Shabbat Shalom!

Spending Shabbat in Israel is special; spending it in Jerusalem is down-right magical. As we prepare for Shabbat and say farewell to our long, complex week, we rejoice in everything we’ve been able to do, see and experience.

Our morning started with a learning session at the Conservative Yeshiva located within our hostel complex. Reading texts from the Talmud, Midrash, and Tanach, we focused on the idea of power, its possession and the attendant responsibilities. The Jewish people have, for the majority of their history, been dispossessed of power, in political and other senses. But through Israel, they have gained power but also discovered that having power brings all sorts of other responsibilities, pressures, and obligations that those that are dispossessed do not have. After a brief hevruta session, we engaged in marvelous and challenging discussions of the ramifications of the acquisition of such power and what it means.

From there, we went on a Tikkun Olam mission to an organization very similar to the Ark in Chicago. As previously stated here, in the states, we may not always think about the complex social pyramid in Israel and the fact that the gap between rich and poor is quite substantial. For a variety of reasons, the impoverished of Israel form a multitude with needs, hopes and dreams that are regularly not being met by the ebb and flow of society an large. And so organizations such as this one exist to meet both immediate needs through a food pantry and a soup kitchen serving thousands of Israelis and more long-term needs through vocational training and medical services. After watching a video and interacting with the clients, we went to the warehouse where we made packages for the poor by filling bags with all sorts of essential food supplies. Needless to say, such a direct form of Tikkun Olam really brought home the potential that humans have for contributing to change in a society.

Our pre-Shabbat afternoon concluded with a visit to the Jerusalem Market, a frenzied bazaar offering the entire array of Middle Eastern delicacies, vegetables, meats, and everything else in between. Showcasing the most vibrant of Israeli life, our students filed through the alleys and the stalls, tasting the best of what Jerusalem has to offer. And now, we’re preparing for candle-lighting and our first Shabbat in Israel as a group. We are grateful for being here, thankful to all of those who made it possible, and wishing all our parents, friends, and loved ones a wonderful Shabbat.

Shabbat Shalom!