Jerusalem Day 1

There really is nothing like spending Shabbat in Jerusalem.  (next best thing is of course, Beth Am....) 

We began our day spending a few hours at Yad Vashem.  We said Kaddish together just before we went to the Children’s memorial that honored the memory of over a million children.  The entire museum is of course powerful and yet we were all quite moved by one of the last rooms--a circular room from floor to ceiling of big black binders containing the names of people who died during the Holocaust.  We paid tribute to Righteous Gentiles who helped save Jews and we remembered the Jews of Koiyten and Rodnitze whose Torahs we hold dear in our Ark.    Pic below: Yad Vashem.

After Yad Vashem we went to visit Theodore Herzl’s (founder of modern Zionism) tomb and the Herzl Museum.  In an excellent presentation, we learned about Herzl, his fight to find a Jewish Homeland.  What was quite moving, in addition to the very history of the Zionist Congress etc was one of the last things our museum guide shared with us.  She said that Theodore Herzl, who died at age 44,  had no heirs of his own, thus, WE are heirs to his legacy, it is up to US to carry on his dream and his message. Pic: outside at Theodore Herzl’s tomb.

After Herzl Museum, we went to Machane Yehuda-the Jewish market where it seemed like all of Jerusalem was busy buying and bartering for fruits, nuts, falafel, meats,  challah and desserts etc! 

We then drove through a few of the more traditional neighborhoods, like Mea Sharim and then headed back to the hotel.  After a short break we met and walked (trekked?) to the Kotel, the Western Wall.  We entered through the Zion Gate.  The first glimpse of the Kotel is often inspirational and we took a moment to recognize the importance of where we were, and how important this trip to Israel is to us.  We stood on holy ground and took a moment to “just be”.  Then of course we took a picture!!  Then we each took time to be at the wall alone with our own thoughts are prayers. afterwards we met for Kabbalat Shabbat brief service on one of the balconies over looking the wall.  We then returned to the hotel, had a Shabbat meal and headed off to relax a bit!

One does not travel to Jerusalem,

One returns,

One ascends

The road taken by generations,

The path of longing

On the way to redemption. 

One brings rucksacks 

Stuffed with memories

To each mountain

And each hill.

In the cobbled white alleyways

One offers a blessing

For memories of the past

Which have been renewed. 

One does not travel to Jerusalem.

One returns. 

~Mishkan Tifilah, Traveler’s Edition p. 157.

Shabbat Shalom!

Day Four: Safed, Rosh HaNikra, Acco, Jerusalem!

Hi Friends!

Pictures of today's awesome day will be in tomorrow's post and for now, I write to you after a long, fulfilling day of connection, wonder and amazement.  We started our day in the mystical city of Safad.  We stood in the ancient synagogue and added our own prayers to the countless other stirrings of the hearts that came before us, in that very site.  We then went to Rosh Hanikra--the Grottos. Ah,  a site to behold.  we were all in awe of its beauty.  Acco came next and finally, after much anticipation and traffic jams (!) we arrived in Jerusalem.  We said our first Shecheianu and we paused to take note .... we have arrived!!!  we had a L'Chaim together and checked into our rooms about 8:30pm.  A short post after an exhausting day!
To be continued..... Lila Tov from Jerusalem!

Day Three: The Golan

We began the day with yet another amazing Israeli Breakfast.... and then off for a jeep tour of the Golan Heights.  In two jeeps, we made our way across the rugged terrain of the Golan Heights.... the Jeep adventure reminded me of why I do not like Great America.  The hour tour took us on a winding road in the Golan that was recaptured from the Syrians in 1967.  We stopped along the way to learn some military history, read a poem about the 1967 war and capture of the Golan Heights.  We then toured the Golan winery where we learned the fine art of wine tasting and toured the plant.  We learned that in order for Kosher wine to be Kosher, it must be produced from start to finish by Orthodox Jews.... At the time of our tour there were 8000 barrels of wine, each barrel producing 300 bottles.  After a quick lunch, we returned to history and stopped to look out onto Syria as our Guide, Gadi, shared more about the boarders, the patrols, the capture and the complicated history that is ours.  

The weather was hot today, not very cloudy and we postponed our trip to Safed--the city of Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism until tomorrow.  Instead, most of us went to kayak/raft down the Jordan River.  Others went to swim in the Olympic swimming pool at the Kibbutz, and still others, went to rest!  

Today I have been thinking about recent news and the Obama suggestion of returning to the 1967 borders as starting point for Peace negotiations.  I am aware of how much easier it is to have a conversation about the '67 boarders when not standing on them..... Ad Machar--until tomorrow... erev tov from the Golan. 

Congregation Beth Am Israel Trip 2011

Hi Friends, 
We are doing well! Tired, but well! After some travel glitches that had the Bellows family on a flight to LaGuardia at 6am with a shuttle to Newark only to wait 7 hours in the Newark airport (!!)... we all met and finally boarded the plane! Once in Tel Aviv, we met our guide, Gadi and began our tour! We went to a sculpture park in Tel Aviv where we saw not only a spectacular view of the Ocean and Tel Aviv, but relished in the fact that public art here often has a Jewish Theme! we quickly stopped at an upscale mall for a snack at Michigan Ave. prices and then set out again. We learned about the Palmach--one of the predecessor groups of the Israeli Defense Force--with an amazing interactive tour at the Palmach Museum. We ate an Israeli dinner in Tel Aviv and then said Lila Tov. Yesterday was a full day! We toured a british detention camp near Haifa which, because of the British quota on immigration to Palestine, held thousands of Jewish Holocaust survivors who tried to enter the country. We had an amazing meal at home hospitality in a Druze village and then  toured Leo Baeck school-- an K-12 grade reform/liberal school with about 2500 kids. We met with the rabbi of the school and learned about what it means to be a liberal religious Jew in a country that sees Jews as either secular or Orthodox--more on that another time. We are staying at a beautiful Kibbutz and are enjoying the beautiful gardens, food and weather!!! Today promises to be a terrific day--will check in later!