Epilogue

I just opened my email to find quite a few messages asking if we have made it home safely.
Just a short entry to let you know that our flight went just fine, we are all back in Atlanta (with all of our bags- who says there are no such things as miracles!), and we are looking forward to sharing the details and photos of our trip as we begin to re-acclimate to our surroundings.

It does feel good to be home...

Day 10- Tel Aviv

I am writing this post a bit earlier than usual. It is almost 4:00 and the Tel Aviv sun is beckoning us all to the beach or the pool or to an air conditioned ice-cream place. Shabbat is nearing an end and those members of our group that I have seen today are all beginning to pack their bags, for the end of Shabbat also brings the end of our journey together.

It has been a pleasure and a joy to be able to be a part of this incredible experience. We started out as strangers, or perhaps acquaintances, and have become a family. We experienced the land with different agendas and through different lenses, and we have benefited from each others experience, compassion, and support. I have been able to bear witness to some incredible moments with each participant of the group and am happy to say that I have even been a part of some of them.

This morning, we held Shabbat services by ourselves in the hotel (it was going to be a long morning at the nearby Reform shul, Beit Daniel, and nobody wanted to go to the Ultra Orthodox minyan in the hotel basement). Taking a cue from our experience at Kol HaNeshamah just one week ago, I asked the participants to reflect upon our week together...

Last Shabbat, when we were in Jerusalem, many of us for the first time. The intensity of the city... the meaningful, spiritual experience of our first Shabbat in Judaism's most sacred city.

Sunday, when we toured the Old City, gaining an understanding of what Judaism used to be only 2000 years ago... and what kind of legacy we are leaving behind for those who will come after us.

Monday, when we spent time atop Masada, celebrating with our children, and then found moments of silence floating in the Dead Sea... the transitions in geography mirroring our own internal transitions as we finally began to understand that Israel is much more than we ever expected.

Tuesday, when we spent time in the Negev and then crossed over to Jordan... and how just 40 years ago what we did would have been unthinkable.

Wednesday, when we toured Petra and truly learned that we, today, have got nothing on the intelligence and the creativity of those who came before us. We can certainly add our voice and our experience to the chain of ingenuity, but no more will we believe that we are brighter than those Nabateans so long ago.

Thursday, our homecoming to Eilat, where we visited the desert and the Red Sea.

And Friday, where we lifted off from Eilat and from our journey and when we landed in Tel Aviv we landed in the final leg of our journey.

We have each walked in the footsteps of giants, and we have each made this journey thinking about the memories of those in our own families who never had a chance to do so. There were times when we connected with each other and with God and there were times when the emotional intensity seemed almost too much to bear. We stayed in elegant hotels and in some not-so-elegant accommodations, we ate like royalty. Tonight, we have our final dinner, culminating in a Havdalah ceremony. And with the separation from Shabbat, we will separate ourselves from Israel. But we will never Israel from us.

Until our next journey...
Shabbat Shalom.
And, a bit early, and with a heavy heart, Shavua Tov.

Day 9- Eilat and Tel Aviv

I can't believe I am writing this post. It seems like just yesterday that we arrived in Tel Aviv to begin our journey, and now we have just returned from our final Erev Shabbat experience in Israel for this trip. As I type these words, I am ever aware that we have officially entered our final 24 hours in Israel. While we are looking forward to returning home, this group is certainly not ready to leave Israel.

We awoke in Eilat this morning and had an early breakfast. In order to save time during the day, the group decided (months ago) to forgo the 5 hour bus ride from Eilat to Tel Aviv and instead to fly from the Eilat airport to the small airstrip just outside of Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. The flight was smooth, but we were all a bit tired from the early and rushed departure.

All of that subsided when we landed in Tel Aviv, though, and boy did we hit the ground running! Shimon, our driver, left us last night to be able to meet us this morning and as soon as we loaded onto the bus he charged down the street to our first stop... Rabin Square.

Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated in Tel Aviv in 1995, and the site of this tragedy has been memorialized by a country still trying to come to terms with the murder of one Jew by another Jew. The site is chilling, a testament to what happens when religion is radicalized and lines between right and wrong become blurred. Our guide, Renee, was actually in the square the night he was murdered and relayed her own personal experience. It was a very moving way to start the day.

