Mystical Encounters and Fun on the Beach

Hey Everyone--

TZFAT
On Thursday morning we drove to Tzfat, the city where Kaballah (a form of Jewish mysticism) was reinvented and popularized. Stained glass windows and doorways lined the narrow alleyways, and there was light blue paint everywhere-- a religious symbol of the heavenly presence in this Holy city.

Our first stop was at the synagogue of the ARI (Rabbi Isac Luria), one of the most influential of the 16th century Tzfat mystics. Like all Orthodox Sephardic synagogues of the era, it features a raised bimah (platform where the prayer leader stands) with seating around the periphery. Most Reform and Conservative synagogues have a frontal bimah. The pillars in the synagogue are colorful, and there are paintings of the surrounding area hung on the wall. The ark, where the Torah is kept, has beautiful green details that remind me of nature.

Our next stop was another, larger Spanish-style synagogue. We didn't have the opportunity to go in because there was a Bar Mitzvah ceremony about to begin. Later in the marketplace, we saw the Bar Mitzvah boys with their family and friends, dancing and singing in the street. They walked under Talitot, or prayer shawls while, loved ones (and a few participants!) sang along with a guitarist, drummer, and clarinet player.

Then we went shopping on the main street of Tzfat, buying the wares of the great artists whose careers were built in the community. They immortalize this place through their work. After counting off, we took another look at the picturesque view of the mountainside, and then left for the bus.

TEL AVIV

Coming soon...

Written by participant Jess A.