Israel Day 5 & 6 by Richard Leavitt

Friday, June 21

We started the day treading the road Abraham and Isaac trod from Chevron to Jerusalem to make the sacrifice. It was a Roman road and we saw one of the tell-tale mile markers, a mikveh and a grape press along the way.  The mile marker was standard issue, but why a mikveh and why a grape press, and why were they in close proximity?

Planting a vineyard, having a press and making wine along a well-traveled path was good business for the owner who could sell his wares to those making pilgrimage, or who just wanted a thirst quencher.  Having a mikveh in place ensured that the stompers were ritually pure and the wine was kosher from the point the grapes were crushed and processed.  

It was quite an experience, walking the road of Abraham and Isaac, the actual road they walked and, once again, literally one foot in the past and one foot in the present. Rabbi Dardik has been so thoughtful in providing us these moments.  It is one of the essences of our trip. 

We returned to Jerusalem and walked to the shouk, a cacophony of merchants calling out their wares, with stalls pressed close together, displaying all sorts of goods, from fresh fruit, to halvah, to sandals, to kippot, to seafood, to meat, to digital equipment, you name it, it's for sale.  One man just had a big pile of cherries.  Either he sold out of other produce or he has ultimate faith in cherries.  

Then to the Kotel to welcome Shabbat.  If I said "cacophony" at the shouk, the word also applies at the Kotel on erev Shabbat.  The excitement, the variety of dress, of headwear, of immersion in davening, in decibels, oy of decibels!  We had arranged to have the women and men in our group be beside each other at the mehitzah so we could daven together.  We did pretty well until each group was surrounded by other groups who erupted in prayer, song and dance.  It gave new meaning to the term "silent prayer," as each of us retreated into our davening rather than try to out-shout others.  It was intense, and fun, and the spirit roared up from the ground.  If G_d hears our silent prayers, He must get a headache on Friday nights. 

Then back to the hotel for dinner and a learning session with Rabbi Dardik.  

Finally, to bed for some much needed sleep.  What a glorious day!

Shabbat, June 22

Some slept in; some went to various synagogues to daven. Those who went to the Jerusalem Great Synagogue got to see a magnificent building with stunning stained glass windows and panels.  The sun shone through a wall of colored glass, illuminating a large sanctuary with a central bimah, men scattered around and the women in the balcony.  The service, of course, was familiar.  The chazzan made some announcements in an English that none of us understood.  Once one gave up trying to understand what he was saying, it was rather amusing.  Reminds me of someone (I can't recall who) who characterized England and the America as two countries separated by a common language.  

Some came back to the hotel to rest, others went on a walking tour of a lovely neighborhood, Yamin Moshe, near our hotel.  It had the loveliest architecture, and ornamental plantings, and wrought iron gates, and balconies, and several pocket-parks, one with a delightful water fountain that some children were playing in.  It is the oldest neighborhood outside the Old City, and has been renovated but also has much more recent construction in keeping with the old styles of architecture, everything in Jerusalem stone.  A few of us fantasized about wouldn't it be wonderful to have a pied-a-terre as lovely as one of these homes, for BJC folks to use when visiting Jerusalem?

Back to the hotel for a learning session with Rabbi Dardik about Chassidism, then dinner, Havdalah, some shmoozing and then to bed.  Tomorrow will be a busy day.

    

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