Tuesday, July 2, From Mystics to Dreamers in the Galilee

Boy, was today a great day!  After breakfast we were all sad to leave the kibbutz resort we had enjoyed so much.  It is always hard to leave such a wonderful place, but we have such exciting things ahead!  After loading the bus we made our way about 45 minutes away to one of my favorite places, Tsfat, Israel’s highest city, and the center of mysticism and fine art.

Here, Uri set the stage for what Jewish mysticism is, explaining that mysticism and Kabbalah set out to answer the questions that plague us all.  It allows us to be in the physical world and grasp that which is not physical, to experience the real world while reaching for the metaphysical world.  We were grateful to Oze and Eli for helping to demonstrate this idea of reaching beyond our physical limits.  

All of this mysticism leads us to try to answer the same questions we have been grappling with this whole trip, what am I doing here and why do I care?

Uri brought us to the 16^th century Ari Synagogue where he shared with us the inspiration and innovation that moved Rabbi Isaac Luria and his fellow mystics.  Here in Tsfat they developed the Kabbalah, the esoteric insights of Judaism and created Kabbalat Shabbat, the prayers sung on Friday night to welcome the arrival of Shabbat.  He described the rabbi dressing in white and literally running towards the sunset to welcome the Shabbat bride to join with him.  This is where L’cha Dodi was created, a fixture in all of our Friday night Shabbat services.  Uri led us in the singing of L’cha Dodi (the same melody we sang on the shores of the Mediterranean last Friday, and a melody we often sing at TAE.  Whenever we sing this melody, I will be brought back to Tsfat, where we had the chance to sing this song in the place it was created.  It was a powerful communal moment.  We were awestruck at the beauty of this synagogue, especially the Ark and the center podium where the service leaders led from.

Although the 16^th century Caro synagogue was closed when we arrived because we got to Tsfat so early, Uri shared with us information about Rabbi Joseph Caro, one of the greatest of all Jewish legal authorities, who lived and taught in Tsfat.  He took the ancient teachings of Judaism and made them appropriate for this new modern time in his Shulchan Aruch.  Hayley and I went back to this synagogue during our free time and went in for a visit.  It is much simpler than the Ari synagogue, but we loved the feeling in there, especially the calm blue color and the Eternal Light, which to this day continues to be in the form of a candle.

After this time with Uri, we had time to wander the cobbled streets and alleyways of Tsfat, visiting with local artists and marveling at their craftsmanship.  Many in our group shipped for art and tallitot, while Hayley and I just casually walked through the town and even enjoyed a Yemenite lunch. 

Everyone loved Tsfat and wished we could have had even more time to shop!  I even had time to say hello to the artist who created Leasa and my Ketubah.  We loaded up our bus and headed south along the Jordan Valley, part of the enormous Syrian-African Rift.  We were literally right next to the border with Jordan, and Uri explained how the fencing is monitored.  We drove into the West Bank as we made our way towards our next activity, camel rides at Genesis Land with the Judean Desert as our backdrop.  This was a total blast!!!

As we finished our camel rides we loaded our bus and made our ascent towards Jerusalem.  As our bus got us closer and closer, my heart began to race and my excitement grew and grew.  Uri set the stage for us by playing “Yerushalayim Shel Zahav,” Jerusalem of Gold as we approached the tunnel that would take us to Jerusalem.  As the first chorus came up I heard many people on our bus singing along with me and the recording.  With all that we have learned about the many struggles Israel has had to go through to ensure her security, it made this entry to Jerusalem even more powerful.  As we came out of the tunnel and saw the Old City for the first time, I felt the tears begin to flow down my cheeks.  Our bus dropped us off at a scenic overlook at Mount Scopus, where Uri shared with us all we were seeing.  He poured us each a small cup of juice so we could make a kiddush and sing the traditional shehechianu, our prayer where we acknowledge our gratitude for being in that moment.  I shared with the group my gratitude for each of them being there with Hayley and me, and for trusting me with the planning of this trip.  I am so grateful to be here with these dear people.  I have grown to love them all so much and have really enjoyed watching them connect with each other.  This was a special moment we shared, and I was so grateful to be able to do this with Hayley, who continues to bring me such pride. 

We had ample time for pictures before heading back to the bus to make our way to our hotel.  And what a nice welcome we had there!

After our welcome to Jerusalem dinner at Olive and Fish, one of my favorite Israeli restaurants, we welcomed Anat Hoffman, the Executive Director of the Israel Religious Action Center, to speak to our group.  I am so grateful that she was able to come and speak to us.  Anat is at the forefront of social and political change in Israel, focusing on equal rights, especially for women.  I always share that my visits to the Western Wall are always bittersweet because I am unable to go there with my wife and daughters and wrap my arms around them and lay our hands on the Wall together.  Anat is fighting to change this and is an advocate for women being able to read Torah at the Wall.  She has won numerous legal victories that have resulted in changing significant laws in Israel.  I was so excited especially for the young women on our trip, most especially my Hayley, to hear Anat speak as I knew she would inspire them to think big about making social and political change.  Her message to us was clear, she needs us Reform Jews in the United States to join in raising our voices and demanding change.  She told us that our voices matter.  I was so proud of the questions brought forward by our group, especially by the young people who were still there…   

Today was exhausting and long, and full and wonderful.  I cannot wait to share my love with the Old City with these travelers.  I know it will transform them as much as it has transformed me.  How grateful I am to be able to lead this trip.