Shabbat is an art. In our frantic world, rest doesn't come easily. In a world of constant comparisons, contentment feels elusive. In a world of striving, grasping, and reaching, many of us have overlooked the sacred art of letting go. In so many ways the essence of Shabbat is antithetical to our way of being in this world. Thank god for the weekly reminder of Shabbat. A reminder that invites each of us to pull the parking break and stop rushing from place to place.
If Shabbat is an art, what better way to mark Shabbat than by visiting the Israel Museum. Full of art, but also archaeology, and so much more, the Israel Museum is a world class museum on par with the great museums of Europe and America. Art invites us to ask questions, to shift our perspectives, to look more deeply. Art can challenge us, inspire us, and be a mirror to our own existence. Like Shabbat, interacting with art takes practice. For many in our group, today was a great chance to practice not only the art of Shabbat, but the art of... well... art.
As a counterpoint to the Israel Museum we had an exceptionally leisurely Shabbat afternoon. Lunch, relaxing, frisbee, and hanging out in Jerusalem's largest park followed by another extended dip in Ramat Rachel's beautiful pool. All that followed by some true down time, dinner, and then what we anticipated would be an enchanted visit to the Kotel for Havdalah. Not known as a site for marking the end of Shabbat, the Kotel by night, and on Saturday night in particular, is generally quite serene. Tonight that wasn't the case. Unfortunately our Havdalah was interrupted by an Ultra Orthodox individual who decided that he didn't like the fact that we were together, boys and girls. However, a miraculous thing happened. Once our guards escorted him away from our group and with Mr. Weismark as a calming and centering presence, we regained our composure and finally found our collective voice. What could have left an ugly impression had the opposite effect. It emboldened us in a way that allowed us to joyously and respectfully conclude our Havdalah. I want to reiterate that at no point were we actually threatened by this individual. Instead, his presence finally pushed us toward a place of pride, unity, and affirmation. For a group of kids that sometimes wonders if we're really as Jewish as "they" are, this was a moment of moral clarity, validation, and empowerment.
In the spirit of practicing what I preach (blog) about the spirit of Shabbat I'm going to keep today's post short. I'll end by wishing everyone a Shavua Tov. The week ahead will see us all reunited with our kids. It's time to think about what "reentry" will look like. Not quite yet, but soon enough. For now, we'll focus on the gift of the present as we strive to make great art.
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