Following Rabin Square, we visited Independence Hall. The Hall is a building that was once owned by Meir Dizengoff (who was, coincidentally, the first Mayor of Tel Aviv... too bad his name wasn't Moshiach Dizengoff!). Dizengoff willed his home to the city of Tel Aviv and for many years it served primarily as an art gallery. However, on May 14th, 1948, the home became the site of the declaration of the third Jewish commonwealth. The State of Israel was declared in a ceremony that began at 4:00, and our group was able to spend some time in the very room that was the setting for this momentous event. It gave us chills to sing Hatikvah, the Israeli National Anthem (written by Rabbi Perry's great-grandfather!) in that home!

We followed that visit with a visit to Ben Gurion's house, where we were amazed at his collection of books and awards. Our guide explained that David Ben Gurion spoke 11 languages- 11 languages!!! He would decide to read a book and would insist on reading it in the original language. If he didn't know the language, he would learn it to be able to read the book. And this is a guy who had 25,000 books in his personal library! As I began to leave the house, I saw two people in orange shirts talking to our group and waving at me. As I got closer, I realized that we had bumped into George and Margie Stern! Half a world away and we are still able to see fellow Temple Sinai congregants just wandering the streets of Tel Aviv!

It had been more than 5 minutes since we went shopping, so our group took a 2-hour trip to a trendy Tel Aviv market for a bit of shopping and lunch. Okay, so it was more like a bit of lunch and a lot of shopping- but it was so nice being outdoors in Tel Aviv. Yes, it was a little warm today, but by this point we were all veterans- it barely bothered us (okay, that may be a slight exaggeration...).

We went to the hotel for some down time before heading out to Beit Daniel, the largest Reform congregation in Israel, for a Shabbat service. The service was nice, but the true Shabbat experience happened afterwards, when we left the shul and headed to the synagogue's guest house in Yafo. What a structure, and what an evening! We linked with another congregation- West Chester Reform Temple- and members of Beit Daniel, WCRT, and Temple Sinai all dined under a bright orange moon. A guitarist played Israeli folk songs and we shared stories and made new friends. As a personal aside, the new assistant rabbi/cantor at WCRT is a classmate of mine, someone whom I have not seen in 4 years. It was nice to see him again and to be able to reconnect.

As we drove back to the hotel, a calm set over the group. The excitement of our evening began to give way to the understanding that this has been our last congregational Shabbat experience in Israel. Tomorrow is a day filled with leisure and we will not be together as a group until dinner. In our hearts, we began to say goodbye. But all we could muster from our mouths was "Shabbat Shalom."

And so, on behalf of our group, Shabbat Shalom to you. Make it a great Shabbat.

Day 8- Eilat

Have you ever woken up in the morning unsure if the day you just had was a dream or reality? The entire group woke up this morning, still smiling from what was arguably one of the highlights of our journey, the visit to Petra.

Some of us, however, woke up earlier than others. Our guide, Renee, offered to take us on a hike through the mountains of Eilat- a hike that would force us to wake up at 5:00 while the "scheduled" wake up call was for 8:30. Needless to say, only a few of us took her up on that opportunity, and Larry Weinberg, Spensor Mann, Marcy Mann, Tim and Julia, cousins of the Manns, joined me and our guide for this hike. My, was it incredible. The hike over shattered red and brown stone was difficult at times but the incline was relatively smooth. The mountain ranges on either side of us took our breath away... and then there was the view. From the top of the mountain, we saw an orange sun peeking over the mountain range in Jordan, we saw the streetlights in a gulf town in Saudi Arabia shutter, and we gazed just over the small hill not 100 yards from us into Egypt. The Red Sea tempted us from all around and after a snack of almonds and a moment to catch our breath we headed down the ravine to the bus waiting below. All-in-all, it took us an hour and a half. It was truly a powerful morning.

We met up with the rest of the group for breakfast and then headed out for a visit to Timna, the site of King Solomon's mines. We climbed the copper mines, the steep incline of the mountain range, and generally had a good time playing in the desert. Of course, it was getting hot, it being the desert and all, so we kept the visit fairly short.

We did, however, manage to find time to stop off at a jewelry store, where some of the members of our group bought some beautiful rings, earrings, and necklaces. Hey, it's not all about history!

