.  Marjorie was first...

Then David...

And finally, Deb.

They did such a terrific job and I look forward to hearing them read Torah again with the rest of their Adult B'nai Mitzvah class at TAE in April.  They inspire us all to renew our own commitment to Judaism and to strengthen our Jewish identities.  It was an honor to stand with them as they chanted the words of our sacred text.

Another traveler, Carol, chose to use this moment to be given a new Hebrew name.  Her father gave her a Hebrew name when she was little, but she wanted to actively choose her own name.  We are given many names in life, but few of them we get to actually choose for ourselves.  There was a great power in Carol choosing her own name, and it was an honor to share this moment with her.

Following the Torah reading and Naming Ceremony we gathered our honored guests under a Chuppa created by our Tallitot held by our other travelers.  It was powerful to bless these dear people standing in front of the Old City, feeling the presence of our history at this emotional moment.

We also took this moment to offer a special blessing to Melanie and David who will be exchanging wedding vows in just a few months.  We all hope that their life together is filled with many blessings and lots of happiness.  And we hope that standing und the Chuppa in May connects them back to this moment under our Chuppa today.  It was a special moment for us all.

Before we read the Kaddish prayer we did something a little unusual.  Instead of only remembering those who had recently passed away or who's yartzeit happened to fall on this Shabbat I invited everyone to share the names of those they were remembering as we traveled to Israel.  People shared the names of parents, grandparents, friends and righteous individuals who helped to save a loved one during the Holocaust.  By the end, we were all in tears as we recognized that this pilgrimage was about more than visiting Israel, it was about connecting to those we love through Judaism.  The love that was shared during these few minutes was stronger than the death of a person, and we all recognized how grateful we were that we have the capacity to love.  And while it can cause us great pain, it shows that the love is always there, even if the person is not physically there any more.  It was a very moving Kaddish for us all.

After the service and celebratory lunch some of us went to the Tower of David Museum in the Old City. On our way I took this picture of myself at the Jaffa Gate.

Here is the moat that surrounds the Citadel, where the museum is.  You can see how when filled with water it could slow down any attacker as they tried to take the structure.

The museum is really terrific and tells the story of Jerusalem from 5000 years ago to today.  

Ron pointed out the canon ball damage in the building and even told us that every year birds nest in there and give birth to new baby birds. From destruction to a home for baby birds.  That is quite the transformation.  

We climbed up to the top of the tower to get a wonderful view of the Old City.  Our breath was taken away as we looked at this ancient city from high above.  It gave a wonderful perspective of the small space the city takes up and how each quarter is divided.  We also got a terrific view of the Temple Mount and could see people walking into and out of the Dome of the Rock.

Something that really interested me was the model of the Dome of the Rock.  I have always wanted to enter the Temple Mount and see the Dome of the Rock, but am not able to because of all of the unrest happening there.  This is as close as I will get!

We all really loved seeing the model of the Old City showing how it looked in the mid 1800's.  We couldn't get over the detail shown in this model.  

Following our tour of the Tower of David Museum we all split up and went our separate ways.  I was eager to make my way down the allies and pay another visit to the Western Wall.  It always seems like one visit there is not enough.  I have never visited this place on Shabbat and was eager to see what it was like...

What I found was an almost every deserted plaza!  Yesterday, although it was not crowded, there was definitely a presence of humanity there.  Today, it was as if I was the only one there...  I approached and placed my hands on the stone again.  The same exchange of energy happened, and the same deepening of connection overwhelmed me.  But this time, my prayer was silent.  I stood there with my eyes closed, with my body resting on the ancient stone and just focused on my breathing.  As I breathed in and out, I began to hone in on the sound of the birds chirping around me.  I also started to hear traditional Jewish chanting coming from the orthodox service happening in the room next to the Wall.  It was strange, but the sounds of the birds and the chanting complimented each other, as if they were all a part of the same song.  My breathing became slower and deeper and a sense of relaxation came over me.  Once again I was totally present in this moment.  I wasn't worried about time, or the next activity we were scheduled to experience.  All that I was focusing on was my hands touching the stone, listening to the sounds surrounding me and breathing.  It was a wonderful way to celebrate and honor Shabbat.  I am not quite sure how long I stayed there, but it was long enough for me to feel totally rejuvenated, like I had just woken up from a long, Shabbat nap.  

