Harmony

The past few days have been a whirlwind! After Galilee, our entire class went to Jerusalem for a tour of the Knesset (legislature), Supreme Court, Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, and more...a lot to take in. I'm definitely not done processing. But moments after we finished in Jerusalem, I took off with a few friends for a fabulous float in the Dead Sea (the lowest place on earth!) and a scenic hike to some small waterfalls. But what made the biggest impression on me during the past few days was the following...

One morning, I split from the group to interview a man for my research project. He is one of the founders of a famous modern Orthodox Jewish synagogue which can be best defined as progressive in terms of its involvement of women in synagogue life. They are pushing the edges in terms of tradition, yet trying ardently to remain faithful to Jewish law. For example, men and women are still seated separately, but they allow women to read some of the prayers and Torah to the congregation (just not the parts which they believe are specifically designated as obligations for men to read or hear).  This may not sound so progressive to my readers, but in modern Orthodox world, it is. They also aim to incorporate both a masculine and feminine "ethos" in the worship music and place a heavy emphasis on being hospitable - that is, being a place that is intentionally warmer than the society outside their doors.

The man I spoke with was very articulate and I felt blessed to be in his presence - he's obviously very intelligent and has thought extensively about faith, social movements, traditions, and their challenging intersections. He even knows of John Piper and has read a lot of C.S. Lewis. I really didn't think I'd be sitting in a cafe discussing C.S. Lewis with a modern Orthodox Jew!

He has a complicated history in terms of his cultural and religious background, and that tumultuous past has sparked his interest in working for peace. He's a scholar and professor, but he also tries to create dialogue among the groups most resistant to peace. He believes strongly that you can't have peace if people don't want peace. Both the gender and peace issues intrigue me, because I'm starting to grasp a tiny fraction of how unfathomably complicated the political and religious landscape is here in Israel. I sooo wish I had more time to pick his brain! I'm hoping to go visit the synagogue this weekend or next to observe, and I'm also planning to attend another synagogue that another interview subject invited me to.

I love learning like this! It takes a lot of initiative, perseverence, and our Father's grace, but it definitely illuminates and informs what I've been reading on paper. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to pursue this experience and meet with people face-to-face. I don't know what will stick with me most about this trip, but it may well be the conversations I've had here more than the sights I've seen. And that's saying a lot, because there is no shortage of incredible sights!