We decided to come on this trip together, aware that our very different Jewish backgrounds would lead us to experience the various group excursions and activities in wildly different ways. Today appeared to be a day of contrast, finding the peace in the chaos and reconciling the modern with the traditional. We found meaning in Jerusalem, but in very different ways.
Erin:
There seems to be little, if anything, in the Jewish world with greater hype than the Western Wall. We grow up hearing stories about the Kotel that allow our Hebrew School imaginations to run wild wild with images of unbearably large stones, walls taller than the eye can see, and more pieces of paper than sand at the beach.
We started the morning with a wonderful view of the Old City, followed by a tour through the Haas Promenade. Our appetites were whetted with the architecture, archeology, art and sounds of Jerusalem (along with the food, of course) as we took in the ancient and modern culture around us.
Fast forward a bit, and we arrived just outside the Western Wall. At first, it didn't seem obvious where to look, but eventually our eyes wandered to the spot. The scene was total chaos. It was a cacophony of sights and sounds, making things more than overwhemling. The Muslim call to prayer was sounding simultaneously which elicited a greater reaction in me than I had expected. Having taken a class on Islamic Sound in college, I was incredibly moved by the battling Muslim and Jewish sights and sounds. Throughout the trip we learned about the Jewish and Israeli fight for physical space, but I was intrigued by the infiltration of Muslim sound into Jewish space. As a Jewish people, we've been fighting for land to call our own for so long, yet one of the integral parts of Islam was still present in our space. The construction being done next to the Wall added another layer of contrast to the experience as the modern met the traditional.
We advanced to the Wall at our own pace, having been instructed by our trip leader, Carli, to take our time and appreciate the meaning of this visit. With every step towards the Wall, I felt myself more and more connected with my ancestors. I had somewhat coincidentally gotten sunscreen in my eyes mere moments before, and the tears were already liberally flowing. I was overwhelmed with the seemingly inappropriate background noise of the fellow Taglit groups as I came closer to the Wall, but learned to zone it out. After a moment in one of the ubiquitos plastic chairs placed conveniently in front of the wall, I got up the courage to patiently wait for a spot. Before long, it was my turn to come face to face with the stone that Jewish ancestors before me had either come in contact with, or dreamed about for generations. As my hands touched the stone, I was overcome with emotion. The energy of the Wall reverberated through me as I realized the importance of where I was and what I was doing. My fellow female Birthrighters and I slowly walked back to our meeting spot after what felt like hours. To call it an incredible experience would be an understatement. The Kotel was an assault on our senses and our understanding of what it meant to be Jewish.
Julia:
Today is Friday, meaning that the next part of our journey after visiting the Western Wall was preparing for Shabbat. We were dropped off at Mahane Yehuda, a bussling market filled to the brim with other tourists and locals who were looking for just the right treat to mark the occasion.
One of our tasks for the market was to find something to share at our Oneg, which was to take place later that evening. Having been to very few Shabbat services in my life, I was nervous for what the night entail. What was this Oneg and what should I bring to share? Would Shabbat help me connect with the rest of the participants on our trip, or make me feel a bit disconnected from this new (and wonderful!) community I had found on Shorashim?
Luckily for me, shopping is my genes. And the market, filled with impressive pastries, candies, dried fruit, olives and more, really helped me understand the joy and celebration that Fridays bring in Jerusalem -- and around the world in Jewish households.
When it was finally time to sit down with our (showered and lovely) group, I was ready to embrace all that Shabbat had to offer. Perhaps more importantly, I was ready for our Oneg, and to try all of the treats everyone else had found in the market! (We had a blast... and basically all ate a second dinner.)
Overall, today helped emphasize how inspirational the last four days in Israel have been. I'm so excited to continue to discover more and connect more as this journey continues.
Shabbat Shalom,
Erin and Julia
