Filming the Action During Yom Ha'atzmaut Prayers, 5776

Over the years I've taken some amazing photographs during the Yom  Ha'atzmaut (Israeli Independence Day) Prayers in the large Shiloh Mishkan (Tabernacle) Synagogue. Those years I would  make a point of sitting front and center in the Ezrat Nashim (Women's Gallery) where I'd have a bird's eye view of the joyful singing and dancing. But this year for various reasons, I decided to sit a bit further back, though on the aisle so I could easily, at least so I had thought, get to the front to photograph the dancing and shofar blowing.

When the "action" began I didn't rush up. I didn't feel like being pushy, but then all of a sudden I realized that this isn't my year to take all those great pictures. And then I decided that photographing the other women photographing the dancing would be a very good substitute. So, here they are.

Shofar blowing from last Yom Ha'atzmaut, 5775.

Why Outside?

Over the decades here in Israel I've spied men dovening with their Tallit, Tefillin  in all sorts of places, from stores, to buses, guard-posts etc.

Quite often they're on their way to work or in places where there is no convenient synagogue. That's why I was surprised the other day when I noted this man.

He was near the Jerusalem Municipality, Safra Square. It was just after 7am, and there are many synagogues within a three to five minute walk from there, including one in the municipal offices.

Psalms in the Station, Only in Israel

The other day when I rushed into the Jerusalem Central Bus Station to get the bus home, somebody thrust something in my face. I replied with a gut reaction of "no." Then a split second later I noticed that a great variety of people, men and women, young and old were standing still reading from T'hillim booklets, the type from the sets which split the 150 into usually 28 equal-size portions.

I didn't go back to get one, because I was afraid I'd miss the bus, but I did take a couple of pictures.

Unlike Israel's south Jerusalem has been pretty much untouched by the war. But we're all one country and one people. And that's why people in the Central Bus Station were saying T'hillim, Psalms.

Jewish Prayers as Pop Songs

Especially considering the obscene and inane lyrics many singers make popular, I really enjoy the fact that Jewish Prayers, yes, in Hebrew can also make it big.





Shabbat Shalom to All of You!

Rosh Chodesh Ellul Day One

The Jewish Calendar, even though "set" in writing for centuries, even thousands of years already, has periodic two-day Rosh Chodesh, beginning of the Jewish Month.  An Arab Muslim I work with keeps telling us that he's not yet sure when his post Ramadan holiday is because they still wait for the "new moon" and then announce it.

When we have a double Rosh Chodesh, the first day is actually the last day of the previous month and the second is the first of the new one.  So today is the last day of Menachem (we should be comforted in) Av and tomorrow is the first day of Ellul.  I chose tomorrow for Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers at Shiloh HaKeduma, Tel Shiloh.

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh
Rosh Chodesh Ellul

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

1 Ellul 5773, 8:30am

Tour of Tel & Dvar Torah, Short Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים
ראש חודש אלול בתל שילה
יום ד' 7-8 א' אלול תשע"ג 8:30
יהיה דבר תורה קצר וסיור בתל
 כדאי לבוא ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

It's an especially special day for me, since my son will G-d willing get married tomorrow night.

There's now a very interesting and well kept up tourist center in Shiloh, Shiloh HaKeduma, at Tel Shiloh.  You can arrange tours and events there by emailing [email protected] or call 02-994-4019.

Challot Were a Success and a Prayer

Among other things, mainly vegetables and grapes, we brought challot I had made a couple of weeks ago to our married daughter and the grandkids.

 

I must admit that I didn't quite follow a recipe.  I concentrated on positive, good thoughts and prayers as I mixed and kneaded and tried to get the dough just right.  It's generally recommended to knead at least six minutes.



 

 

And I prayed for my kids that they would rise to all occasions, be healthy and strong and connected to G-d. 

 

Raising kids is much more difficult than making a beautiful tasty challah.

 

 

We do our best, and hope the recipe is good and the temperature right and our hands strong enough.  A challah is just a challah, made for eating, but our kids are our real treasures.  May G-d help us.

 

This is an approximation of the challah recipe:

1 c sugar (dark brown)
2 T dehydrated yeast
3 1/2 c warm water
1 c oil
 2 eggs (medium or smallish by American standards)
1 kilo or more of wholewheat flour

1 kilo or more white flour, alternate flours when adding to get a mix

It's hard to know the exact quantity of flour

 

mix sugar, yeast, water, oil a cup of flour

cover with plastic and let sit until bubbly and rising

add the eggs and flour, mixing as you go, then knead until it doesn't stick to your hands

coat with oil, cover with plastic and wait until it's at least doubled

"punch it down"

then "take challah," (click for instructions)

optional let it rise again

shape the challah

let it rise

bake, start  in an oven hotter than for a cake and then lower the heat until cooler than a cake after the outside begins to get a light brown

It's ready when the bottom is hard and there's a hollow sound when you tap it

An Advantage From the Vantage of the Women's Gallery

Honestly, I don't mind sitting far from the action in shul, the synagogue.  I have a great seat in the Ezrat Nashim, Women's Section of our local synagogue.  I'm not looking for honors or responsibilities that the men get.  I don't need it.  My life is full and busy enough.  The "balcony" is far enough away so that nobody has ever complained about my singing along loudly.  Nobody down there hears me.  If I ever have the need to say Kaddish, that will be between me and G-d.  Plenty of females have said it from our Ezrat Nashim.  Nobody has ever asked for a spotlight.

I'm in the front row, center.  It's a crazy story how I got that seat.  My original seat was on the far side, by the wall, in the middle row, third out of five.  I liked it.  I could lean against the wall when we had to stand for long periods of time.  I never had to give it to anyone else when there was a Bar Mitzvah.  Now, I graciously give my seat to the women of families celebrating Bar Mitzvahs and other special occasions, so they can see and kvell.  I tell them that it's no problem; it's just my way of participating in their joyous occasion. It's true.

There was one problem with my old seat.  That row was across from the door and targeted by draughts, cold, cold ones.  I just couldn't take it and complained, begging everyone to keep the door shut.  I was told that I should just wear more clothes, my coat, shawls and scarves.  I'm also terribly hyper and noticed everyone coming in.  Eventually I was offered a new seat.  A neighbor didn't like sitting in the front row.  So we switched seats.  We were both happy with the arrangement.

Now, there's something else I must tell you about my seat.  I can see what goes on in the Men's section.  I can see who is wandering around talking.  I can see who is reading all sorts of things other than their siddur and obviously not dovening.  I can see if it's one of those Parshat Shavua pages, a newspaper or a book.  I can see if the pages are being turned or if the men are sleeping/dozing or just staring into space.  I'm like some sort of spy.  I can see them, but they can't see me.

One thing for sure is that the women who come to shul on Shabbat morning are much more serious about their dovening than the men ever are.