The weather was perfect in Tel Aviv as we began our tour of the old and new in this city. We began by driving along the promenade and entering the Old City of Jaffa. We walked its narrow alleys, so reminiscent of Safed, as Renee told us about the city ancient and modern history. It is today an art colony and a place where Arab and Jew and foreign tourists meet.
We drove through the new city and saw the beautiful mix of juxtaposed 100 year old and ultra modern architecture.
Soon we came to the newly opened Yitzhak Rabin Center. This very moving and hi-tech museum tells the story of modern Israel reflected through the life of Yitzhak Rabin, the former Army Chief of Staff, Ambassador to America, Defense and Prime Minister. Rabin's assassination in November 1995 shook Israel as no other event has. We felt Israeli's history and struggles very personally through this visit. Even more so when we went soon after to the site where Rabin was killed, now known as Rabin Square. It was at a peace rally, just before elections - and the prospect of peace as well as the tensions surrounding it were never so high. There I read the last words of his speech and Cantor lead us in singing "Shir Lashalom" the song of peace (lyrics by Yaakov Rotblit and melody by Yair Rosenblum).
The mood was a bit heavy and we needed some time to reconnect with life. So we were released for lunch and shopping at the colorful Carmel Market and Nachalt Binyamin in downtown Tel Aviv. Afterwards we walked through the newly gentrified Neve Zedek neighborhood filled with classic Bauhaus architecture for which Tel Aviv is famous.
After a brief rest, we gathered together for services at one of the most famous Reform synagogues in Israel - Beit Daniel. It was very lovely. Although the service was entirely in Hebrew, some of the songs were familiar. Rabbi Meir Azari spoke about the Women of the Wall, and how Israeli Jews, even Reform, don't understand and appreciate the issues involved sufficiently. The congregation greeted us quite warmly and it was very interesting to see Reform Judaism at work in Israel for Israelis.
Afterwards we were joined for Shabbat dinner by two surprise guests: Adam Rozansky and Josh Ingbar, both graduates of Temple's high school program and both in Israel, Adam for a year of study before collage, and Josh as a new recruit in the Israeli army. Everyone enjoyed getting to know or being reacquainted with these young men, both on very different paths in Israel.
We all enjoyed an opulent erev Shabbat dinner at the hotel - and prepared for a peaceful last day in Israel.
Shabbat Shalom!
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