Melton Comes Calling - Erev Shabbat

At our first session this morning, we received an unusual assignment. Haim, our seminar leader, directed us to split into pairs and go to various neighborhoods around Jerusalem. There, we were to go at random to peoples homes and knock on the door. Our purpose was to speak to the people who lived there and to interview them. We had a document that had specific questions that would guide us in our interview. We were to ask such questions as: Where were you born? Why did you come to Israel? Would you consider living somewhere besides Israel? What was the greatest thing to happen in Jewish history? What was the most tragic thing to happen in Jewish history? There were other questions regarding study, religion, work, etc.

My first reaction to this assignment was something like, "You have got to be kidding..." No, he was serious. So, I paired off with Margot, a seminar participant from Melbourne, Australia. We went just south of Jerusalem into the area known as the German Colony. The experience was nothing like what I had expected. When the group reconvened later that day, we found that we all had been welcomed into people's homes, and the residents were delighted to speak with us. Had we tried to do something like this in any given suburb of a typical US city, I'm sure the experience would not have been such a positive one.

We were joined in our afternoon session by Jonotan, the director of the Melton program, as well as Haim, our seminar leader, and we recounted our stories from the morning's exercise. I was surprised at how many of the people we met at random were well know and involved in some way in civic, academic or religious life in the city or their close relatives. Jonotan knew most of them personally.

Jonotan recounted a few humorous incidents that happened in previous seminars. One participant, who happened to be a doctor, in order to gain the trust of the person he visited during the exercise, identified himself as being from the Anthropology Department of Hebrew University. Unfortunately, the person to whom he introduced himself was the Director of the Anthropology Department at Hebrew U. That didn't go over very well. Another person got an ear full from a man not pleased to be visited by someone representing Hebrew University because the University refused to give him tenure. He was Benjamin Netanyahu's father!

None of the people Margot and I interviewed were famous. They were just ordinary people, but we had a very nice experience with them. This was actually one of the highlights of the seminar.

On Friday evening, Erev Shabbat, we went as a group to the Tomb of King David in the Old City. There, we all lit Shabbat candles together as a group, then proceeded to the Wall. Even though the weather was cold, the area of the Western Wall was a sea of people. They were streaming in from everywhere, many dancing and singing. After all, welcoming the Sabbath is supposed to be a joyous occasion, and the mood was very festive. We spent about an hour there before returning to the hotel for Shabbat dinner which was by far the most incredible dinner I can remember.

Later that evening, Jonaton took any of us who wanted, to go to a Tish in Meah Shirim, the ultra-religious neighborhood of Jerusalem. There were about eight of us who went along. It was around 11:00pm, and they were just getting started.

A Tish is almost impossible to describe. Tish is the Yiddish word for table. In the Hassidic community, they gather around a large table with the Rebbe at the head of the table. They sing and chant, and watch the Rebbe eat from a large platter of food. When the Rebbe is finished, he offers the leftovers. Many of the Hassidim file by the Rebbe and receive a spoon full food in the palm of their hand. This is regarded as a great blessing. More chanting and clapping of hands, then everyone becomes silent in anticipation of words of wisdom from the Rebbe.

Now, when I say large table I'm not talking about your dining room variety. Imagine a room resembling a small gymnasium with a floor about the size of a basketball half-court. The table covers the entire court with people sitting all around it. There are bleachers on three sides, just like gymnasium style bleachers, packed with people, and they are all dressed alike, in ornate robes and hats, hundreds of them. Imagine a high school pep rally. This was the scene at the Tish. It looked like a scene from a movie from some other world, another time and place. It was very surreal.

So, what did the Rebbe say? I have no idea. We left just before he began to speak. We would not have understood anyway because he speaks in a Hungarian dialect of Yiddish, and it would have been impolite to leave while he was talking. Besides, we saw what we had come to see.

This was a long but fascinating day. Tomorrow is Shabbat, and we will have some free time in the morning before getting together for some study, a walking tour of Jerusalem, and Havdalah. Shabbat Shalom.

-Wayne