Rain and Renewal

My past few posts have all touched on the weather, and how the weather serves as a marker of time. I find that particularly intense here in Jerusalem. This past Shabbat the winds that had been blowing for the previous few days brought rain along with them- the first rain that Jerusalem has seen in months, and the first rain that I have seen since my arrival at the end of June. It was amazing seeing and feeling the rain. Speaking to fellow students, it seems that many of us felt inclined to run outside and play in it, and offer up some sort of prayer recognizing its import. The High Holy day season, beginning tonight with Rosh Hashanah and going through Yom Kippur and Sukkot, are actually very much founded on Israel's need for rain. Looking at Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot as a unit, one can interpret the period of forgiveness inscription in the "book of life" as being a period of preparation for a shift in the seasons so vital for survival here in Israel. We tend to under-value Sukkot, putting much of our emphasis on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, but in many places here Sukkot is still referred to as "He-Chag", "The Holiday". Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur are preparation for the harvest, and Sukkot is the time for bringing in the harvest, and praying for a strong rain season so that the coming year's harvest will ensure that all are inscribed in the Book of Life. High Holy Day prayer, as understood in this context, is very grounded in the influence of us on our place and our place on us.

With the start of the High Holy Day/rain season/winter comes the theme of renewal- renewal of the harvest cycle, renewal of ourselves, of our relationships, renewal of our goals for the coming year. This past Friday night I attended (with friends Sara and the Stillman family) my first Jewish Renewal Kabbalat Shabbat service with congregation Nava Tehila, led by Rabbi Ruth Gan Kagan. Jewish Renewal is a type of Judaism that incorporates Hasidic, meditative and musical practices into an egalitarian service/approach. The service was quite beautiful, taking excerpts from various Psalms and putting them to music using guitars, drums, a viola, a digeridoo, and, of course, all of our voices. This singing set a meditative though uplifting tone for the evening, and led up to an energetic Lecha Dodi welcoming the Shabbat bride. Unfortunately, at one point in the service a random fellow from outside (perhaps someone from the neighbourhood), stormed in and denounced the service as being loud/inappropriate/etc, etc. (it didn't make all that much sense, though he was very angry- this would never have happened in a "traditional" synagogue, as he would not have had the chutzpah to storm in). The community and the rabbi dealt with the man in a remarkable way- they let him say his piece, and then a couple of congregants gently escorted him outside and let him calm down. His interference and anger was not met by anger. Rather, Rabbi Ruth addressed the incident by asking the congregation to pray for the best for the man, as it is very difficult and sad to see someone so consumed by anger, especially around the Shabbat and the time of the High Holidays (when we are all supposed to be seeking forgiveness). The service wrapped with a traditional recitation of the ma'ariv, or evening prayers. Following the service I returned to the Stillman's, where we talked and reviewed and drank Jameson's and enjoyed dessert, all parts of weekly renewal.

Shana tova u metukah (have a happy and sweet new year!!),

Dara ;-)