Today my friend Efrat picked me up from my cousin Shula’s house. We had decided to meet up for breakfast. As she drove me to a cafe, I noticed that the crossing guards were children. I was astonished by this because in the United States, the crossing guards are adults.
Apparently (so I later discovered) there is a special training program these children undergo with the police. Additionally, the first few days that the children are on the job parents and/or police watch and assist them. The idea is to empower children to be responsible and to keep themselves and others safe.
Efrat took me to Casa Lavi for breakfast.
Despite this cafe claiming to be open at 8am, they only had drinks and no food. (They claimed they might have food at 8:30am.) So Efrat and I decided to wander down the block. I’m so glad we did. Because Efrat pointed out a teahouse called Kumkum. And Kumkum doesn’t only serve tea. Kumkum also serves tea towers. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a platter of petit fours, cucumber sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam- pretty much an English tea tray. And I have been wanting to eat one of those ever since I read about tea towers in a book. Alas, Chicago doesn’t have any kosher ones (I looked, and I’ve also complained about it to my friend Alisa.) But Jerusalem DOES.
Which meant I got to pretend I was a character out of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ or ‘Bridgerton’ and it was wonderful.
After having a delicious tea with Efrat, she took me to First Station. This is a place in Jerusalem with a vibrant nightlife that boasts shops, restaurants, live concerts and cultural events. We went during the day so everything was closed, but it was still wonderful to explore the space and learn about the history.
Efrat kindly dropped me off at Matan so I could attend class. Mrs. Simi Peters was presenting on ‘Moral Dilemmas in Tanakh.’ The lecture was fascinating, but we got into such a lengthy discussion that we didn’t actually get to unpack all of the texts she had brought for us to review. I hope there will be an opportunity to continue to learn from her.
I also ran into Ilana (whom I have been in virtual cohorts with, but hadn’t met in person till now) at Matan!
The rest of my Matan cohort went to tour Beit El and Shilo. However, since I was going to a wedding at Yarok al HaMayim later in the day, I did not go. Instead, I decided to go to the Kotel. The cabdriver who took me there informed me that I should make aliyah. He was of Moroccan descent and told me he lived on a Moshav, liked to draw when he wasn’t driving a cab, and gave me a blessing.
The last time I was at the Kotel was in 2005. I wrote about that experience in a blogpost called ‘The False Zionist.’ Here’s an excerpt.
I went to the Kotel. I pressed my cheek against the wall; I placed my hand upon its surface. I felt nothing, nothing! Here, where so many others have cried, this place that the soldiers fought to win...and I come and I do not feel any connection to it. Of course, I am wrong to think that I suddenly ought to feel some kind of magical connection; it comes from within. But why do I seem so spiritually dead, so unmoved? Why don't I want to make aliya?
Coming to the Kotel now, in 2023, was a completely different experience. The main reason why is because I now understand how people suffer. And so when I approach the wall, I connect to it as a place where people have poured out their pain for years on end.
I prayed. I cried. I inserted the notes my children had sent with me into the wall. I helped a Hebrew-speaking woman who asked me to write a message in English. (She wanted to take a picture of the English message to send to her family members so they could see she had placed it inside of the Kotel wall.)
Then I exited through the Jewish quarter. Various shop owners tried to sell me items- and used every technique in the book, which included calling out, flirting, bantering and more. One clever man noticed the necklace I was wearing and asked where I bought it. I said Chicago. He told me he wanted me to walk with him so he could show it to his brother, who also made jewelry. That turned into his brother trying to sell me jewelry and asking how many children I had. The brother then told me that my husband was lazy because I hadn’t yet had twelve children (he said it in a joking way). The brother also told me he liked my smile, he would give me a good price, and that I deserved the 220 shekel pomegranate necklace he was trying to sell me. I did not buy anything.
I did continue on to Ben Yehuda, where I purchased souvenirs for my children as they had requested. The owner of the shop said that I was the first sale of his day because it had been slow and he thanked me for “opening up the bracha” in his shop.
After that I got a smoothie.
Then I took the #18 bus home.
(It was my first time riding a bus in Israel and my first time using my RavKav by myself. I felt very accomplished. I took a selfie of the experience and a lady got upset and asked whether I was taking pictures of her…I wasn’t….)
Once home, I prepared to attend the wedding of the century- also known as my friend Marc’s wedding.
I’ve known Marc since my first day at Stern College (back in 2006). He’s been a mentor, friend, collaborator and co-creator, and he’s a wonderful person. So to say I was excited to go to his wedding would be an understatement.
Look at this beautiful chuppah.
Marc and his kallah, Moore, imbued the ceremony with meaning. One beautiful part focused on a piece of art the two of them made together. It was inspired by the idea that making a shidduch (match between two people) is as difficult as splitting the sea.
Marc spoke movingly about how important it is for the Jewish community to treat singles at all stages of their lives as full-fledged adults. Singles should be respected, welcomed into the community, invited over and otherwise be integrated fully into the community. He also suggested that everyone take a moment to think about single people they know and consider whether there is anyone they could set up with an appropriate match.
Marc’s wedding was filled with joy, love, light and happiness. And Marc deserves that, and it was amazing to see him reach this milestone.
So I am very, very happy right now, and I have had a perfect day.