I am now all packed and ready to travel home to visit my family. I am excited about going since I have been away for 6 months now.
I will probably post a few things while at home, but the "running commentary" will resume when I return to Jerusalem on 5 January 2011.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Eighth Night of Hanukkah in Jerusalem
Tonight is the last night of Hanukkah. I decided to go to the Kotel take some pictures and pray.
On my way there I walked through the Mamilla Mall. This is a shopping area attached to the Mamilla Hotel located on the corner of Kind David and Jaffa streets. The mall runs from King David Street all the way to the Jaffa Gate of the Old City. At this time of year the mall is decorated for Hanukkah, and the next three pictures show some of those decorations
As you can clearly see, the overhead area is completely lit up with strings of blue and white lights. There is also a menorah overhead that is lit up and visible in the second and third pictures below.
This next picture was taken outside of a synagogue on Jewish Quarter Street in the Old City and shows a case holding several menorahs (menorot). (Part of the mitzvah of lighting the menorah is to make sure that the light can be seen outside of the building. Here that is taken literally and they are moved to the outside.)
Next is a picture of the menorah at the Kotel.
Following is a picture of a menorah mounted above the Kotel plaza.
At the exit from the Mamilla Mall there are steps leading up to the Jaffa Gate. This next picture is of a menorah set up outside the gate.
This last picture shows the decorations on King George Street.
As I mentioned above, I went to the Kotel to take some pictures and to pray. While I certainly knew it was the last night of Hanukkah I was not aware of any other significance to the day. As I walked into the area of the Kotel everything seemed quite normal to me. I was aware of all the other people around jockeying for position to take pictures and of others there to pray. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary while I was walking around.
There WAS a difference, though. In the past I have mentioned feeling a remote presence while leaning against the Wall and meditating. Tonight was very different. I started to feel a presence when I was a couple feet from the Wall. When I touched the Wall it was almost like a shock. There was a strong presence that I have no words to describe. It was not just that I knew I was in a holy place, but that I could in fact FEEL the presence of Hashem about me. I did NOT want to leave.
Unfortunately I had to go. I had arrangements to meet a friend for dinner at ben Yehuda Street. After we settled on a place to eat, sat down and had ordered I mentioned the experience to my friend. She told me that this night is also called the Night of the Shekhinah by the mystics, on which the presence of the Shekhinah is more ….. palpable?? [According to Wikipedia: Shekhinah (alternative transliterations Shekinah, Shechinah, Shekina, Shechina, Schechinah, שכינה) is the English spelling of a grammatically feminine Hebrew language word that means the dwelling or settling, and is used to denote the dwelling or settling presence of God (cf. divine presence), especially in the Temple in Jerusalem.] She also told me that most people feel nothing at all and only those that are sensitive will perceive anything. Needless to say, I was amazed by this. It is going to take me quite a while thinking about it to even begin to comprehend, but I feel truly humbled and blessed by the experience.
On my way there I walked through the Mamilla Mall. This is a shopping area attached to the Mamilla Hotel located on the corner of Kind David and Jaffa streets. The mall runs from King David Street all the way to the Jaffa Gate of the Old City. At this time of year the mall is decorated for Hanukkah, and the next three pictures show some of those decorations
As you can clearly see, the overhead area is completely lit up with strings of blue and white lights. There is also a menorah overhead that is lit up and visible in the second and third pictures below.
This next picture was taken outside of a synagogue on Jewish Quarter Street in the Old City and shows a case holding several menorahs (menorot). (Part of the mitzvah of lighting the menorah is to make sure that the light can be seen outside of the building. Here that is taken literally and they are moved to the outside.)
Next is a picture of the menorah at the Kotel.
Following is a picture of a menorah mounted above the Kotel plaza.
At the exit from the Mamilla Mall there are steps leading up to the Jaffa Gate. This next picture is of a menorah set up outside the gate.
This last picture shows the decorations on King George Street.
As I mentioned above, I went to the Kotel to take some pictures and to pray. While I certainly knew it was the last night of Hanukkah I was not aware of any other significance to the day. As I walked into the area of the Kotel everything seemed quite normal to me. I was aware of all the other people around jockeying for position to take pictures and of others there to pray. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary while I was walking around.