Following our shopping excursion, the group visited the Eilat Aquarium. Smaller than our Atlanta aquarium, it is simply extraordinary in the fact that the Red Sea is a labratory for nature- colorful coral, rare species of fish- it was really quite lovely. There is even an underwater observation point where we could see the fish and coral in their natural environment.

After lunch, we had free time. Some of our group napped, some of us went to the Red Sea for some swimming (no, it did not part!), and some of us hung out by the pool. We had dinner on our own and it was a nice night for some gift buying, for some family time, and for a nice, relaxing walk along the boardwalk.

So many dreams...
So many dreams.

Day 7- Jordan and Eilat

What words can a person use to describe something that is simply indescribable?


We awoke this morning in Aqaba and began our 2 hour long drive to Petra, one of the 7 Wonders of the World. Before leaving our hotel, however, we were able to stand about 2 feet away from the President of Senegal. No Nobel laureates, but a President- not too shabby!


We entered Petra and immediately decided who among us was going to take a carriage, who would ride a horse or donkey, who would ride a camel, and who would go on foot. Clearly important decisions as the walk today would take about 4 and a half hours and would be 6 miles long!


We began our walk in the 95 degree weather with a short introduction to life in Petra. This is a very complicated conversation- one better had in person than on a blog- so I would invite you to either ask one of the group members, or Rabbi Ron (who led a trip here this past November), or even just google "Petra" to learn more. In short, it is a city carved into a stone canyon. If you have ever seen Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, the location at which they found the Holy Grail was Petra, and you can get a pretty good idea of what we experienced by renting the DVD and viewing the ending.

What I can say is that we knew it was going to be breathtaking and we were not disappointed. We climbed on the ruins, all of which were accessible to anyone and everyone. The scenery was spectacular. Though not a religious site per se, one could certainly see the fingerprint of God in this place. A few of us even went on an optional excursion up the ruins and had an amazing view down to the city below. Certainly one of the 7 Wonders of the World!

After Petra, we drove back to Aqaba and returned home to Israel. We were all so happy to be back in Israel- the feeling of excitement and homecoming that we had when we landed in Tel Aviv returned as soon as we crossed the border!

We checked into our hotel and had a night on our own- a night to eat in the beach town of Eilat, to walk the boardwalk, and to do some shopping.

It was a tiring day today, and we are all a little sore from walking, a little burned from the sun and the extreme heat... but we simply cannot stop smiling.

Words cannot do it justice... this day was one you had to live to truly understand.

Day 6- The Negev and Jordan

Greetings from the land of Aladdin!

I am writing this from a hotel that overlooks the borders of Israel, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. We have just finished our dinner, which we ate on the balcony/courtyard gazing out upon the Red Sea and the Israeli city of Eilat. Dinner was incredible- and several of us followed it by engaging in the Arabic custom of Nargilla, or Hookah smoking. The tobacco was flavored with mint and lemon and there was something incredibly authentic about the whole experience. After dinner, many of us left the hotel and wandered the streets, doing a bit of shopping in the Arab market (called a Sook- how original!), where we saw all the sights, and heard all the sounds, that one would expect to find in a bustling shopping area. At almost midnight, the city of Aqaba is alive and shows no signs of slowing down!

But I digress...

We awoke this morning and boarded a series of jeeps (each jeep held 6 people) which took us through the Ramon Crater (google it- it's pretty cool!). The rocky road was bumpy, to say the least, but a more beautiful area one may never see. Sediments and deposits... well, I'm not a geologist, so my technical vocabulary is limited, but trust me- it was a fun experience!

We drove through the Negev until we arrived at Kibbutz Yahel, one of 2 Kibbutzim (the plural of kibbutz is kibbutzim) affiliated with the Reform movement. While there, we had lunch in the kibbutz dining room (schnitzel, salads, hummus, fresh fruit- oh my!) and went on a tour of the fields. Kibbutz Yahel is one of the largest suppliers in the world of pamettos and we were all able to sample this very tasty fruit right off of the trees! We learned about kibbutz life, about the struggles of being a religiously affiliated kibbutz, and about the relationship between the kibbutz and it's neighbor (literally, across the street)- Jordan. It was a fascinating tour and a thought provoking discussion ensued about the role that Halacha plays in the choices we make. While I was certainly a participant in the conversation, I enjoyed it the most when I was able to listen to the thoughts and feelings of the members of our community. I never thought the visit to the kibbutz would be the catalyst for such a discussion!

