Harriet Hirsch wrote this beautiful poem on returning from Cuba (photos by Joel Rachmiel).

Cuba or Berlin that was the choice,

Many of us spoke up with one voice:

Cuba it was, but now what to do?

There was a dilemma as reservations were few

How do you choose who could not come,

Cantor Stahl said, “This is not fun!”

So in his wisdom  he came up with a plan

We’ll have a lottery and take who we can

Forty of us were randomly picked

So we all packed our duffles lickety split

Off to Miami we arrived in two groups

By four forty five on Sunday we already were pooped.

We trekked to the shuttle, coffee in hand,

And flew to Cuba hoping  to land

Land safely we did and watched  the carrousel turn round

With no luggage to see our  faces wore frowns;

We collected  all bags  and soon found our bus

Our guide Manuel   greeted us

But wait! One thought ran through our heads

Would Amex and Visa think we were dead?

But dollars to CUCS we  managed to change

The bills and coins looked really  strange

Exploring Havana we learned a great deal

Yes those fifty style cars are actually real

We visited Synagogues, the Patronato and school

The children thought our donations were   cool;

La FincaViga is a famous home

We gazed through open windows

Where  Hemingway’s ghost still roams.

We saw how Cuban cigars were made

Each one had to meet the grade

Art galleries and craft markets we all found

Our baggage expanded in leaps and bounds

Each meal we ate Included rice and beans

But Cuba does not have white meat chicken or so it seems,

The Tropicana   a fantastic show,

But the night is long so “lettuce” all go!

At the Trinidad clinic we left donations

To help the new born generation

At Hotel Jagua on Cienfuegos Bay

We took time to rest and play (Even Bridge!)

Back in Havana it was time for Shabbat

Services  and dinner we were a tired lot

At Café Oriente on Saturday night,

A delicious dinner –What a delight!

We drank and ate

Even left  time to celebrate( Betsy’s Birthday)

The music encouraged   us  to dance

Manuel said if he came back he’d be taking a chance!

Off we went to the Cuban Ballet

Another treat at the end of a day!

Planning this trip was no easy task

It’s Jeff and Betsy you need  only ask

Traveling with TBJ is always a treat

For a congregational family we can’t be beat.

In the next few weeks, I will share my impressions with you. You shall also read the words of several mission participants, expressing their thoughts and feelings, having experienced something extraordinarily meaningful and memorable.

While away at the CCAR conference last week in Boston, I was given a copy of Rabbi Lawrence Hoffman’s latest work: One Hundred Great Jewish Books. Rabbi Hoffman was my liturgy professor in Rabbinical School and is a prolific author, most famously of the My People’s Prayerbook series that provides history, translation and commentary on Jewish liturgy. For his latest work  he chose works that shed light on the 3000 years of Jewish life and conversation–from the Bible to the contemporary bestseller: Start Up Nation.

As I work my way through Hoffman’s work, I will post some of my own  “Top Ten” from  his “Top 100″ for your consideration and hopefully, reading pleasure. Here are just a few:

(I should mention that Hoffman divides his book into nine sections and I’ve chosen one or two  from each.)

Ecclesiastes I’ve spent many Shabbat mornings over the past eight months studying this book with our Torah Study class. I love this usually-un-read book of the Bible and find its’ messages of introspection, wisdom and the meaning of life to be inspirational. Turns out Ecclesiastes is much more than just an Eagles song.

As a Driven Leaf A must-read historical fiction about the life of early Talmudic figure Elisha ben Abuyah who struggled to find his place in Jewish and Greek society. I am always surprised and comforted at the ways in which contemporary life mirrors the struggles, challenges and achievements of those who came before us. Stay Tuned for More Recommendations!

“When Benny the Mitzvah Bear arrived in Short Hills, New Jersey, the children in our Kindergarten class were beyond excited. They had been expecting this special visitor and were well prepared for his arrival.  You see, Benny’s cousins Shumuli and Sigal are permanent characters in our Kindergarten family. Each child gets a turn to bring home one of these little animals on their special Shabbat. They are able to take them home in  the Kindergarten Shabbat bag, equipped with a Mitzvah log and storybook, to share with their families one time  during the school year…” click here for the whole article:

In making it clear that he will veto the marriage equality bill now making its way through the state Legislature, Gov. Chris Christie has ensured that the debate over the morality of gay and lesbian relationships will be with us for months to come.