Because it was Shabbat I was unable to take any pictures at the Wall.  Out of respect I honored that request and decided to find my way up to the rooftops of the Old City to find the view of the Western Wall that I love so much.  Luckily, it didn't take me too long to find that view.  Notice how deserted the Wall was.  There were more people on the women's side, the men's side was empty.

Standing up here and looking at the Wall and the Temple Mount you can really get an appreciation as to how close these landmarks are.  I pray that one day I will be able to show my respect to the Muslim faith by honoring and visiting their holy sites and that Muslims will be able to honor and show their expect for my holy site by visiting the Wall.  While the proximity is close, it feels like our worlds are very far apart.  

Walking back through the Old City and the Memilla Pedestiran Mall you get a sense for how quiet Jerusalem is during Shabbat.  The entire city is resting.

This evening, we walked to the Jaffa Gate and made Havdallah, a separation of Shabbat from the rest of the week.  We also recognized that we are getting ready to separate this trip from the rest of our lives as we head back to reality in just a few days.  It was so moving and powerful to share Havdallah in front of the Old City.  Just a week ago we honored Havdallah in a room at the hotel in Poland, and here we could do it outside, publicly declaring and celebrating our Judaism.  It was a beautiful moment that I was so honored to share with these travelers.  

Following Havdallah we went to see the Night Spectacular at the Tower of David Museum, where the walls of the Citadel serve as a stage for a nighttime show, a celebration of sight and sound that depicts the history of Jerusalem.  It was spectacular!  

Following the show I had the opportunity to have dinner with my friend Jane and her husband, Ezra.  Jane and I went to high school together and she and her husband made Aliyah about 20 years ago.  I am so grateful to Jane because two and a half years ago she was the friend I met in Israel when I had just arrived.  She took me into the Old City and brought me to the Wall for the first time.  She took my camera and told me to take as much time as I need...  I will always remember her love and kindness to me that allowed me to have such a transformative moment alone at the Wall.  It was so great to share a delicious meal with the two of them.  We went to the same restaurant Jane and I dined at in 2013 and I even ordered the exact same meal, artichoke and spinach pizza.

As Shabbat ends, Jerusalem comes back to life.  After resting all day, she is once again full of life and energy.  You must experience a Shabbat in Jerusalem.  There is nothing quite like it anywhere.  Watching her wake up is a unique experience I treasure.  Being a part of her revived energy is also a privilege.  Israel's arms are open to you.  You just have to decide to embrace her back.  Let TAE help you to make that choice.  We are planning another trip to Israel in June of 2017 and we want you to be a part of that trip.  Come and experience all Israel is.  You will discover a new you here.

Friday, October 30 - History and Spirituality in Jerusalem

Today is the day I have been anticipating for so long.  In so many ways this is the culmination of our trip, all paths leading up to what we would be experiencing today which is the Old City.  For me, there is no place like the Old City, filled with so much history and spirituality.  Even though I have visited the Old City many times, each time feels like the first time...

Before we would leave for the Old City we met with Rabbi Noa Sattath, the Director for the Israel Religious Action Center, known as IRAC.  Noa shared with us some of the issues the IRAC is working to resolving.  She explained that she would be showing us the not so pretty side of Israel, for she said that "love is what remains after you know the truth."  She hoped that our love for Israel would not waver from her telling us some troubling issues IRAC is facing.  While she was right, this view is important for us to learn about as we build our connection to Israel.

IRAC is the social justice arm of the reform movement in Israel whose goal is to make Judaism accessible to all Jews.  This sounds like an easy thing to accomplish, but it isn't.  The average secular Israeli Jew associates Judaism with corruption and wants no part of it.  IRAC is trying to change this mentality through education, through promoting reform synagogues and through social action.  

