Hazzan's Notes
by Hazzan Jeffrey Myers
It was quite
a challenge to write up all that my family and I experienced in Israel
this summer, and, wanting to share some of the highlights with you, this
has been even more of a challenge.
To begin with, a visit to Israel is not merely a trip or a tour –
it is a sacred pilgrimage.
Just as every Muslim is expected to make one sacred pilgrimage in their
lifetime to Mecca, and every Christian will either travel to the Vatican
or to Jerusalem to trace Christ’s steps, so too is every Jew obligated
to make at least one pilgrimage in his/her lifetime to Israel.
It is from this perspective that I share my recollections with
you.
It was a bit
taxing to land at Ben Gurion Airport at 5:15am Israel time (10:15pm EDT)
having barely dozed on the plane.
Since one cannot check into the hotel prior to 2:00pm, we did
what any sane person would do – walk around Jerusalem for eight hours.
Well, we began by travelling by bus to a promenade overlooking
Jerusalem to capture the same breathtaking view of the land that Abraham
viewed on his way to Mt. Moriah with Isaac.
We entered Jerusalem through the Jaffa Gate as I recited one of
the ascension Psalms that pilgrims from days of old would have recited.
As we meandered, although I was amazed that our guide knew his
way, I remarked that it would be probably the most difficult postal
route known to mankind. Of
specific note during our six day stay in Jerusalem:
the immensity of the excavations since my last visit around the
area of the southern wall;
the chance to walk along the base of the wall well below the homes of
Jerusalemites in tunnels dug by the government, to see and feel where
the wall and the bedrock meet; to wade through the water tunnel dug by
King Hezekiah to provide fresh water to Jerusalem; to see the excavation
at the City of David, where King David resided as well as personalities
mentioned in the Bible; to have our own Out & About Shabbat at the Kotel
by ourselves,
while listening to the simultaneous chants of various groups.
During our stay in
Jerusalem, we traveled to Masada, where Aaron read Torah (so did
Elizabeth Smoller) in the same place our ancestors did 2,000 years ago.
Aaron wore my Bar Mitzvah
tallit, which made the moment even more
special. We continued on to
the springs of Ein Gedi, which exist in the middle of the desert.
We saw caves, one of which in all likelihood was the one that
David hid in fleeing from King Saul.
We climbed halfway up Ein Gedi to swim in one of the fresh water
pools that have been flowing from time immemorial.
At Caesarea, we not only saw the magnificent site of this ancient deep water
harbor, but a splendid multi-media presentation of what the city looked
like during the time of King Herod, its builder.
At Tzfat, we roamed through narrow alleys to see magnificent
works of art, and found one of our favorite artists who specializes in
microcalligraphy (incorporating miniaturized Hebrew texts as part of the
art) as well as beautiful tapestries, three-dimensional art, sculptures
and pottery. While staying
on the south shore of the Kinneret (Lake Tiberias), we took a jeep ride
through the Golan Heights to understand its strategic importance, and
then rafted down the Jordan River.
We participated in an archaeological dig at Bet Guvrin, where
Jeff Smoller uncovered a staircase where one shouldn’t be, and Aaron and
I uncovered a large set of blocks that were clearly not in a haphazard
pattern. We went to Moshav
Nevatim, the home of the Jews from Cochin, and saw their magnificent
synagogue and were treated to home hospitality by Nehemiah, the leader
of the community who shared his story of the Cochini Jews.
While Eilat was a bit warm (107°), we crossed the border into
Jordan and traveled to Petra, the ancient city of the Nabataeans (the
second wonder of the world), an ancient sect that lived 2,000 years ago
and carved a magnificent city out of the mountains.
I returned home saddened to have left, yet spiritually rewarded
in ways that I cannot put down on paper.
I thank God that I have had the opportunity to take both of my
children (and family) to Israel upon their becoming B’nai Mitzvah, and
am delighted that congregants and family were able to join us.
|
(c) Congregation Beth-El, Inc., 2008: All rights reserved. No part of this web site may be used without the permission of Congregation Beth-El, 99 Jerusalem Avenue, Massapequa, New York 11758 (516) 541-0740. Please direct all inquiries to the Webmaster. Congregation Beth-El is a member of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism Web hosting provided by the USCJ |