As representatives of faith traditions that struggled for decades with this issue, we know that attitudes about homosexuality do not change easily. Still, it pains us that so many opponents of marriage equality invoke a handful of scriptural texts — open to a variety of interpretations — to deny their fellow citizens equal treatment under civil law.

To be clear, we are well aware that there are verses in the Hebrew and Christian scriptures that some scholars and believers are convinced prohibit sexual relations between members of the same gender regardless of the context. But other equally reputable scholars and devout believers argue that these verses refer to particular sorts of exploitative relationships and do not pertain to the subject of same-gender marriage, which was unknown in Biblical times.

These contested verses are dismissed by still other scholars, who point out that the world has long disregarded many seemingly definitive scriptural prohibitions — such as the ones against divorce or taking interest on a loan. It is also true that we no longer condone actions that the Scriptures explicitly endorse, such as stoning a disobedient child.

In the face of disagreement about the meaning of holy texts, many in the Christian tradition have turned for guidance to the example of Jesus, whose movement was open to the most marginalized people in his society, and ask why we should not follow his example.

Many in the Jewish tradition reflect on the principle referred to as b’tselem elohim — the understanding articulated in the first chapter of the book of Genesis that all human beings are created in God’s image — and come to realize that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people express something of God’s nature as surely as heterosexuals do.

Scripture and theology are not the only resources we draw on in supporting marriage equality. We see same-sex couples every day driving their neighborhood car pool, volunteering in schools and youth sports leagues, supporting local businesses and gracing the houses of worship wise enough to welcome them with their talent and their energy. What possible interest can the state have in drawing a distinction between the relationships of these committed couples and those of their heterosexual friends?

Like the religious leaders who oppose marriage equality, we too form our consciences by studying scripture and the lessons that our ancient traditions have taught us. Like them, our opinions flow from our faith. Yet we arrive at different conclusions on the issue of marriage equality, and about the role that religion should play in our current debate.

Thanks to the wisdom of the First Amendment, differing theological notions about the nature of marriage will continue to flourish across our diverse religious landscape. But a state has neither the right nor the competence to promote one of those theological understandings in opposition to others — particularly when doing so deprives some citizens of the rights enjoyed by others.

The governor has said he is “not someone who changes positions with the grace of a ballerina.” Yet at the deepest level, no change is required. He has pledged to perform his duties “impartially and justly.” It is our prayer that the state’s legislators will find the wisdom to act with the same impartiality and justice.

The Rev. Mark M. Beckwith is bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark; Rabbi Matthew D. Gewirtz is senior rabbi of Temple B’Nai Jeshurun inMillburn; the Rev. E. Roy Riley Jr. is bishop of the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

This was originally posted in the Star-Ledger, February 14, 2012

http://blog.nj.com/njv_guest_blog/2012/02/on_gay_marriage_nj_should_not.html

We spent the evening at a restaurant called Naura, where we were fed on our last round of amazing Israeli food including, the overflow of salads, shish-kebab and baklava. Rabbi Matt and Rabbi Karen conducted a closing ceremony, genuinely thanking everyone for making our family mission to Israel meaningful, profound and everlasting.

Rabbi Matt said, “There are so many things you thought before you got here.  You wondered, what’s Israel really going to be like? What do you want to say now about the sand in your pockets that you might also want to sow into your experience back home?”

