July 20, 2013
Written by: Lindsay Zolet and Ben Weinberg
We began our first Shabbat morning in Israel by experiencing services in different Israeli synagogues. Each one of us chose to go to either a reform, conservative, or orthodox synagogue. Each teen was encouraged to leave their comfort zone and immerse themselves in a stream of Judaism that differs from their norm.
This eye-opening morning was followed by a group discussion where we were asked to share some differences and similarities between the services we attended and those we frequent in Baltimore. While we were pondering upon the journey of finding one's Jewish identity, a seemingly stereotypical ultra orthodox woman stopped to listen. During a lull, the woman chimed in with her experiences with Judaism. We were startled to learn that she was from Buffalo, New York and had a son who studies at Ner Israel, a rabbinical college in Pikesville. What a small world! Additionally, she lived a self proclaimed "alternate lifestyle", spoke with a southern Californian drawl, and enjoyed listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Ethan shed tears of joy when he realized how much he had in common with this random person. Him and others in our group spent much of our snack break talking to her.
Touring the old city was next on our agenda. Our first sight after passing through the beautiful Jaffa gate was the graves of the very same engineers who built the breathtaking walls of Jerusalem. We then took a short stroll to gaze upon King David's tower. The ruins of an ancient market and a historically accurate recreation of the famous menorah from the second temple were also among the highlights. Towards the end of our journey back in time, we stood above the rooftops of old Jerusalem at the meeting point of all four quarters, Jewish, Muslim, Armenian, and Christian. It was amazing to see the significant differences between each ancient culture. Synagogues, mosques, and churches dotted the skylines of the quarters belonging to their respective religions. This panoramic view of the old city was truly awe inspiring. We ended our Shabbat with a beautiful havdallah service at the western wall where we briefly met Diller fellows from Boston, Montreal, and San Francisco.
At our next stop on Ben Yehuda street, some went off with family members while others spent the night shopping at judaica stores and eating shawarma. After two short hours, we walked back to the Agron guest house and embraced the comfort of our beds, reflecting on the amazing praying, touring, shopping, and (of course) eating of this wonderful day.
No comments:
Post a Comment