There are many issues that IRAC is facing now.  Some of the issues they are working on are issues surrounding marriage and the fact that civil marriage does not exist in Israel, only orthodox marriage exists.  People who do not want an orthodox marriage often leave for Cyrpress to be married and then return to Israel to file.  It is terrible that unless one has an orthodox wedding one cannot marry in their homeland.  It only gets worse if the couple wants to divorce.  Women have no voice in divorce cases because they are not allowed to testify.  WHAT?!  You read the words correctly, divorce is at the consent of the husband, period.  This totally unfair law opens the door for financial blackmail and the IRAC is working to change it.  

Another issue they are working to resolve is gender segregation in the public sphere.  There is a relatively new phenomenon by the orthodox community forcing women to sit in the back of public buses.  In 1999 there were 96 buses that had this rule.  Because of the work of the IRAC in ten years and four years in court this kind of segregation is declining.  

Another segregation issue at the forefront of the IRAC is women and their right to sit on airplane flights.  Ultra orthodox men do not want to sit next to a woman.  Should they find their seat is next to a woman they will simply stand up.  If they are not seated, the plane cannot leave the gate.  They are causing terrible delays on flights.  Either the woman moves her seat or the ultra orthodox man is removed from the plane hours after the incident starts.  They wait, board the next flight and the process repeats itself.  

My blood begins to boil as I listen to this...

Another issue that the IRAC is trying to deal with has to do with racism, specifically looking at Jewish leaders insighting violence against Israeli Arabs.  While there is really no need to fear assimilation as the intermarriage rate between Jews and Arabs is much lower than even Jews marrying Sudanese, Israeli extremists use this fear tactic to attract followers. 

Of course the issue that IRAC is best known for is the Women of the Wall movement, fighting for gender equality at the holiest of Jewish sites.  It is hard for me to understand why this is such a huge issue.  Judaism is all about how we treat each other.  If women are being treated like second class citizens then a change must come.  And change will come.  One day I will be able to go to the Wall with my wife and daughters and wrap my arms around all three of them as we experience the holiness of the Wall together.  

One thing we learned is that our voices matter in Israel.  Israelis are listening, but are we talking?  Are we demanding for social justice in Israel?  Are we demanding justice in America?  Unfortunately, the loudest voices are the extremists, and that has to change in order for real, meaningful change to occur.

With these issues on our mind we boarded our bus and drove to the Zion Gate, our entrance to the Jewish Quarter in the Old City.  As we approached I could feel my heart racing out of excitement for being back in this special place.  I couldn't wait to share my love for the Old City with out travelers.

One of the biggest questions I was asked before our trip was about safety.  How can I go to Israel with the tumult happening there now?  I suppose I could ask the same of parents who send their kids to college.  There were three mass shootings within two weeks of each other in the United States.  And yet, our kids go to college.  If we lived in fear of these kinds of acts we would never see a movie and our children wouldn't even attend elementary school or go to a mall.  The truth is, we are totally safe here.  To ensure that safety, Israel is taking major action and placing additional police and military personnel in and around the Jewish Quarter.

Because of the increased violence in Israel we did change our itinerary a bit.  We were only going to walk through the Jewish Quarter and would stay clear of the Muslim and Christian Quaters.  We remain in constant communication with the military and Israel's version of homeland security.  They know exactly where we are and where we are going and would not hesitate to change our itinerary should any issue arise.  You can ask anyone on the trip if they feel safe...  I believe their answer would be a resounding "yes!"

Our first major stop in the Jewish section of the Old City was the Cardo, an ancient marketplace where goods were sold and traded. 

The Cardo transitions right into some pretty amazing shopping opportunities and we couldn't wait to go and explore.  

After exploring more of the Jewish Quarter Ron took us to a amazing view of the Western Wall, the 

Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque.

With these three important religious locations so close together it is easy to see why there is so much conflict between Arabs and Israelis about these sites. 