Here were some reflections from the group… “I came away with a different perspective in life. What I thought was very important before is maybe a little less so. What is really important now is my connection I have with Jewish people and my heritage. I take that with me.” -Donna

“I think that the sand that I picked up every day came from Eddie, since we had Eddie on our bus. I really looked forward to spending time with him and listening to him every day. Thank you. The biggest grain of sand was from my daughter’s Bat Mitzvah, sharing it with you the other day was fantastic. It’s been a wonderful thing, better than I could imagine.” -Josh

“I feel what’s going to change for me is the connection to the land and people of Israel. I feel like we are all Israelis now and that’s something that’s not going to change.” -Tony

“Me and my brother don’t get along that well but when he was singing the Torah…it was really special…Rabbi Matt and Eddie, you made this trip for me. Eddie, I learned so much. I mean, I know I mess with you sometimes…but I really appreciate everything.” -Harrison

“For me, the sand is a sense of belonging. Whether it’s to this group, to the temple or to our heritage to Israel. I’m leaving feeling that we are part and belonging to something — and it’s bigger than I ever thought it was.”  -Alice

We spent New Years Eve at Ben Gurion airport toasting to our new friendships, deepened family connections and strengthened relationship with the state of Israel. Even though our plane was delayed, we couldn’t imagine a more perfect way to end our journey and start the new year ahead — this time with Israel in our minds and hearts.

It’s been wonderful blogging about our action-packed and memorable trip to Israel, and documenting each special moment with you! You can always stay in touch with me at ilana.donna@gmail.com. Lehitraot!

Before we went in, Rabbi Matt pulled the group’s teens aside to gently prepare them for what they would see. He asked them take off their shoes, place them into a pile and describe to each other what they knew about the person who wore the shoes. He then asked them to describe the pile of shoes they would see inside the museum. They then began to think about the people of the Holocaust behind their garments.

Morgy and Eddie did an incredible job of passionately leading us through the museum. We learned about Germany’s history leading up to the war and the heart-wrenching stories of ghetto and concentration camp life. The museum included family belongings, video interviews, photos of those lost  and exhibits that told the Holocaust story in a way we have never experienced. The museum ends with the Hall of Names, a round atrium with photos and bios of the known Holocaust victims. Though, we all knew so much about this terrible time, we were still shocked, in disbelief and understandably emotional.

We then gathered in the Yad Vashem synagogue and participated in a short memorial service.

Rabbi Matt said, “Yesterday morning we proved that we still live. They lost and we won because we are here. We are here because we’ve become a Bar and Bat Mitvah. We are here because we celebrate Shabbat. We are here when we make missions to Israel. We are here when we pray to the land of 63 years that no one could imagine possible that we’ve come this far this fast. And we are here because we live Jewishly and freely.”

The group read meaningful passages about honoring memories of those lost and reconciling what happened. We ended the service singing “Hatikvah”, Israel’s national anthem, as well as “Oseh Shalom”, a prayer for peace in the world. Although, it was a sad morning, we left with hope and a new understanding for Israel’s existence. We were now ready to celebrate Shabbat with more presence than ever before.

As we watched the city begin to shut down, we travelled to Rosh HaAyin, a suburb between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to spend the evening at B’vat Ayin, a progressive congregation. B’nai Jeshurun has had a special relationship with this reform temple for over five years. At the service, we learned that being a progressive Jew in this area, where many orthodox Jews live, is challenging. We were happy to give them some TBJ support.

Along with  Rabbi Ayala Miron and her congregation, we prayed and sang as one community. TBJ families were then paired up with Israeli families to have Shabbat dinners together, experiencing real Israeli hospitality and amazing home cooking. We joked that we were going on blind family dates!

Rabbi Karen, Matt Turk and I went to the home of Esther, a devoted member of the congregation. She cooked us the best beef goulash, baked chicken, lentils, rice and soup.  It was one of our best Israeli meals. We ended the night with an impromptu sing along. Matt played folk songs on his mandolin for Esther, her elder mother and sister. They were so happy and it was a special night for all.

Tomorrow is our last day in Israel before we head back to the U.S. in the evening. Though we are saying goodbye to Israel for now, we know we will be back. There’s no doubt we now feel like we have a second home here with our new friends in Israel.

The sights on the way to Masada were incredible. We passed Jericho, Jordan to our east, the Dead Sea and Judean Cliffs to our west.  There were mountains and desert all around us as the sun rose!

Most of the group climbed up to the flat mountain, which was Herod’s fortified palace at the beginning of the common era. It took us about one hour to climb and the youngest of the group were the first up. Some of us arrived later and took a cable car up the mountain — guilty as charged!

