Shabbat in Jerusalem

While my memory tries hard to remind me that Shabbat in Jerusalem (as I remember from being here many years ago) meant the entire city shuts down, it is not totally so in 2008. There were several cars driving around, which means you can't completely walk through the streets without being sensitive to a car possibly coming around the corner.

Regardless... Shabbat started in the usual hectic rush way that makes taking 25 hours a lovely thing. With only 1 bathroom and 7 people to bathe, children to feed, people not feeling up to par 100%, and then needing to get out the door for services certainly makes the 5-5:45 time slot RUSHED!

Somehow we managed and the 3 of us left to walk to services at Kol Nishama, a "reform" congregation where men and women sit together. It was really nice even though we got there 10 minutes late. Hadarya revels in services and danced her way through Kabbalat Shabbat after she got comfortable. We were sitting near the front in the top of a U shape. She loved walking away from us and sitting on the step that led to the bimah. She sat there and smiled at us. She sat there and stared at the Rabbi. She sat there and read a prayer book. She sat there and looked cute as only she can do and everyone smiled at her. She danced at the right places, clapped for the songs, and said amen at the end of prayers. The melodies were uplifting and a packed room made all the voices blend together in such a lovely way that I wish we had more of that in our synagogues in the states.

Savta Ruthie met us at services and walked home with us for dinner. The rest of the house was already asleep as everyone was feeling tired and exhausted. We had a lovely dinner that Scott had made before he went to bed. It was a lovely evening and we took Hadarya out for her nightly ritual of strolling to sleep.

We woke up Shabbat morning sort of late and immediately got on Skype with Grandma and Grandpa. Boy did that wake up Hadarya! She jumped over Aba to get to the computer and smiled, giggled, and laughed with them. It was a great beginning to the Shabbat morning. We ended up all going to services at Shira Chadasha and making it there a little earlier than last week. It's a modern orthodox with a michitza but women are called to the torah, lead services, and read from the torah. It's a lovely combination that I truly enjoy. I like being able to daven with myself in a community and not worry about the people around me.

We came home to a delicious shabbat lunch in which Scott's cousin, Reuven and Yiftach's friend, Einat, joined us. We ate over a a couple of hours, the kids played, the young ones napped for a bit, and we just schmoozed and hung out. We left for a trip to the park and picnic dinner around 5 PM and returned by 7 PM for bathtime and bedtime. Our baby girl does well with a bath now and loves getting in , especially if Maital joins her. We let her watch Elmo, skyped with Auntie Kimber, which Hadarya now says very clearly, and then took a stroll for her to go to bed. In between those two, we did Havdallah and Hadarya enjoyed smelling the spices.

A really super Shabbat experience in Jerusalem.