We had a free day from programming. Some people slept in (nice!), some took walks. Some went to Old City to see David's Tower. Others walked the ramparts of the old city walls for beautiful views of the Old City and into East Jerusalem. Several went to services at Hebrew Union College, a short walk from our hotel. Cantor Cahana help to lead the services with some of the first year Cantorial and Rabbinic students. Afterwards they toured the beautiful campus designed by Moshe Safdie. We saw the new Social Hall / synagogue on top of Beit Shemuel with its stunning modernist design and even more stunning views of the Old City.
The weather today has been unpredictable. Blue sky and deep black rain clouds. Some people got caught in a cold downpour - making us Portlanders feel very at home.
If the weather holds we will gather for a havdalah ceremony marking the end of Shabbat, at Yamin Moshe, the oldest Jewish settlement outside the Old City. After that everyone will have dinner and shopping on our own. Many will go to Ben Yehuda street to see how the quiet pedestrian walkway bursts to life once shabbat ends.
Shavua tov!
Update: since writing this entry, we held a Havdalah in the hotel to avoid the rain and cold. During the service we shared stories of miracles and the experiences some of us have had in Jerusalem - the Holy City.
Bonnie Barg brought tears to all our eyes when she shared that, thanks to recent cochlear implants, she heard the Havdalah candle being extinguished tonight for the first time in her life!
A Shabbat miracle.
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