Shabat Shalom

Last Saturday Wayne and I joined my Israeli friends who have immigrated to NZ to hear Rabbi Zalman speak at the Beth Shalom Synagogue. It was charming night of traditional tales and songs, concluding with Havdallah (the closing of the Sabbath).

Some thoughts...
-Visiting the synagogue was very similar to visiting a local community church... we were warmly welcomed , not judged, made to feel relaxed, well fed!
- I loved being able to read "Israel" on the wall in Hebrew after my few Hebrew classes at BCNZ!
- Not all of the men wore Jewish skullcaps (kippah)... the atmosphere was quite different to visiting the synagogue in town where all the men wear kippah as well as scarves, and the women sit separated upstairs.
- The synagogue was packed with people keen to hear the Rabbi visiting from the States. They gathered to share their third meal of the Sabbath.
- Reb Zalman and Eve Ilsen shared tales bouncing backwards and forwards off one another. The tales incorporated elements from Torah (the first five books of the Bible) which I recognized... the Garden of Eden; Abraham, Sarah, Issac, Hagar, Ishmael; Elisha and the Shummanite woman. The tales were told as I imagine Jesus told parables, each with a moral to the story.
- I've been inspired to from the Talmud, Jewish writings from the Inter-Testamental Period.
- Between each episode Reb Zalman led us in acapella harmony. The singing was wonderful filling the synagogue with cheerful sounds and swaying bodies. Very theraputic.
- The lights were left off as the sun set. The Sabbath was closed in the traditional way... after the sun had gone down a candle was lit and prayers offered to our Soverign God. In this peaceful way Havdallah took place.