Monday, July 8 – Arriving in Jerusalem
Arriving in Israel feels eerily normal, as if there is no war. There are no sounds of rockets, planes, or bombs (at least today). People appear to go about their day; life goes on.
But what is everywhere are the posters, silent reminders of the 116 people still held hostage by Hamas. The faces of the hostages are everywhere, in the terminal at Ben Gurion and on the street. The sense is that while we walk above ground, in the light, they are in the dark tunnels of Gaza. Our lives are on pause; we’re stuck. How can we truly live, when our brothers and sisters are in captivity? The vast majority are Israeli Jews, but other nationalities and religions are also hostages.
A reminder and plea to bring them home now lines the walkway at Ben Gurion airport. The first hostage is Omer Neutra, whom Shirat Hayam remembers each Shabbat with his picture sitting on an empty chair on our bima.
“Karina, we are waiting for you and for all the hostages to be home,” hanging on the corner of HaRakevet Rd and General Pierre Koenig St. in Jerusalem.
Waiting for my hotel room in Jerusalem’s German Colony, I spent the morning at Pardes where I fell in love with Judaism, learning Torah and living Jewishly. Back when I was 27, seeking to resolve the paradox of being proudly Jewish, but knowing nothing about Judaism, I came to Pardes, a yeshiva in Jerusalem and stayed for two years. That incredibly positive experience set me on the path to becoming the rabbi I am today.
Most of the faculty with whom I learned almost 25 years ago have retired or are away for the summer, but I had a great talk with Joanne, the office manager. I spoke about how blessed I am to be the rabbi of Congregation Shirat Hayam, my family, and Swampscott. Joanne shared her constant pain over the hostages, her thoughts on Bibi, and her hopes for a brighter tomorrow.
With Joanne
At the Pardes Beit Midrash (study hall)
By midday my room was ready and I crashed. It was 7:30 AM Boston time and I needed to sleep. Tomorrow I begin the Rabbinic Torah Seminar at the Shalom Hartman Institute.