Photo courtesy of Jacob GreenbergSlichot in Jerusalem is an amazing thing to witness and participate in. I was fortunate enough to do both. Slichot is a process were one repents for sins done in the past year. As part of this process their is a service consisting of a set of prayers and poems. Many of these "Slichot" have stories behind them. Our tour guide (NIR COHEN! My counselor from when I was in Israel in 2006) took us to a very special area in the Old City just a few steps away from the enterance into the Jewish Quarter. Within this small area consisting of a courtyard no larger than a two car garage and several cramped buildings, some very improtant history lies. In one of the buildings is believed to be the tomb of King David. The tomb is not open to the public because of work going on inside. Above the tomb is the room in which the last supper took place. Most of the other buildings around this area are currently being occupied by several Yeshivot (religous schools).
After walking through the Jewish Quarter we were given an hour of free time to see the Kotel and walk around the old city on our own. The place was packed, as you can tell by the picture. I walked down to the Wall by myself and witnessed dozens of different groups saying Slichot. Every group was unique. Some were more religously dressed, some looked like your everyday arsim, some were american, etc. One group that I noticed was a group of about six guys in their twenties. From what I could tell by their t-shirts, they were all in the same unit in the army. What was so unique about them was they way in which they were chanting the Slichot. They were standing in a line with their arms wrapped around each other, chatting energetically, and swaying back and forth. It was moving to just sit their and watch them.
I am not familiar with the Slichot because its more of Sephardic tradition, but I did really enjoy listening and taking in as much of it as I could while saying my personal Slichot. This was an experiance that I struggle putting into words. It doesn't do it full justice. Its really something you need to see for yourself.
It was pretty late and I was getting tired and hungry towards the end of our Siyur. It became hard to concentrate. I ate some food that I brought with me and a bagel from Bunker Bagles. As a group we then walked about half an hour to the bus. I noticed something very peculiar and interesting while walking out of the old city. There sidewalk at the foot of the wall that surrounds the Old City. As I was walking, on my right shoulder was a wall and a city that have been standing for literally thousands of years. On my left was a modern city. Cars honking, tourists milling around. It is Jerusalem. An ancient city with modern accesories.
Yom Kippur is tomorrow. It will be different from not being in Kansas City. Everything in this country stops. People walk down the middle of the streets and all of the children ride their bikes for miles. The only automobiles to be seen are emergency vechicles. (Hopefully I don't see any of those.) I am heading back to Kfar Saba to spend the holiday with the cousins. I wish everyone a meaningful fast.
After walking through the Jewish Quarter we were given an hour of free time to see the Kotel and walk around the old city on our own. The place was packed, as you can tell by the picture. I walked down to the Wall by myself and witnessed dozens of different groups saying Slichot. Every group was unique. Some were more religously dressed, some looked like your everyday arsim, some were american, etc. One group that I noticed was a group of about six guys in their twenties. From what I could tell by their t-shirts, they were all in the same unit in the army. What was so unique about them was they way in which they were chanting the Slichot. They were standing in a line with their arms wrapped around each other, chatting energetically, and swaying back and forth. It was moving to just sit their and watch them.
I am not familiar with the Slichot because its more of Sephardic tradition, but I did really enjoy listening and taking in as much of it as I could while saying my personal Slichot. This was an experiance that I struggle putting into words. It doesn't do it full justice. Its really something you need to see for yourself.
It was pretty late and I was getting tired and hungry towards the end of our Siyur. It became hard to concentrate. I ate some food that I brought with me and a bagel from Bunker Bagles. As a group we then walked about half an hour to the bus. I noticed something very peculiar and interesting while walking out of the old city. There sidewalk at the foot of the wall that surrounds the Old City. As I was walking, on my right shoulder was a wall and a city that have been standing for literally thousands of years. On my left was a modern city. Cars honking, tourists milling around. It is Jerusalem. An ancient city with modern accesories.
Yom Kippur is tomorrow. It will be different from not being in Kansas City. Everything in this country stops. People walk down the middle of the streets and all of the children ride their bikes for miles. The only automobiles to be seen are emergency vechicles. (Hopefully I don't see any of those.) I am heading back to Kfar Saba to spend the holiday with the cousins. I wish everyone a meaningful fast.
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