Friday, February 27, 2009

Erev Shabbat, Friday, February 27

An early Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem!

Today we headed to the Israel Convention Center for what turned out to be a highlight of the trip: A morning of dialogue and study with Reform/ Liberal Israeli teachers of Adult (and teenage) Torah Study classes and Hebrew Bible studies. With honesty, a mix of broken hebrew by some and broken english by others, we began in groups of four, two rabbis from the U.S., and two Israeli counterparts. My group focused on the tensions between Jews living within the State of Israel, and those who choose to live outside the Jewish state. The Israelis, on the whole, believe that they are the center stage of the Jewish experience: The acknowledge, but cannot fully comprehend, how it is possible to live a Jewish life OUTSIDE the state of Israel. This despite the fact that the people whom they teach know VERY little about Jewish tradition.

We spoke about the craving now evolving among secular Israelis for learning about their past, but learnig "freed" from the shackles of the Orthodox (the Israelis words, not mine). We discussed the similarities between our "Torah study" groups...including the renewed desire to connect to a treasure that most Jews cherish but also know relatiely little about. And...of course, the Israelis all would love to visit Tennessee (They ALL ask about Elvis and Country-Vestern)!

The Reform Movement's efforts have been widely covered in the Israeli Press, including a protest of "Women at the Wall" by approximately 100 of our female colleagues.

On a minor note, you'll be suprised to learn that tortillas, fajitas, sushi and tapas are now all the rage in Jerusalem. They now compete with felafels and other loyal guarantors of overseas indegestion!

Again, I am amazed, touched by, and so incredibly inspired by the buoyancy and the optimism of the Israeli people. They despair over the economy, the recent elections which have left no one satisfied, and the situation with their neighbors; yet they are so confident within their own skin...and it can be so readily felt...and it is well beyond skin deep.

Tonight, I have the rare opportunity to join my colleagues as a worshipper, at one of my favorite synagogues in the world, Kol HaNeshama, here in Jerusalem. Our conference will have rabbis in virtually every reform synagogue in the State of Israel tonight...joining in solidarity with our fellow Reform Jews. Tomorrow, we gather together as one gaggle of rabbis at the Hebrew Union College for services.

Shabbat Shalom Y'all. See you all soon.

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