We left the kibbutz and, on our way to the Jordanian border, we stopped at Yotvatah. Yotvatah is perhaps the best restaurant on earth (and since there are no restaurants on Mars or Venus, probably the best restaurant in the whole universe!), serving ice-cream and other dairy products... as well as many other things. We stopped just for a moment for some ice-cream and to pick up some Elite chocolate with pop-rocks hidden inside (truly bizarre). The group loved the stop and have already been discussing plans to return to Yotvatah when we enter Tel Aviv in a few days.

After leaving Yotvatah, we continued south until we got to the border crossing. The border with Jordan is a pretty straight-forward border, nothing much to report there. Of course, for some of us, we have waited a long time to enter the country that until just 14 years ago was in a state of war with Israel. Needless to say, the "Jordan" stamp on the passport filled many of us with excitement and joy.

After crossing through the border, we made our way to our hotel, the Movenpick Resort in the coastal town of Aqaba, scene of Disney's Aladdin. The hotel is beautiful, and here is the cool thing: the Crown Prince of Jordan invited every single Nobel Laureate to visit Petra tomorrow, which means that many of them are staying in our hotel. In fact, just two doors down from our room, the door is guarded by a team of private security personnel. I'm not sure who is in the room, but I like to imagine that I'll pass Al Gore or Jimmy Carter or Muhammad Yunus or John Hume or David Trimble, all past winners of the Nobel Peace Prize (though I would have some not-so-nice things to say to Jimmy!), walking down the hall.

Which brings us back to where the log began... in a little room, in a big country, overlooking 3 incredible spots, and dreaming of a long tomorrow at Petra.

Day 5- Masada and The Negev

Today, I saw 4 children become Jewish adults atop Masada, and I saw 20 Jewish adults become children atop camels. What a great day it has been.

We began our day by saying goodbye to Jerusalem. It seems strange that our group has only seen one city together, and that we have only been together for a few days. Acquaintances are becoming friends, and, as we have shared together, we have become a family. There was a certain sadness as we drove past the Old City for the last time, gazing upon the Dome of the Rock through the windows of our bus. It seems strangely unfair to say goodbye so soon, but our journey must now take a different path.

We drove for about an hour and a half before we encountered Masada. Perhaps one of the more controversial elements of our people's history, the saga of Masada is sad indeed. After the destruction of the Temple, almost 1000 people fled to safety and security atop this ageing fortress. The Roman army besieged them and, when all was said and done, all the Jews atop Masada chose to commit suicide rather than be taken prisoner by the Romans. As we wandered these ruins, and as the sun of an unforgiving desert beat down upon our faces and shoulders, we found ourselves asking again and again: what is worth dieing for? And, more importantly, what is worth living for?

We reached an answer of sorts after our tour ended when we gathered in a small, shady area atop the fortress. Katie Mann, Spensor Mann, Taylor Mann and Alex Weinberg became Bat and Bar Mitzvah, respectively, in a beautiful service overlooking the Dead Sea and Israel's neighbor to the East, Jordan. In my blessing to the kids, I pointed out that it was indeed monumental that we were celebrating this life cycle event in the shadow of a very painful chapter of Jewish history. But they did a fantastic job and the skill with which they led us in worship and read from the Torah, as well as the beautiful words their parents shared as they blessed them on this day, filled us all with an understanding that the future for the Jewish people is bright indeed with young people like them among our people. As the service ended, two birds joined us in congratulating them, and a shadow fell over Masada. You couldn't manufacture something like that- it only happens once in a lifetime.

We left Masada for a swim in the Dead Sea. What a joy to see the B'nei Mitzvah kids floating on one side of the beach and their parents celebrating on the other side! For many of us, we can still visualize the famous picture of a man reading a newspaper while floating on the sea; well, today we have a different memory, as almost the entire group participated in this particular, well, "rite of passage!"

After the Dead Sea we drove to visit David Ben Gurion's final resting place and to see a lovely view of the hills of the Negev. It was truly a sight to see. Our guide reminded us of Ben Gurion's famous quote: "In Israel, in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles." How true.