We created a makeshift synagogue on what used to be the Western Palace. Chairs were put out and a Torah scroll was set on what looked like a bimah. We watched three young adults come of age on this amazing Jewish landmark. Brandon Dinowitz, Drew Cohn and Julia Tarnow each read from the Torah and gave a d’var Torah. Then eleven others had Bar and Bat Mitzvah moments and reflected on this experience and their Jewish lives. Rabbi Matt and Rabbi Karen blessed all those celebrating with the traditional priestly blessing and we all sang “Simon Tov u Mazal Tov”. The sun was shining brightly and we could hardly believe where we were standing. We all felt so lucky to be together on this incredible site!

After our ceremony, Morgy took us around the mountain top and explained Masada’s history and how zealot Jews chose to end their own lives instead of being attacked and forced to convert by the Romans. Still she explained, “We are up here to celebrate life and a Jewish life, however you understand that. The message Israelis take away is never again will be pushed against the wall where we feel suicide is the only option.”

After we conquered Masada, our bodies were ready for some pampering. First, we visited the Ahava factory store to fill up on skincare products. Yes, maybe we can get Ahava products in N.J., but you can’t say you bought them in Israel!

Next, we then finally got our Dead Sea break. We swam, floated in the salt water, dunked in warm water baths, covered ourselves with mud and gave our skin that healthy Israeli glow.

On our way home, we got a chance to ride camels in a most unusual spot, a gas station parking lot. Yes, technically we were still riding camels in the desert, so we went with it! The kids, and some adults, laughed and squirmed as the temperamental camels took their sweet time carrying them around the lot.

After getting cleaned up, we went to a Moroccan restaurant and toasted our B’nai Mitzvah. Everyone was so proud! We celebrated with authentic North African food and authentic entertainment — a real belly dancer!

Tomorrow, we will visit Yad Vashem early in the morning.

We first headed to the city of David and were standing on what might have been his palace — the architecture a mere three thousand years old.

As we walked around the old ruins, we discovered that the area was also controversial. As excavations took place around us, the question arose: Who owns the area? The excavation was privately funded and some locals were either offered larges sums of money for their homes or sought the courts to decide their fate.

Morgy reminded us about the turmoil that both Israelis and Arabs experience when it comes to this area and said, “It is almost impossible to live in this area…it is deep, passionate, human, painful and challenging. Both sides live with uncertainty and fear.” Rabbi Matt shared, “The game of who is here first is not a great game to play.”

No matter who owned what, there was no question that the area was breathtaking and holy to all.

Hanging by a look out, Anthony Gould told me, ”The strange thing about Jerusalem is that it seems so alien and old, but at the same time you feel such a real connection and belonging to the city. The Temple Mount was built on Mount Moriah and the tradition is that, as Rabbit Matt says, “it’s the umbilical chord of the world.”  The energy is just amazing. We are standing here in the Jewish quarter and we are looking at the Western Wall and all these Orthodox Jews praying over there. Then you look onto Temple Mount, which is the third holiest site in Islam, and I see this map in front of me showing various churches that are holy to Christians. And Jesus was crucifiied just a half a mile from here. Again, you feel this incredible energy here. It’s just amazing!”

Morgan and Eddie then lead tours in the Jewish quarter showing us the Roman sidewalk known as the Cardo. The group also went into the Kotel tunnel, where we learned the architectural history of the Second Temple. At one point, we saw actual ashes and chard stones from the destruction!

Next, we braved the bustling crowd of mostly religious Jews and got up and close to the Wailing Wall. Rabbi Matt spoke to us about this precious moment and place.

“You may see this as a pile of rocks or one of the most sacred places in Judaism. Go inside yourself and explore; go to the wall and find out,” he said. 

The group separated to have our moments at the Kotel. Some stuck notes with their dreams and wishes into the cracks of the wall, others watched the religious cry and pray. What a day and experience! We are all feeling the Jersusalem love at this point of our mission.

We all had the evening off to have dinner with our families in Jersusalem. Many went to restaurants on Ben Yehuda street like one of Rabbi Karen’s favorites called Timol Shilshom.

Tomorrow, we have an early rise for the big B’nei Mitzvah on Masada!