We did not spend too much time here as we needed to get to the Western Wall Tunnel, the underground continuation of the Western Wall alongside the Temple Mount and underneath the Muslim Quarter. Ron gave us an introduction to what we would be seeing, documenting the history of the First and Second Temples and their destructions.  We then made our way underground to the tunnel itself.

What we learn from this visit is that what we see is only a fraction of the Wall, which served as the retaining wall for the Temple Mount and was not a part of the actual Temple.  It reminds us that in life we often do not see the entirety of a situation, but rather focus on a small portion of a moment...  If we could only step back and get the whole picture we might be able to see clearer.  It is something we always have to work on, that gift or perspective. We marveled at the engineering of how the huge and heavy stones were put into place 2000 years ago.  

We then got to touch part of Mount Moriah, which is said to be the place where Abraham was ready to sacrifice his son Isaac.  To be this close and to touch the actual mountain was very moving, although I do not agree with Abraham for even being able to consider such an action.

We saw ancient stones that were to be placed on the street as pavers of the ancient city.  We wondered why they were left this way 2000 years ago...

A special place within the Tunnel is the section reserved for women to pray at.  This is believed to be the spot closest to the Holy of Holies, the inner sanctuary of the Temple where the Ark of the Covenant was kept which held the tablets containing the commandments given at Sinai.

After coming out of the Tunnel it was time for us to spend some time at the Western Wall.  

This place amazes me in so many ways.  Some people are not moved at all by being here.  After all, this is just a wall...  And not even a wall that was part of the Temple.  For others, myself included, this is a place with great meaning.  For all of us, it is an opportunity for connection.  For at least three times during our services at TAE we turn and face this very place.  Each and every time we make that turn in 

Thousand Oaks we can be back in Jerusalem, in the Old City, with our hands touching the stones again.  It is an opportunity to recognize that for generations this has been a place where Jews have connected to their identities, and recognize that this place will, God willing, continue to be a place of connection long into the future.  

As I walked closer to the Wall I did something I have never done before.  I decided to wear Tefillin while I prayed at the Wall.  Why would I make such a choice?  I am not a traditional Jew, but I felt a draw to do it today.  I think part of it is because of my time at Auschwitz, recognizing that for so many victims praying with Tefillin would never happen again.  This broke my heart.  Perhaps my wearing these special boxes would connect me to these dear souls in new and meaningful ways.  I wrapped myself, said the prayer acknowledging that God has chosen me and given ME the Torah and walked close to the Wall.

The closer I got, the quieter my surroundings seemed to become.  With each step the people around me seemed to disappear, and I was left alone with my thoughts and prayers at this most meaningful place.  As I reached up to touch the ancient stone I felt this energy created between the stone and me, as if the stone was helping me to connect even deeper than I could have imagined.  After finishing the v'ahavta I closed my eyes, not sure where my prayer would come from or what it would be.  What I felt was profound.  A week ago I was standing at the gas chambers of Auschwitz.  Being at the Wall was like turning my back on those evil and dark places and touching the light of life.  I was flooded with emotion and began to cry, thinking of all of the people who died at the hands of the Nazis without having the chance to feel the stone like I was feeling.  I thought of my family and the ecperience we had at the Wall in June of this year on our last trip.  I felt a connection to my grandparents, great grandparents and the generations that came before them.  A connection to names I will never know, but people I nonetheless love.  As my hands lay on the stone I felt the tight wrapping of the Tefillin on my arm reminding me that God is with me, holding me, wrapping itself around me.  I wept at the loss of life, the senseless acts of violence plaguing our social and at the blessing of being able to be here.  I was totally present and in the moment.  Once again, the Wall has changed me.  Once again, Auschwitz has changed me.  

As I stepped back and returned the Tefillin I saw moments of others connecting to their moments at the Wall.  Some were connecting to past generations, discovering reasons for being here that they never knew existed.