There WAS a difference, though. In the past I have mentioned feeling a remote presence while leaning against the Wall and meditating. Tonight was very different. I started to feel a presence when I was a couple feet from the Wall. When I touched the Wall it was almost like a shock. There was a strong presence that I have no words to describe. It was not just that I knew I was in a holy place, but that I could in fact FEEL the presence of Hashem about me. I did NOT want to leave.
Unfortunately I had to go. I had arrangements to meet a friend for dinner at ben Yehuda Street. After we settled on a place to eat, sat down and had ordered I mentioned the experience to my friend. She told me that this night is also called the Night of the Shekhinah by the mystics, on which the presence of the Shekhinah is more ….. palpable?? [According to Wikipedia: Shekhinah (alternative transliterations Shekinah, Shechinah, Shekina, Shechina, Schechinah, שכינה) is the English spelling of a grammatically feminine Hebrew language word that means the dwelling or settling, and is used to denote the dwelling or settling presence of God (cf. divine presence), especially in the Temple in Jerusalem.] She also told me that most people feel nothing at all and only those that are sensitive will perceive anything. Needless to say, I was amazed by this. It is going to take me quite a while thinking about it to even begin to comprehend, but I feel truly humbled and blessed by the experience.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Shabbat/Hanukkah
As usual, I had an “interesting” Shabbat this weekend. My flat mate went to visit relatives, leaving me on my own. This is really only about the 4th time I have been alone for Shabbat since I got here.
I went to the conservative shul for Friday night services. Instead of the cantor, services were led by 2 girls. I found out later that one is going into the army in the next couple of weeks. While the co-leaders had nice voices, they clearly did not know about restraint and at times overpowered the congregation. I only notice this because I have a tendency to do the same and have been actively working on not doing that. While the melodies were familiar, I also noticed that there were variations between the way the music is written and they way it was performed. (I have the music for some of the melodies and have heard this before.) The congregation seems to like the melodies of Shlomo Carlebach as they did a number of prayers using close approximations of his melodies.
I thought that, because I was invited to a friend’s mother’s apartment for Shabbat dinner and the conservative shul was about half-way there that this would be a perfect “plan”. As it turned out, services ended at about 5:45 and I was not supposed to be there until 7. I took the opportunity to wander into the Great Synagogue and then decided that, since I still had over an hour before the invitation, I would walk back to the apartment to relax for a few minutes and grab my hat. (I recently got a haircut and it was getting cold so thought this would help keep me a bit warmer, especially on the way back when it would be even cooler. I was right, it did.)
I walked to my friend’s mother’s place, arriving there at about 6:55. There were 3 other people beside my friend that I knew, plus my friend’s son and his girlfriend. As I had met my friend’s family before, I know everyone that was there. This was somewhat of a pleasant surprise, as I never know who I am going to run into when going somewhere for Shabbat dinner.
The dinner was marvelous, and I stayed until almost 10:30. My friends and I all started walking together towards a point where we would split up and go our separate ways. When we got to that point, 2 of them headed off one way and I started walking with the other. As we were walking and talking, I found out that she lives in the Old City. She indicated that she was not really comfortable walking alone by Independence Park, so I walked with her all the way to some stairs leading up to the Jaffa Gate at the end of the Mamilla Mall. Along the way we say a “giant” dreidel in a store window. (I have posted a picture of it below that was taken on my walk Sunday morning.) The walk back to the apartment from the Old city was another 35 minutes and I was quite “pooped” and had sore feet from all the walking. Still, it was a wonderful evening.
On Saturday morning I got up late and walked to the reform temple for services. (They start later, so I did not have to miss anything.) Once again after services I stayed to talk to the people, none of whom I know, for almost an hour. Some of the congregants and officers commented on my voice and asked me if I would perform there for them. While it was gratifying to know that they wanted me to perform in a cantorial role for them, there are too many changes to the liturgy that would be required and that I am not comfortable with for me to do so.
After Shabbat was over I lit the Hanukkia, a special menorah used for Hanukkah. After lighting the candles and sitting down to watch them for a few minutes my thoughts turned to my wife, who is alone in the US now. I was once again awed by her strength. I must admit that I felt sad that we were not together for the holiday, but am also gladdened by the fact that I will see her in a few days.