Following our stop at Ben Gurion's kibbutz, we continued to another rite of passage for tour groups: the camel ride! Almost the entire group paired up and rode camels through the desert. It was a sight to see, this caravan of ours! Michael Horwitz sang songs about his camel while Alex Weinberg expressed dismay that the camel in front of him had... gas. Marcy Mann overcame her initial hesitation and hopped up like a pro and Joel Davis mastered the "holding on with one hand and taking a picture with a camera in the other hand" posture. And here is the best part: I asked our guide to share with me the name of the camel I was riding. He did. The camel is named Arafat. I kid you not... Arafat.

We concluded our night with some dinner, dessert, and story telling in a Bedouin tent with a Bedouin host. It was the perfect way to end the day: we started our day with a story of Jewish tragedy, and added a chapter to the modern Jewish story as the Manns and Alex became B'nei Mitzvah. We then created our own stories as we had adventures (and sometimes misadventures) both in the Dead Sea and while riding a camel. And our day ended, sitting together in a circle, eating baklava, sipping tea and coffee, and listening to stories of another people.

What a great day it has been.

Day 4- Jerusalem

This was our big Jerusalem touring day- and our pained and tired feet are certainly a testament to the busy day we had!

We began with our regular breakfast in the hotel dining room before heading out to Har Herzl, the military cemetery in Israel and the final resting place of many Prime Ministers, national heroes, and far too many soldiers. We learned about Yitzhak Rabin, Golda Meir, Hanah Senesh, and Theodore Herzl, among others. We gathered at Herzl's tomb and recited Mourner's Kaddish over him and all those buried in the cemetery before singing HaTikvah, the Israeli National Anthem. It was quite fitting, especially considering that we are celebrating Israel's 60th birthday this year. Our very visit today was a testament to the vision and dedication of Herzl and it was a very emotional moment for many of us in the group.

We followed Har Herzl with a visit to Hadassah hospital for a look at the Chagall Windows. Many of the members of the group have prints of these windows in their homes and have been regretful any time somebody would view them and ask, "Oh, these are lovely- have you seen them in person?" Now we can all answer in the affirmative! There were many moments that stick out from the day, though one of my favorites was when I was able to bear witness to the "which is your favorite window" discussion that ensued. I learned that some of the people on the trip are much more spiritual than I assumed, and I began to understand how important it was to add this stop to our itinerary.

We then made the trek to the Old City, where we began our engaging visit in the Cardo, a walkway dating to the Roman period of Jerusalem. For the next three hours, we experienced a whirlwind of learning and visiting: from the Cardo to the recent excavations to the Kotel (the Western Wall- very emotional for our group!!!) to the Southern Wall Excavations to the Western Wall Excavations and, finally, to the bus. Honestly, it was a bit overwhelming to hear so much in such a short amount of time, and for many of us the facts and experiences blend together. But one thing stands out: for many in the group, this is the first time they ever saw the Kotel, and the real-life image of this site as one comes down from the Jewish Quarter is simply breathtaking. We all gasped when we first laid eyes upon it- though we saw it last night, it was dark and we were so rushed that we didn't get a chance to really experience the beauty of this very significant place. Today, however, it hit us full on.

We had a nice evening of leisure on Ben Yehuda tonight, where many members of the group did some final shopping before returning to the hotel. We have an early morning tomorrow- we leave and head outside of Jerusalem for the first time, to make our way to Masada, the Dead Sea, some Bedouin hospitality...

Our feet are testaments to our day- and it was a glorious day.

Day 3- Jerusalem

It was that kind of Jerusalem day.

Shabbat in Jerusalem is unique: many of the stores remain closed, few cars are on the streets, people walk everywhere (and there are a TON of people walking around on Shabbat!)... Gone are the odors from Friday- baking bread, flowers on the street corners; aromas that foretell the coming of Shabbat. And in its place on Saturday can be found natural smells of the city- trees that give off a particular smell, fresh air that actually tastes cool. More powerful than the odors, however, are the sounds. One rarely hears the sound of cars or buses, music blasting from homes, people yelling or haggling on the streets for something. You hear the sounds of countless niggunim- wordless melodies- being hummed from all around you. A casual walk puts you within earshot of dozens of synagogues, each one at a different place in the service and using different melodies. And while you don't see cars, you see families holding hands, you see couples walking together slowly, taking the time to savor the moment, and you see children at play. There really is nothing like Shabbat in Jerusalem.

