每次我十几岁的时候去以色列旅行——我去过很多次, 从1983年我在拉玛研讨会上的经历开始——有一首歌可以定义我的经历. 足球外围平台的Naale学生在他们的Spotify巴士列表上放了很多歌曲, 我很喜欢了解他们的音乐, 但我最感兴趣的是足球外围平台的以色列工作人员演奏的一个, החיים שלנו תותים, “Our Life is Strawberries.哈南·本·阿里列举了一系列生活中的困难经历, and then says, but really, “there is no right to complain, our life is strawberries.” By which he means, there are just so many blessings, and he proceeds to list some of them.
和Naale在一起的6天,我也有同样的感觉, starting at Newark Airport, 即将进入圣城耶路撒冷的安息日. 是的,有些事情是很难的,因为足球外围平台的学生要补觉和适应这种经历. Yet there are so many blessings each day, it is hard to notice them all. 我非常感谢我的同事梅拉夫·卡鲁什拉比和罗布·卡恩拉比为这次旅行所做的非凡计划, 还有足球外围平台全体教职员工的奉献精神, Ms. Michelle Pierce and Ms. Leah Jankoski, both of whom are visiting Israel for the first time. We also have four wonderful young Israeli staff who bring good cheer, enthusiasm, 以及对团队的巨大耐心. 我尤其要感谢那些家庭,他们把这29名九年级学生培养成热爱做犹太人的人, 他们优先考虑在果阿邦接受犹太教育.
For the first day or two it seemed that this group was going to be extremely quiet, even shy, 但我想他们大部分都累坏了. With each successive day they grow more inquisitive and more responsive. The program has been incredibly active—Rob Kahn likes to keep his groups hiking, 足球外围平台每天都要走好几个小时. We hiked in gorgeous settings up north such as the Banias, Tel Dan, and Mt. Arbel, feeling the splash of waterfalls, 当足球外围平台走下陡峭的悬崖时,足球外围平台凝视着Kinneret海. We have rafted on the Jordan, 在呼拉谷自然保护区骑自行车, and ridden donkeys while wearing the costume of ancient Jews in Kfar Kedem. 一路上会有一些颠簸和擦伤——足球外围平台中没有人习惯日复一日地这么活跃——但谢天谢地,每个人都没事, and rightfully proud of themselves for trying new and challenging experiences.
今天早上足球外围平台步行去了耶路撒冷老城, and as always, 经过雅法门时,我发现自己情绪激动. 足球外围平台带着孩子们穿过亚美尼亚人和犹太人的聚居区,终于看到了圣殿山. 学生们有时间接近Kotel, to caress its stones, and to put prayers of petition or thanksgiving in its ancient cracks. 然后足球外围平台走到“Ezrat Yisrael”平台,在那里你可以看到挡土墙的原始地面, the rubble left by the Romans, 想象一下足球外围平台的祖先来到这个神圣的地方祈祷, just as we were doing. Several students, boys and girls, 自愿帮我主持祷告, and we paid special attention to the paragraphs that mention Jerusalem. Because Rabbi Kahn is a kohen, we said the priestly benediction the way it is done daily here in Jerusalem, 我感到一种强烈的祝福感笼罩着足球外围平台的团队.
太阳已经西沉了, 足球外围平台很快就会看到它把老城墙变成金色, and we welcome Shabbat. 明天会有祷告选项, 还有时间休息,享受相聚在这里的祝福. 而我将在周日离开小组, I feel enormous gratitude for the chance to share this holy experience with them. 生活真的充满了草莓!
Shabbat shalom,
Rabbi Danny Nevins, Jerusalem