High Holidays

Well, I guess I'm not very good at this--I can't believe its been 2 weeks since I last posted! There is so much to talk about, but I will start with the biggest thing that has happened this month--millions of holidays!

The first big Chag (holiday) we experienced in Jerusalem was Rosh Hashana. For those that don't know, Rosh Hashanah is the New Year for the Jewish lunar calendar. Because the calendar is different from our secular calendar, the secular date moves each year. This year it is very "early", meaning Rosh Hashanah was in early September. Because of this, Adam and his classmates only had about a week and a half of their semester before having several days off for all of the holidays! It makes for a crazy and confusing beginning to the year.

Erev Rosh Hashanah (the first night, because Jewish days go from sunset to sunset), we went to the HUC synagogue. It was a very beautiful service because the HUC student choir sang! Any of the students or SOs could join, and they were incredible! Many of the students in this year's class are passionate about music, and of course the cantorial students were extraordinary. They had solos throughout, and it was nice to see the future of the Reform Movement's musical talent!  After services we had a lovely dinner with many of the cantorial students, and it was fun to hear them rehash their performances and talk about the power of praying in front of a congregation. It was also extra special to be having Rosh Hashana dinner next to a giant window overlooking Jerusalem.

The next day students were free to go to any synagogue in the area. Unlike the States, you don't need to pay hundreds of dollars to attend a service! Lucky for us, Adam was songleading for the congregation in Tsur Hadassah, where we previously spent Shabbat. There were about 70 people there, which we are told was a big number. The service was pretty traditional, and lasted about 3 hours--much longer than the family services I have grown accustomed to! The service was completely in Hebrew (obviously) so it was little tough to follow along, but because everything was done differently than I am used to, it went by pretty quickly. Adam did a fabulous job, and the congregation all thanked him afterward for making the service extra special. After services, we were invited for lunch at a family's home that I had met before through my ulpan. It was such a nice, relaxing meal, and I learned all about One Direction from their children!

The one thing thats hard about all of these holidays, is that everything is totally closed, except for a few restaurants and coffee shops if you know where to find them. That means that you must plan ahead and buy all of the food and supplies you need for the chag. Rosh Hashanah ran into Shabbat this year, which means three days of everything being closed. I must admit, it takes a toll over three days, but its also a nice reminder of the importance of peace and quiet.

A week later, the next holiday is Yom Kippur, (Day of Atonement). The whole idea behind this one, is to spend the days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur atoning for any sins you have committed in the past year, and ask for forgiveness from those you have wronged. Yom Kippur is a more solemn occasion, where people fast and don't bathe. Most people do not drive on Shabbat in Jeruslaem, but there are still many cars and taxis in the street. On Yom Kippur there are absolutely no cars. In fact, most people walk in the middle of the street. After services on Erev Yom Kippur, we walked home in the middle of he streets with hundreds of other people. There were also kids riding their bikes up and down the streets all day-it was truly magical to see a city collectively become car-less.

For Erev Yom Kippur and Yom Kippur, we went to the beautiful services at HUC. They had hundreds of attendees, and held the service in a beautiful room overlooking the old city. The student choir was amazing, and it was fun to be a part of a big congregation of progressive Jews. For the Break the Fast, we all brought food and ate together in the student lounge area.

A week after Yom Kippur, just when you think you are done with holidays, a new holiday starts. Sukkot is a week-long Harvest festival. People build sukkot, a tent like structure, where many religious Jews eat all of their meals and sometimes sleep. It was fun to see all of the restaurants around us building their Sukkot, and trying to fit them on the sidewalk or on their patios. Because the first and last day of this holiday are special, we again find everything closed for two holidays and the Shabbats in between. This brings the grand total to 9 days of closed stores, restaurants, and public transportation in the month of Spetember. Its amazing that some of these businesses can stay open!

Sukkot is one of the longest breaks throughout the year, so HUC had a super long vacation. Many of the students took this time to travel or go home to see loved ones. We decided to go to Eilat. It was one of the best trips I have ever taken. Stay tuned for the story of our trip!