After witnessing this beauty, I went back again to pray some more.  When I was here in June our guide Uri asked us to pick out a stone in the Wall.  He explained that even though we would not be at the Wall, this stone would be, forever.  He said that perhaps someone long ago picked out the same stone, and perhaps someone long into the future will do the same.  The connection is profound to our past, our present and our future.  I was able to find my stone easily and I spent a lot of time directly beneath it.  I studied it, in order that I might feel a connection to this stone even from across the ocean.

I captured this loving moment as members of our traveling party were reunited with their loved ones after being separated at the Wall.  There seemed to be hugs shared among many of us.  I know I shared some meaningful embraces with people overcome with emotion.  These embraces were strong, with deep meaning and longer than the usual hug.  There are connections being made because of our journey together that will last long into the future.

I could stay at the Wall all day long.  But there was more to experience, so we walked and looked at the pile of rubble that is at the foot of the Western Wall.  Whay we were looking at was the destruction of the Second Temple.  The pile of rubble was pushed off the top of the Temple Mount by the Romans in 70 of the common era.  I tried to picture where each stone could have fit in to the structure of the Temple.  Seeing Tisha B'Av with my own eyes is indescribable. 

As we were waiting to go back to the bus, Jan made a new friend who would not leave her side.  Seems like everyone made special connections because of their time in the Old City.  There are thousands of Jerusalem cats that wander the streets.  I wonder where they come from.

We went back to the hotel in order that we could prepare for Shabbat.  As we were leaving the Old City, stores were closing, people were getting ready.  It was as if the city itself was preparing for Shabbat.  We had the honor of going to Kehillat Tzur Hadassah, led by Rabbi Stacey Blank for services.  She was kind enough to allow our group of musicians to contribute to the service musically.  It was so much fun to share our music with the community.  During the service we played a few songs that we often play at TAE.  This created a connection with all of you, as if we were praying these texts at the same time.  It was wonderful to feel, although in reality you will not pray them for several hours... Rabbi Stacey's sermon began with a simple question, "What am I doing here?" She shared how the book of Genesis is the only book whose main focus is the telling of the story, giving a certain framing to the entire Torah, as. Move towards Sinai.  What is our story?  And how has that story changed because of this trip?  How do we choose to define our story and define the changing we are experiencing?  Profound questions that I am not sure we can answer.  

When the service ended we went into the homes of the congregants for dinner.  I was lucky enough to have been selected to dine with a delightful family, Donna, Dudi and their kids Yoav who is 19, Maya who is 16 and Nama who is 11. I spent a lot of time talking with Yoav and learned about his experiences serving in the IDF.  He was gracious and answered each of my questions except one where he stated he was not allowed to answer.  It was fun to see the three kids bicker a bit, and I really enjoyed hearing Donna and Dudi's perspective on what is happening in Jerusalem and Israel now.  We talked Israeli and American politics, and many other issues that are currently challenging Israel and America.  Mostly what we learned from them is that they are normal parents, who do not want to see their kids living in a world shattered withi violence.  Hearing them talking about sending their son to the army, and knowing that they will be sending their daughters as well is a perspective that every American must experience.  We have no idea what that feeling is like, and while it creates a sense of national pride it also is the source of great anguish and fear.  It makes me feel so grateful for those in the United States who make that sacrifice for our freedom.  I asked Dudi what he wanted us to bring back to the United States as our message from Israel.  He thout about it for a while before answering that he wants us to not be blind in our support of Israel, but to learn about the issues here and be knowledgable in our choic. He does not want us to blindly support Israel, but, like in America, to be free to call into question those whose choices we disagree with.  I look forward to continuing my discussions with him long into the future.

It was a truly delightful and enlightening evening.  

Another amazing day in an amazing place.  Israel is truly a diamond in the rough, and she really helps you to find yourself amidst the craziness of life.  She constantly wraps her arms around you and continues to surprise you.  And she faces major challenges in so many areas.  Her journey is not yet complete.  Her story is still being written.  You simply must come and experience all she has to offer.  You need to feel this connection for yourself and find new meaning in all of the potential that life brings.  Shabbat shalom to you all.