October 3-10

Another week, another Yom Tov. We all know that feeling this time of year. Here, though, we are in the midst of a yerushalmi and Israeli academic environment. What does that mean? For one, university does not start until November 2, a week after Sukkot ends. Also, things that are not on the semester system like labs and offices (including the one I am working in) are closed pretty much all of Sukkot. In fact, although I am sure there are die hard profs and researchers who will work through Col Hamoed, the buildings are locked, so you need special passes to enter. Sorry, I wasn’t given one!

Yeshiva is also on this schedule, so Elan has some time off from his learning and teaching, and Ariel is off almost till Rosh Chodesh of Cheshvan; 10 days after Sukkot finishes. Elan is gainfully employed till the holiday doing …what else? Selling etrogim. Not just any etrogim…high end ones. Put in your orders quick, you only have till Monday.

Speaking of which, we are still amazed with the uniqueness if being in Jerusalem. It is really fun that everyone at work wished each other G’mar Chatima Tova as we were leaving on Tuesday evening. Religious, secular, Russian, Ethiopian, American/Canadian/British/South African, Israeli…very neat. Sure beats Merry Christmas. Second, the street corners are abuzz with religious commerce. If you can’t find a guy selling a lulav or an etrog, you can find a Sukkah. We weren’t planning on putting up a Sukkah, but who know what kind of clearance price we can get at 3 PM on Monday??? Definitely a wonderful environment, and it isn’t even Brooklyn.

My best street corner visual was at the bust stop that I take from Hebrew U Med School. Tuesday PM there was a young yeshiva Bochur with a carton. I thought it was etroging, since the carton said “Pri Eretz Yisrael” (Fruit of Israel). On closer inspection, he had two chickens, for Kapparot, of course. He didn’t have too many takers, but I could just picture someone waving a chicken and the bus arriving and pulling away quickly, as they regularly do. Atzor!! Stop!! Nahag!! Driver!! And chicken in hand, he/she runs off chasing the bus! (OK, at least I could picture that….).

For Yom Kippur, we joined an Israeli minyan in our area for Kol Nidre, and spent all on yesterday in the old city at Yeshivat Hakotel. Kol Nidre was fun; we were invited to the shul of our friends Yitchak and Pnina Zocher, (former head of Hebrew Academy). It was a medium sized minyan, probably 100 people, and all the people knew the nuggunin and singing along. The ruach was great and is was very enjoyable, The Yeshiva was intense! 6: 20 till 2:10, 40 minute break, then Minha, Neila. Singing, crying, dancing…..every emotion possible. As the dusk was coming and we looked upon the Kotel and the sunset, you felt clearly that the minutes were ticking away and that this group of people felt they only had a few short moments to bring atonement to everyone around- present or remote. Pretty amazing for a group of young men. We ended by dancing down to the kotel for Shofar and maariv. Gabi Cohen had come (his second time) and a Toronto family we know (the Javaski’s) and lots of young, very involved men and women (the ladies section was packed with Seminary girls).

We broke the fast at Elan’s and Nomi’s and then went home, tired but very uplifted. We are having Elan, Nomi and Shoshana, as well as a friend of Elan’s and Elinor and Aryeh Kaufman (nee Gehr). We can’t wait to play with Shoshana and let her parents have a long nap while we wander around….OK, time to finish cooking. I’ll write more about our erev Shabbat-chag wanderings in the future but next week, being sukkot, promises to be as terrific as this one.

Shana Tova, Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach!!

Bruce and Barbara