June 12, 2008

Shalom!

Shavuot in Jerusalem is truly magical. On this important holiday, Jews commemorate the time in ancient days when the “first fruits” were harvested and brought to the Temple in Jerusalem as an offering to God.  It is also a celebration of the glorious day when God gave us the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) on Mount Sinai.  While Shavuot is special to Jews all over the world, I must say that having the blessing of celebrating the holiday in Jerusalem is beyond compare!

 Jewish holidays allow us to take a break from our daily cares and worries and provide time for introspection. I did all of the physical preparation of cooking and cleaning for Shavuot the day before the holiday began, so that I could enter the holiday free from worldly worries.

As the sun set on June 8, the streets of Jerusalem were packed with people dressed in their most beautiful clothes making their way to synagogue. From each block the sound of singing and dancing filled the air. Children stayed up late to join the festivities and were eating candies and sweets to represent the sweetness of the Torah. At our house we welcomed family members from all over the country for dinner. The mood was one of gratitude to God for giving us the most precious gift possible - the Bible. 

Jewish tradition holds that the Torah was received in the morning. Therefore, on Shavuot, it has become the custom to stay up all night learning and praying in anticipation of the big event. At my synagogue Bible classes took place from 11:30 p.m. until sunrise. I attended one class and then walked with my husband, daughter, and thousands of others to the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem, which Jews believe is the spiritual center of the world.

Many people flocked from all over Israel to study Torah at the Wall throughout the night. In fact, there were so many people that it felt like the middle of the day, though it was 3:00 a.m.! Everyone wanted to get a little closer to God's presence, just like in biblical times when Jewish people were commanded to ascend to the Temple three times a year and bring a holy sacrifice. One of those times was Shavuot.

The feeling of unity I experienced standing at the Western Wall made me think of many moments in the history of my people … how God parted the Red Sea, allowing them to escape Pharaoh's army after they were freed from Egypt … how they walked in the desert to Mount Sinai to receive the Torah … how they entered into Israel, the land promised them by God. I reflected how Israel today faces many challenges, just as it did in biblical times, and how the secret to our getting through those challenges is always the same - to trust in God, to ask Him for guidance, and to listen for His voice.

You, too, have heard God's voice - and you have responded by generously helping His people in Israel and around the world. I feel I can truly say that, thanks to your support of Israel and the Jewish people, more prayers of thanksgiving were raised to God this Shavuot than ever before. On behalf of all of us, thank you!

Yael