Our day started well with several of us gathering together for the short walk to the Hebrew Union College- Jewish Institute of Religion (HUC-JIR) for Shabbat morning services. The seminary is where all of the rabbis at Temple Sinai got our start: Rabbi Segal spent time here, as did Rabbis Kranz and Perry. It was nice to be able to return to the same prayer space that I recalled from my own first year as a rabbinical student, and my mind was filled with thoughts of how far I have personally come since those stressful student days 7 years ago. I recalled sitting in the seats of the prayer space and wondering what it would be like as a rabbi, dreaming of finding a congregation and community as special as Sinai. How sweet it is when dreams come true.

Services went well- they lasted about an hour and a half and were very similar to our services in the States. I was honored to serve in an official capacity this morning: I lifted the Torah, performing the act of Hagbah for the community. Even better than my experience, however, is that our own Michal Horwitz recited the blessing before the second Aliyah. Throughout the day, I have been able to hear Michael describe what a momentous occasion that was for him. As he describes it, tears begin to well up in his eyes. It was indeed that kind of Jerusalem day.

The group had free time today, and some members like the Brills, the Merlins and the Horwitzs made their way to the Old City for some shopping and sight-seeing. The Manns and the Weinbergs hired a guide and took a tour of the Christian sites in the Old City. Sheila Klein and her family reconnected with an Aunt who had made Aliyah years ago, the Golinskys went to the Israel Museum- really, we were all over the place!

We convened again in little groups and found our way to dinner- in fact, about half of the group made their way to the same restaurant! I am happy to say that nobody ate in the hotel- we all ventured outside of our comfort zone and experienced local cuisine in a natural environment.

We met again as a group to recite Havdalah blessings on a balcony overlooking the Old City- it was really quite a special moment. Following that, we boarded the bus and headed to the Old City for a walking tour of underground tunnels that gave us a more meaningful understanding of Jeruslem in the 2nd Temple period. As we wove our way through the dank, musty tunnel, I could not help but hear from more than one member of the group a slight humming. It took me only a moment to place the tune: it was the Indiana Jones theme song.

And now we retire for the night, ready to start a new week that will be filled with adventure. And we will carry with us always memories of this first Shabbat in Israel... for it really was that kind of Jerusalem day.

Day 2- Jerusalem

What a day!

Our group met this morning for breakfast, and after making small talk over a first cup of coffee (and a sleepless night for many of us!), Joel Davis, a member of our group, looked over and said, "Hey, you can see the Old City from here!" And just like that, our little breakfast took on new meaning as some of our group members allowed their eyes to gaze across a crowded dining room through the window and onto the walls surrounding the Old City of Jerusalem.

The day was filled with moments like that, often juxtaposed with regular, every-day things. We began our day with a bus ride to an overlook that gave us an opportunity to welcome each other to Jerusalem. Tradition holds that one has juice or wine before entering the city for the first time, and we all shared a bottle of grape juice before reciting the Shecheheyanu prayer. Our guide, Renee, oriented us to Jerusalem and even gave us a bit of a primer on the Security fence. While we left with many questions still brewing, we were on a tight schedule and had to actually make up time (yes, surprising though it is, several of us were late to the bus this morning!).

We arrived at Yad vaShem, the Holocaust Museum/Memorial, and prepared ourselves for a gut-wrenching two hours. While we all had familiarity with the Shoah, and while some of have studied it for years, we all found ourselves emotionally exhausted after being confronted with images, facts, and feelings that happened not too long ago.

A really moving thing happened at Yad vaShem: early on, Michael and Charlotte Horwitz explored the archives to find answers to questions that plagued them about the fate of their ancestors. Sure enough they found them and, surprisingly, included with the biographical information was a testimonial from a relative Michael had not heard of! While the morning was filled with sadness for Michael and Charlotte, this piece of evidence suggests that there is still hope for reclaiming family ties shattered by the Nazi Regime.

We concluded our stay at Yad vaShem with a Yizkor service, paying tribute to those came before us and remembering the suffering and sacrifice of our recent history.