On my stroll Sunday morning I walked to the Kotel and back. I walked past the Prime Minister’s house and the demonstration area in support of Gilad Shalit and took pictures of the area they have set up for Hanukkah.
Since I did not post this at the time, I wanted to also show the display they had set up for Sukkot. (This display is still up.)
I mentioned a large dreidel that I saw on Friday night. Following is a picture of it.
Walking in the Old City, on one of the approaches to the Kotel, is a large golden menorah that is a replica of the ones from the second Temple.
On the way back, also in the Old City, I came across a shop that sells models of the Temple Mount as it appeared during the times of the Second Temple.
Finally, I saw a T-shirt that I liked and that needs no additional explanation.
I went to the conservative shul for Friday night services. Instead of the cantor, services were led by 2 girls. I found out later that one is going into the army in the next couple of weeks. While the co-leaders had nice voices, they clearly did not know about restraint and at times overpowered the congregation. I only notice this because I have a tendency to do the same and have been actively working on not doing that. While the melodies were familiar, I also noticed that there were variations between the way the music is written and they way it was performed. (I have the music for some of the melodies and have heard this before.) The congregation seems to like the melodies of Shlomo Carlebach as they did a number of prayers using close approximations of his melodies.
I thought that, because I was invited to a friend’s mother’s apartment for Shabbat dinner and the conservative shul was about half-way there that this would be a perfect “plan”. As it turned out, services ended at about 5:45 and I was not supposed to be there until 7. I took the opportunity to wander into the Great Synagogue and then decided that, since I still had over an hour before the invitation, I would walk back to the apartment to relax for a few minutes and grab my hat. (I recently got a haircut and it was getting cold so thought this would help keep me a bit warmer, especially on the way back when it would be even cooler. I was right, it did.)
I walked to my friend’s mother’s place, arriving there at about 6:55. There were 3 other people beside my friend that I knew, plus my friend’s son and his girlfriend. As I had met my friend’s family before, I know everyone that was there. This was somewhat of a pleasant surprise, as I never know who I am going to run into when going somewhere for Shabbat dinner.
The dinner was marvelous, and I stayed until almost 10:30. My friends and I all started walking together towards a point where we would split up and go our separate ways. When we got to that point, 2 of them headed off one way and I started walking with the other. As we were walking and talking, I found out that she lives in the Old City. She indicated that she was not really comfortable walking alone by Independence Park, so I walked with her all the way to some stairs leading up to the Jaffa Gate at the end of the Mamilla Mall. Along the way we say a “giant” dreidel in a store window. (I have posted a picture of it below that was taken on my walk Sunday morning.) The walk back to the apartment from the Old city was another 35 minutes and I was quite “pooped” and had sore feet from all the walking. Still, it was a wonderful evening.
On Saturday morning I got up late and walked to the reform temple for services. (They start later, so I did not have to miss anything.) Once again after services I stayed to talk to the people, none of whom I know, for almost an hour. Some of the congregants and officers commented on my voice and asked me if I would perform there for them. While it was gratifying to know that they wanted me to perform in a cantorial role for them, there are too many changes to the liturgy that would be required and that I am not comfortable with for me to do so.
After Shabbat was over I lit the Hanukkia, a special menorah used for Hanukkah. After lighting the candles and sitting down to watch them for a few minutes my thoughts turned to my wife, who is alone in the US now. I was once again awed by her strength. I must admit that I felt sad that we were not together for the holiday, but am also gladdened by the fact that I will see her in a few days.
On my stroll Sunday morning I walked to the Kotel and back. I walked past the Prime Minister’s house and the demonstration area in support of Gilad Shalit and took pictures of the area they have set up for Hanukkah.
Since I did not post this at the time, I wanted to also show the display they had set up for Sukkot. (This display is still up.)
I mentioned a large dreidel that I saw on Friday night. Following is a picture of it.
Walking in the Old City, on one of the approaches to the Kotel, is a large golden menorah that is a replica of the ones from the second Temple.
On the way back, also in the Old City, I came across a shop that sells models of the Temple Mount as it appeared during the times of the Second Temple.
Finally, I saw a T-shirt that I liked and that needs no additional explanation.
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