Old meets New where East meets West

As the sun sets here in the Holy land, I realize that it has been many days since I updated the blog. Thanks for all the comments and emails, they make me feel not as far away as I know I am.

Shabbat in Jerusalem is amazing. From the moment you wake up on Friday, the time feels different. Everyone is rushing all day, the streets are packed with people and as noon turns to afternoon to late afternoon, the city quiets down. 40 minutes before sundown a siren alerts the city that Shabbat is approaching. The sun starts to set and against the background of Jerusalem turns the stones from white to peach then to pink and finally to gold.

This past Shabbat was the first with the entire class. Before services we met with Rabbi Kelman to talk about Shabbat- how we've celebrated or observed it in the past and how we think we'd like to celebrate or observe it while we're here.

On the subject of Shababt, I'm taking a little hiatus from my computer and phone on Saturdays while I'm here. This won't affect most of you since the time change makes it difficult to talk on the phone anyway. So if you email me on Friday, you may not get a response until Sunday (and every other day of the week you should get a response sooner!)

After the Shabbat program we had services led by our fantastic student interns, Dara, Adam, Ross and Talia. Adam played mandalin, Ross played guitar, the singing was just fabulous and we watched the sunset from the windows of the HUC sanctuary. We then ate dinner with 50 HUC alumni who were visiting from the states for an alumni event that was also taking place at HUC.

After dinner I, along with five of my Rabbinic and Cantorial classmates led the class and alumni in a song session- I finally got to play my guitar (which cost me $135 to fly over here!) and it was such a sureal experience getting to songlead in the HUC courtyard where only seven years before I ate dinner with my NFTY in Israel trip. Time flies, they say...

Saturday morning we again went to services (required since our President, Rabbi David Ellenson was speaking). After services Lauren and I hosted 17 of our classmates and their friends for lunch. And even though the apartment isn't very big, somehow everyone fit. And ate. And had a great time. And has been bragging about it ever since (the last part is not exactly true...) But just ask them about the mock-amole!

Saturday evening, HUC hosted a reception for the students and alumni who were visiting in the gardens behind the school. They had food, wine and free Hagen Daaz ice cream!! Old met new as the Rabbinic and Cantorial classes of 2010 and the Education class of 2008 got to meet and network with Rabbis, Cantors and Educators that have helped shape HUC and the Reform movement overall. Personally, it was exciting to run into two Rabbis from Camp Harlam, Jamie Gibson and Arnie Gluck, as well as Ali Hurwitz, my freshman-year JCSC fellow.

Shabbat ended as it begun, a slow descent into a new day, the sun setting against the Jerusalem stone and a group of people singing. With the "csst" sound of the candle being extinguished, Shabbat was suddenly over. 25 perfect hours spent with friends who, day-by-day, are begining to feel a lot like family.

That's Shabbat for you in a nutshell. It's pretty amazing and I can't wait to have my parents and brother experience it for themselves (do you want to visit too?) I'm off to dinner with the above mentioned friends and will be back later for a more general update (with pictures!)