Transitioning from a moment of sadness to a moment of humor, we took the group today to an early afternoon stop at Mahane Yehuda, the open pedestrian shuk in Jerusalem. I tell you- you have not lived until you have taken 25 people, put them in the mix with hundreds of strangers, given them a task, and then just sat back! We had some bumping, some bargaining, some slight frustration, but in all the shuk was quite entertaining! They did pretty well for being culturally illiterate!

After some time back at the hotel to rest and change, we went to Erev Shabbat services at Kol HaNeshamah. It was a nice service, with many of the tunes unfamiliar to our members. But as soon as we started Lecha Dodi, and it was a melody that we use regularly at Temple Sinai, I received a knowing glance from Elaine Brill- she knew it, knew it from our place, and that is just pretty cool for her.

I tried to point out to members of the group that, no matter they go, they may not understand the language, or the culture, or the customs, they can seek out and find a place to worship and be sure that there will be SOME familiarity there! The world became much smaller this evening...

We had dinner at a small place called Beit Shalom and over dinner we had the opportunity to toast Harvey and Gloria Merlin on their 54th wedding anniversary! Talk about a way to celebrate!

While many people returned to their rooms, a few of us- okay, the Brills and the Levenbergs- went on a Shabbat walk, experiencing the sounds, noises, and smells (and a few drinks) of our first Shabbat in Israel.

As you can see, our first full day in Israel was quite... well, full, and this was only a half day! We continue to be safe, curious, learners; we continue to bond together in our family units and with each other; we continue to eat well- resolutions are already out the window for everyone on the trip (it was the Marzipan rugelach).

With heavy eyes and a smile on my face, I sign off and wish you and yours a Shabbat Shalom.

Day 1: Gathering in Jerusalem

The majority of our group left from Atlanta, though a few of us made separate arrangements. Those of us that left from Atlanta started our journey with a two-hour on-the-runway delay due to storms in Georgia. It gave us ample time to relax, to start enjoying the in-air entertainment (games, movies, etc.)... and to resign from our hectic Atlanta lives in favor of our new role as Pilgrims.

The makeup of our group is interesting- it seems like each and every demographic is included: from kids to empty-nesters, singles, marrieds, and young parents, we come from different stations in life and some even come from outside of Georgia. While we may be an ecclectic bunch, we are all here for one thing: to immerse ourselves in Israel; to experience the Promised Land and to be forever altered by that encounter.

When we finally arrived- safe, sound, and a bit ragged- we were lucky enough to have all our baggage and to have greeted our tour guide right away. Renee is a wonderful guide: she is thoughtful, responsive, and kind. She correctly read the mood on our bus as we made our way from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and she let the ride speak for itself.

Allow me to address the drive for just a moment. All language fails when a moment of great

anticipation finally becomes a reality. A handful of us on the bus had made this trek before, and for us there was great comfort in just peering through the windows at the foothills of Jerusalem. Some of us are using this trip as one of many trips to take- Israel is simply another destination for these globetrotters. In their case, the ride was filled with the curiosity of entering unfamiliar territory, encountering unusual customs, signs, and symbols, and internally comparing and contrasting this arrival with coutless others. And then there are the dreamers. For some on this trip, the plane landing in Tel Aviv represents a prayer answered, a dream fulfilled. They bore witness in 1948 to the Declaration of the State and they have had 60 years of "almost wents-" trips to Israel that did not materialize. That 60 year itch, that 60 year dream, came true tonight. I saw it on their faces. This trip is for some the last time they will travel abroad- how fitting, then, that it carries such meaning.

We come from different stations in life. And while that may have mattered yesterday, and while it may matter in 10 days, for this trip, for this moment, we are all the same: Pilgrims.

One final note: there is little more fun as a rabbi than being able to meet members of the congregation abroad and reach out. I was delighted to have met this evening with Alexis Pinsky, daughter of Debbie and Richard Pinsky. She is here for a few weeks on an intense (and amazing!) program which affords her little free time. Thankfully, she was able to meet with the group this evening and join a few of us for a cup of hot chocolate at one of my favorite little cafes. It was lovely being able to see her, to check in, and to once again find myself impressed with how incredible it is to be one of her rabbis.