Yoni’s beautiful family came to the hotel to celebrate Shabbt with us. We all looked our best and after candle lighting we walked to the Kotel. It is one of the most amazing experiences. There are so so many Jews all celebrating Shabbat together. There is much singing and dancing. The girls took advantage of the dancing.
It is very special to walk through the streets with so many Jews on their way to enjoy Friday night dinner. Back at the hotel we ate dinner with about 100 people. There is a group of 5 charter Hebrew schools and various guests. The food was delicious and the company of Yoni’s family was great.
After dinner we broke into 2 groups. The boys and girls went to separate areas for singing, fabrenging and playing games. It was nice to have this special time to stop and reflect on our growth on this trip. This was our first time to slow down on the trip that is non-stop go go go.
Shabbat morning we were able to sleep in until 7:30 a.m. What a treat!!! After a breakfast of cake and fruit up in the Kosofskys suite we made our way to the Kotel. The boys joined one minyan and the girls joined another one near the mechitza. It was nice to hear Parshat Teruma, one of the parshiyot we studied last year in school. The Kotel is much quieter on Shabbat morning than at night.
On our way back to the hotel, we stopped outside the Churva Synagogue to hear its amazing history. In the 17th century a Jewish man came to Yerushalayim named Rabbi Yehuda Hachasid. He wanted to build an Ashkenazaik shul and borrowed money for the building. The building was completed and the shul was beautiful. Unfortunately, the rabbi could not pay back his loan to the Muslims. In retaliation they destroyed the shul. It became known as the Destroyed Shul, Churva in Hebrew. Years later it was rebuilt, but in 1948 it was bombed and lay in ruins. The iconic archway that was left became an important symbol. Within the last 10 years some wealthy people paid to have it restored in all its glory. Since names stick, it is stilled called the Churva, even though it is far from destroyed.
After a delicious Shabbat lunch we enjoyed some unheard down time for over two hours. Then we enjoyed a walking tour of Yerushalayim and ended it with Mincha at Mayanot. In between Mincha and Maariv, Rabbi Schneur Broh, Mayanot Yeshiva Director, spoke with us. While we enjoyed eating snacks that we brought, he shared a beautiful Dvar Torah about the Aron.
The Aron had 3 boxes: outer gold, inside wood and outer gold. Rabbi Broh said that at times we are successful and feel like gold. That is great. But there are other times when we don’t feel we have done our best and that is symbolized by the wood. But, the Rebbe taught not to forget that the inner box is gold. No matter what we all have a gold soul inside of us and we all have the power to transform ourselves into gold through our actions.
Back at the hotel, we packed up and went out to Ben Yehuda for food and of course more shopping!!
Yael Neffinger wrote...