5/15/15
Jerusalem.
There’s no place like it. Thousands of years ago the Psalmist recognized the
power of this place when he wrote, “All humanity will say: my roots are in
you.” But even more compelling than Jerusalem’s history is its present. This
city is spiritually alive. Jerusalem is a place where Jews, Christians, and
Muslims come to connect with the roots of their faiths and cultures. Jerusalem:
a golden city crowded with pilgrims from all corners of the earth. Jerusalem: a
place where faith trumps fact, and where belief is more important than
evidence.
Our journey to
the heart of Jerusalem began at King David’s tomb. Located at the edge of the
Old City, King David’s tomb is a holy site for Jews, Christians, and Muslims.
The tomb is on the ground floor of a two- floor building. The second floor is
believed to be the location of the Last Supper, making the site synonymous with
the birth of Christianity. In the center of that very same room is an altar
pointing toward Mecca because, during the early Muslim period, the room was used
as a mosque. In other words, we started our day by visiting a single building
that is simultaneously a synagogue (Jewish prayer services are held at David’s
tomb), a church, and a mosque. If only there were more places where all three
of these faiths were able to worship alongside one another!
From David’s Tomb
we visited one of the holiest sites in the Christian faith: The Church of the
Holy Sepulcher. Home to the final 4 stages of the cross, Christians believe
that Jesus was crucified, buried, and resurrected in that very spot. We watched
Christian pilgrims rub prayer candles on the spot where Jesus’ body was
anointed with olive oil after being taken off the cross, and saw the long line
outside of the tomb that Christians believe he occupied for only 3 days before
being resurrected. Our kids were fascinated by the church and had many
questions. They wished that their friends from the Marist School could’ve been
there to tour it with them. As we toured the church I thought about how
important it is to make sure that our kids remain curious about Judaism in the
years to come. Sometimes the thing that we know best ceases to be an object of
scrutiny and inquiry. That’s not always a bad thing, but I do believe it is
essential that we find ways to keep our kids Jewishly curious once they leave
Davis.
After visiting the
church we had a Pizur lunch in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. We enjoyed the pre-Shabbat hustle and bustle.
While standing outside of a Jewish home our tour guide asked us to stop and
smell the smells of Shabbat. He asked us what we smelled when a voice from
inside the house cried out, “Cholent!” And then a moment later, “And chicken
too!” It was a sweet moment of connection in a city that is all about
connecting.
From lunch we
visited the much anticipated Hezekiah’s Water Tunnel and City of David. The
City of David is the site of the archaeological remains of Jerusalem as it
would have been during the 1st Temple Period. Hezekiah’s water
tunnel is nothing short of an architectural wonder. In an unforgettable turn of
events we made our way out of the water tunnel just as a small group of Latin
American tourists were literally stripping off all of their clothing to immerse
themselves in the water there. We’re still not entirely sure why they felt the
need to do that but I can assure you that, especially for some of our boys, it
solidified the memory of this particular site. Our tour guides thought it was
the funniest thing they’d ever scene. A true cultural encounter.
We eventually
made it back to the hotel before turning right around to go to the Kotel for
Shabbat. We started our Shabbat evening at “Ezrat Yisrael” in the Robinson’s
Arch area. A number of kids had their b’nai mitzvah in the very spot that we
had services tonight. We stood in a circle, offered readings, and sang our
prayers a capella since musical instruments aren’t allowed. Then we made our
way to the main Kotel area so that we could join with the rest of the Jewish
community that had come to greet Shabbat. Our girls showed true leadership on
their side of the Wall by starting a singing circle that expanded to include
many other women. Their presence made a profound impact on many of the women at
the Kotel tonight. On the boy’s side we joined with the thousands of men and
boys in their various prayer circles. We sang and danced and enjoyed the
atmosphere, but the definite highlight was having a chance to meet, shake
hands, and pray with Omri Casspi, the Israeli born NBA star who is back home in
Israel for the off season (GO HAWKS!). By the way, everyone in Israel is
rooting for the Cavaliers because their head coach is the former head coach of
Maccabi Tel Aviv. The best part about meeting Omri Casspi is that, at the Kotel
on Friday night, everyone is equal. We’re all Jews welcoming the Shabbat,
joining together in community, and standing before God.
Leaving the Kotel
we encountered some good old fashioned Israeli “Balagan” (“chaos”) as one of
our busses had broken down. 25 of us walked back to the hotel and enjoyed the
quiet streets of Jerusalem. After dinner the kids went up to their rooms and
are winding down before our last Shabbat day in Israel.
Everywhere we go
in Israel we run into college and post-college aged young adults on Birthright Trips.
You may or may not know, but Birthright has many supporters and many
detractors. The detractors are quick to point out that many Birthright
participants don’t really have the knowledge or foundation in Judaism to fully
appreciate the gift of the Birthright Trip and that the trip ends up being an isolated experience in an otherwise unengaged Jewish life. What I consistently come back to
when I encounter Birthright groups is the incredible disparity between our kids
and the Birthright folks. Our kids have such a solid foundation in Judaism that
they really feel at home here in Israel. They may not be interested in
observing every aspect of Jewish ritual or every single mitzvah, but that’s not
really the point of a Davis education. The point is that they have been given
the keys to a faith, culture, and tradition and been shown how to carve out a place for themselves within it.
Judaism isn’t something that can be taken away from them and it isn’t
something that they can easily cast off. It is a core part of the way that they
make sense of the world, whether they know it or not. They think with Jewish
minds and feel with Jewish hearts. Many of the Birthright participatns don’t have that,
and to be honest, it’s kind of sad watching them trying to play catch up. When I look at our kids I think of the many years of memories and the literally countless Jewish experiences that they'll carry with them to high school. They have a much stronger foundation than I ever had, though I certainly grew up in a warm and dedicated Jewish home. One of
our guides, Eran, remarked that if two Davis kids ended up on the same
Birthright bus the entire tone of the trip would change and the knowledge gap
would be profound. We should all derive tremendous pride and comfort in knowing
that our kids will not only be able to enjoy the richness of Judaism in their
own lives, but that they will also be able to share the gift of Judaism with
others. What a tremendous capacity and power for an 8th grader to
have. What an incredible gift we have given them.
Many people come
to Jerusalem as pilgrims. Fewer have the spiritual and religious foundation
necessary to feel at home in this overwhelming city. Whether they choose to
call Jerusalem their home or not, there’s no doubt that our kids are among the
precious few that can authentically call Jerusalem their home.
Shabbat Shalom!
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