Figs, Challot and Politics

Shabbat shalom!

I am beginning to develop a routine of class and studying, and of course, spending time on the merpeset. I am really enjoying my classes, especially Archaeology of Jerusalem and Approaching Classical Jewish Texts. I had my first archaeological tour this week. We visited the Armon Hanatziv Promenade in southern Jerusalem, which was the former High Commissioner’s Palace during the British Mandate and the current location of the UN in Israel (if I understood correctly). It offers a beautiful view of the city, which allowed our professor to identify the physical geography and landmarks for us. Some interesting tidbits (at least to me):

· “The old city is located outside the Old City” – What is referred to as the “Old City” today refers not to the oldest section of Jerusalem but to the section enclosed by the walls from the Ottoman Empire period. The oldest section of the city, conquered by King David, is known today as the “City of David” and is located directly south of the Temple Mount.

· Only from the City of David does one ascend to the Temple Mount. Elsewhere in Jerusalem one descends to it (which is why most of the pictures you see of the Dome of the Rock and the Temple Mount are taken from above and not below).

· The modern Mt Zion does not refer to the biblical Mt Zion but received its name from a fourth century church, Holy Zion. Likewise, modern day Mt Scopus (the name of the area where I live and go to school) is not the ancient Mt Scopus (although I do not know why it became known as Mt Scopus). The City of David also does not refer to the biblical City of David, which was just a section of David’s Jerusalem, formerly the stronghold Zion.

· The Hinnom Valley, which in later biblical times (including the time of Jesus) became known as Gehenna and subsequently associated with Hell, is named after a family who owned the region (Gai Ben Hinnom, the valley of the son of Hinnom). That poor family is now forever associated with hell and damnation!

There is more, but I figure that is probably more than you wanted to know already.

I also really enjoyed the lecture in Approaching Classical Jewish Texts this week. We have been looking at how the Mishnah, Talmud, midrash and other Jewish traditions have interpreted various passages of Scripture, and I find it fascinating. For example, we were reading Genesis 12:1-3, where God commissions Abram and tells him to go where God sends him. The basic conclusion we reached after reading several sources and discussing them was that God needed Abram to save God! The idea is that God ceases to be God if people cease to worship and therefore fail to recognize God as God. Abram was living in a wicked and idolatrous place but he still saw God and therefore it became his responsibility to “rescue” God by leaving his country and “taking” God with him. [I realize that probably makes little to no sense to most of you, as it is hard to explain in a few sentences what it took an hour in class to say, but I just found it so fascinating that I had to give it a shot.]

Of course, I do more than just attend class and study. Wednesday was another trip to the German Colony and to the merpeset. There was confusion as to which day we were gathering at Jon’s, so in the end, there were only four of us, but it was a lovely evening nonetheless. I’m not one for large gatherings anyways, so it was more my style.

Yesterday (Friday), I made the trek to ha’shuk (the market) with my roommate Annie and my friend Kristin. It was my first time to ha’shuk and the others’ first time this school year. It is a crazy busy place, especially on Friday mornings, as everything closes for shabbat around 2-3pm. It is basically an outdoor market with dozens of vendors selling fresh produce, but for much less than in the grocery store. I bought some whole wheat pitas, still hot from the oven, along with apples and figs (my new Middle Eastern treat, thanks to Jon) and, oddly enough, hangers. Annie and I also bought the challot (sg. challah, the special bread used for shabbat dinner).

The three of us caught the last bus out to the German Colony for shabbat on the merpeset. We attended the same synagogue as before, and I was actually able to follow along for the most part this time. Even though I don’t necessarily know what I am reciting or what the rabbi is saying it still feels very much like worship. I don’t know if it because we are reciting the ancient Hebrew texts or because of the music or because of the general atmosphere, but I truly feel connected to God. After the shabbat service, we returned to Jon’s apartment for shabbat dinner on the merpeset, which I wholeheartedly believe is how shabbat is supposed to be spent. Jon prepared a feast for us – sweet potato soup with caramelized apples; ptitim with almonds and raisins; and a fish dish (which was delicious but am not sure what all was in it). It was, without a doubt, the best meal I have had in Israel. It was a lovely evening, even though we got into a rather intense political debate over the Israel/Palestine issue and the course of peace talks. Of course, Jon begins Harvard Law next year, so he was really just arguing for the sake of arguing – for the most part, we all agree on the issue and I think Jon was just arguing the other side to get us all riled up.

Out of that debate we also raised the question, What does it mean for Israel to be a Jewish state? and perhaps more importantly, What does it mean to make Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state a prerequisite for the continuation of the peace talks? I believe that Israel has the right to be a Jewish state, in the same way that England is an Anglican state (but not in the same way that many of the Arab countries are Muslim states) BUT I do not think it is fair to make that a prerequisite. To many Palestinians, that statement will sound as if (1) Israel plans to take over the entire Holy Land and/or (2) Israel, as a Jewish state, will evict all non-Jews. Even I, as an American Christian who wholeheartedly believes that neither of these are the case, cringe at the thought of formally recognized Israel as Jewish state until the conclusion of the peace progress because I don’t think you can define what it would mean for Israel to be a Jewish state until then – until Palestine is granted its own sovereignty.

As I said before, it is a very interesting time to be living in Israel!