capturing the essence and spirit of a chag

  

 I've been celebrating chanukah for 24 years now, and I honestly can say that this year definitely felt different. it's true what a lot of israeli's say especially the secular.See in American Judaism and Israeli Judaism is two total different things. how things are observed and the spirits of things in both worlds. and now i can see what they both are like.

   American Judaism is based more on a symbolic observancy. In America we as Jews need to do actually observe the holidays and go services, and do everything to the end. (i.e. light candles, go to services, spin the dreidal, build a sukkah, shake the lulav and etrog.) in order to bring us closer religiously. to make us feel like we are really Jews. If we don't, some lose that jewish identity and the spirit.

   Israeli Judaism is a bit more spiritual than anything. When it comes to Israeli Jews they have been said to not really need to observe or actualy symobolicly observe the holidays or shabbas to make them feel jewish. there is a certian essence a certian spirit in the air in this country that the jews draw from they are so surrounded by holy sites and also surrounded by observant jews that there is more of a feeling of being jewish than anything.

     I can honestly say that i can now see what they mean. over the last few days on the second as mentioned in my last blog the 6th and the 8th night of chanukah i took advantage and wound up going to Jerusalem for the day and go to the kottel for candle lighting. It was amazing just to be there. there is a total different atmosphere that can be sensed in the air in jerusalem on any chag. and over the eight days there was a definite build up of the holiday. second night there wasn't that many people at the kottel granted the navy officers were there for their graduation but on the last night there was a bunch of people there the mens side had a lot of people the womans side was packed and the rotunda.. there were soldiers and scouts, and tourists galore. but there was a spirit surrounding the Kottel as they lit the menorah and itwas amazing and beautiful.

 

    

Its interesting going around the country you can sense a change in the atmosphere when it comes to the essense of the area the spirit. for instance i've been in ramla or most of the holidays and a bit in tel-aviv and Hod hasharon and I can say it feels like it is kind of your average city plus there is a definite presense of the other religions. like if you were in Tel-aviv for shabbas or holidays everything is mostly still going on te city and people are still on the move. but you go to Jerusalem and there is the religious spirit surrounding the area on shabbas everything stops, the entire city becomes a ghost town its amazing. I was moved by the feeling of just being in the kottel on the last night. just being there on the last night i see every thing around me just being surrounded by so many jews . it left me kind of speechless like none other. we always hear next year in jerusalem! well guess what!?! I was there! I'm here! it definitely gave me the greatest feeling to realize that for once i've made a dream come true in being jerusalem for a holiday being in israel in general for all these great holidays. I love it! thank you mom and to both my grandparents for helping me get here. and allowing me to have this experience. and thank you laura for having the strength to let me go for these 5 mnths i know its been hard but we're doing great! i love you all you dont know how much this meant to me. well till next time y'all PEACE FROM THE MIDDLE EAST AND HAPPY BELATED HANUKAH.

ps. I was in ben yehudah and I got myself a new talit! it's amazing its one of those big square ones and it has black and gold stripes its amazing! WOOO HOOO!!!