Shabbat in Jerusalem

There is nothing quite like Shabbat in Jerusalem. Last night, we welcomed Shabbat on the HUC campus. All three trips joined together for a service led by Rabbis Berg, Lapidus, Rau, and Cantor Hartman, along with Israeli flutist Matan Klein. Truly a highlight was listening to representatives from each trip share what being in Israel has meant to them. We felt the air cool as the sun went down, heard the siren announcing Shabbat, and then walked along fairly quiet streets to our hotel for Shabbat dinner.

This morning, everyone had a choice of electives--the Christian Quarter, the Old City Ramparts walk, and the Israel museum. I took the group to the Israel Museum. We all enjoyed seeing the history preserved there. While the Dead Sea scrolls are the most famous, the exhibits in the archeology wing and the special exhibition of King Herod were great. I actually had an interesting time in the section about prehistoric Israel and the development before our Jewish story begins. I had to laugh at how little thought I've given to that time period--so much of our focus is on biblical history and later!

After an afternoon of rest, we gathered for the b'nei mitzvah of twelve students at Beit Shmuel, where the headquarters for the World Union for Progressive Judaism is located (and connected to HUC). The view is almost priceless...when the huge crane is moved, it will be even better. There was something very special about watching these students come together. They have a good "group spirit" despite not all studying together. They also have an amazing collection of tallitot (most of them purchased in the Old City on our first day), bright and colorful and each matching the student's personality. We are so proud of each of our students, not just for their Torah reading, but for their commitment to Judaism and Israel. For each of them, it is clear this was a milestone in their lives in amazing ways.

There is a saying "rak b'Yisrael"--only in Israel. This is a useful phrase for many occasions--the maintenance person smoking a cigarette and sitting behind the clergy while we led Shabbat services last night, the group of people who lifted a car over six inches so our buses could get through a narrow street, a random man telling our group "from now on, you will say to-mah-to instead of tomato" (bad case of Jerusalem syndrome). Only in Israel would they put out breakable wine glasses for water and juice as we sat outside during the b'nei mitzvah service. The wind caught the empty glass (as did a few feet) and our group broke five wine glasses during the service and another two immediately after. Each time, we started saying "mazal tov!" and made a few wedding jokes.

As I remarked during the service, the glass breaking has a special significance in a wedding as it reminds us that even in the sweetest of moments, we remember the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem and the need for healing in our world. Perhaps it is good there weren't plastic cups, because amidst our sweet joy of welcoming new Jewish adults into our community, we heard the shattering of glass and the reminder to remember Jerusalem and the brokenness still in our world. As we look out on the Old City, we think of the healing and peace that is yet to be. We pray that our newest adults will help to make our world more whole, and that all of us will see an Israel which is blessed with peace.

Mazal tov to our b'nei mitzvah and Shavua tov, a wonderful week, to all of you!

Rabbi Lapidus