By Eric McGregor
Our trip is halfway done and I swear we as a group have experienced Israel through the eyes of pure elation. The connectivity of group eighty nine is as strong as the beliefs our ancestors have devoted their lives to centuries ago. We have not only grown as a group, but individualy gained a completely enlightened perspective on the day to day of an Israeli citizen. Whether it was interacting on the simplest conversations about life with the soldiers, to walking into a human herd of all sects of judaism aproaching the Western Wall. The Shabbat service at the Wall was the most revlatory religious experience I have ever had the pleasure of observing. The manorism demonstrated by the masses of local observers was overwhelmingly humbling. Fully accepting us as their own with spinning circles of prayer and a rythm unmatched by any other sound on Earth. I have never been that close to the idea of god before and the unadulterated spiritualism flowed through my veins like the rushing waters of the Galilee. The walk back was a completely different religious experience as I have never followed Shabbat to the exact tee the Torah contains. I do not exactly know how I made it all the way back to the Hostel after walking for an hour straight in sixty degree weather, however when I got back I immediately began an in depth conversation on the inner sanctms of the hebrew spirit and the underlying meaning to the circularity of spiritual metaphysics. The jewish religion and the teachings contained within are more than practical, logical, and traditional, our religion touches deep into the spiritual and interdimentional aspects of thought and values.
Earlier today we visited machane Yehuda market and was sent on a short detour due to a suspicious package down one of the main streets. This situation was like a routine traffic ticket to the citizens as they rushed by collecting assortments of goodies for Shabbat dinner that night. The market was ablaze with vibrant life, colors, scents and screaming Jews all looking for a unique kippa or the best shwarma and falafel lafa the market can offer. Everyone was specifically shopping for the Sabbath and I remember three or four Jews offering to put on talit, with no intention whatsoever of making a quick buck or taking advantage. Simply because they wanted to bless you and bring you closer to god on this holy day. People were willingly walking up to us and asking where we were from, exchanging good shabbis and carried our prayers home with them. I also had the delectable opportunity to indulge in a real fruit smoothie, a thick blend of mango, orange, and banana quite possibly the first real fruit only smoothie I have Ingested. This trip has taught me more than seventeen years in hebrew school could ever have tried to convey, I'm not only closer to my faith I am closer to my true self and the unlocking process that brought this about was the culmination of the groups intense unification and rabbi Lipskiers words of infinite wisdom.
Our trip is halfway done and I swear we as a group have experienced Israel through the eyes of pure elation. The connectivity of group eighty nine is as strong as the beliefs our ancestors have devoted their lives to centuries ago. We have not only grown as a group, but individualy gained a completely enlightened perspective on the day to day of an Israeli citizen. Whether it was interacting on the simplest conversations about life with the soldiers, to walking into a human herd of all sects of judaism aproaching the Western Wall. The Shabbat service at the Wall was the most revlatory religious experience I have ever had the pleasure of observing. The manorism demonstrated by the masses of local observers was overwhelmingly humbling. Fully accepting us as their own with spinning circles of prayer and a rythm unmatched by any other sound on Earth. I have never been that close to the idea of god before and the unadulterated spiritualism flowed through my veins like the rushing waters of the Galilee. The walk back was a completely different religious experience as I have never followed Shabbat to the exact tee the Torah contains. I do not exactly know how I made it all the way back to the Hostel after walking for an hour straight in sixty degree weather, however when I got back I immediately began an in depth conversation on the inner sanctms of the hebrew spirit and the underlying meaning to the circularity of spiritual metaphysics. The jewish religion and the teachings contained within are more than practical, logical, and traditional, our religion touches deep into the spiritual and interdimentional aspects of thought and values.
Earlier today we visited machane Yehuda market and was sent on a short detour due to a suspicious package down one of the main streets. This situation was like a routine traffic ticket to the citizens as they rushed by collecting assortments of goodies for Shabbat dinner that night. The market was ablaze with vibrant life, colors, scents and screaming Jews all looking for a unique kippa or the best shwarma and falafel lafa the market can offer. Everyone was specifically shopping for the Sabbath and I remember three or four Jews offering to put on talit, with no intention whatsoever of making a quick buck or taking advantage. Simply because they wanted to bless you and bring you closer to god on this holy day. People were willingly walking up to us and asking where we were from, exchanging good shabbis and carried our prayers home with them. I also had the delectable opportunity to indulge in a real fruit smoothie, a thick blend of mango, orange, and banana quite possibly the first real fruit only smoothie I have Ingested. This trip has taught me more than seventeen years in hebrew school could ever have tried to convey, I'm not only closer to my faith I am closer to my true self and the unlocking process that brought this about was the culmination of the groups intense unification and rabbi Lipskiers words of infinite wisdom.
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