Trip to the North and preparing for the Conference

Today represented a transition to the beginning of the conference, with a pre-conference tour to the North. Early this morning, several rabbis were picked up by Reuven, our tour guide, and David, the Assistant Principal of the EIE Israel program (more on that later.)
Our first stop on the tour was Beit Sha’arim in the town of Kiryat Tivon, about 90 minutes northwest of Jerusalem. This fascinating site was one of the homes of the Sanhedrin, the ancient rabbinic court, after it fled from Jerusalem’s destruction. Most importantly, it was both the birthplace and resting place of Rabbi Judah HaNassi, the President of the Sanhedrin. As President, he wrote and redacted the Mishnah, the first great Jewish law code. Because of his importance and fame, many people desired to be buried near him. From the 3-4th century C.E., Beit Sha’arim was a veritable necropolis or “city of the dead.” We explored the catacombs that are filled with fascinating ossuaries and burial chambers.

After touring the archaeological site, we were taken to lunch at a very unique restaurant. Nagish Café literally means “accessible coffee” essentially saying “the coffee is ready.” But reality, this is a play on words. The restaurant is run by a social-service organization that provides job training and opportunities for adults with a variety of mental or physical disabilities. Everyone except the main chef and manager have some type of disability, yet here they are encouraged here they are trained for work in the world. The food was outstanding as well.
Our next stop on the tour was the ancient village of Tzippori, about ½ hour west of Tiberias. Tzippori was a Jewish and non-Jewish village. In the non-Jewish section, there is a fully restored theater area, acoustically designed so that every seat can hear actors on the stage without any amplification. But what makes Tzippori really stand out as unique are its mosaic floors. In the synagogue, there are incredible mosaic descriptions of biblical scenes and zodiac symbols. In the great house nearby there are other beautiful mosaics, detailing the trials of Hercules and the portrait of a woman known as the “Mona Lisa of Israel.”

Our final stop on the tour was Kibbutz Tzuba outside of Jerusalem. Tzuba is the base for EIE, the Eisendrath International Exchange program. EIE is the High School in Israel program for sophomores, juniors and seniors from Reform congregations in the US. It is a fantastic opportunity for students to immerse themselves in Israel while earning credits at an accredited school. We were invited to eat dinner in the kibbutz dining hall, which is always an interesting experience. Because most places are kosher, they serve either meat or dairy dishes. On most kibbutzim, lunch is the meat meal, while breakfast and dinner are dairy (a common joke is, “how do you tell the difference between a kibbutz breakfast and dinner? Look where the sun is.” I said it’s a common joke, not a funny one!) Once again, we were treated to a large variety of salads, cheeses, borekas and pasta dishes. We finally returned to the hotel 12 hours after departing.
When I got back, it was clear that the convention is starting. I saw several classmates and colleagues in the lobby, and a few of us went together to Ben Yehuda Street, the local pedestrian mall, to catch up.
I’m very curious to see what happens when the conference begins. It’s not exactly a secret… in fact, it made the morning news. Here is the link to a brief story in the Jerusalem Post: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1233304850051&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
(Trust me, don’t bother reading the feedback below it, they will only make you upset!)
What will be interesting to see is what I can only call a clash of cultures. Many Reform Rabbis, men and women alike, have begun to re-embrace some of our older traditions, including wearing kippot (yarmulkes) and tefillin. Yet in this hotel, there are consistently large groups of ultra-Orthodox Jews. I wonder what will happen when these close-minded ultra-religious Jews see women wearing kippot and tefillin. All I can say is, it should be interesting! I’ll be happy to keep you informed.
Tomorrow is the last free day before the conference, which starts tomorrow night. Some friends and I are spending time tomorrow at Yad V’Shem, the Holocaust memorial museum. It was renovated a few years ago, and I have heard it is even more impressive than it was in the past. It will be a difficult day to be certain, but I know it is worth it as well.