Friday, August 15, 2003
Sparks From Israel
Mystical Sfat
I was in Sfat playing at the Klezmer festival, which was just packed with people, as are so many festivals that happen here each summer. Sfat is truly a mystic city and everyone you meet and all that occurs seems to be written from a movie script, the synchronicity is unbelievable. You think of someone and they appear, you pray for someone and they see you in their dreams. The current of life is threaded together by an unmistakingly divine hand.
The young generation of hippie shepherds, wanderers, and idealists that fall asleep on the grass after all night jam sessions, and the children who laugh and play in the morning, are all part of a Jewish world in its essence, unadulterated and pure. The thought of anyone wishing harm to these angelic beings seems so far from reality and so absurd. Who could wish to destroy the greatest good ever known?
Being in the city of dreams I thought I would share one with you. A friend I met here, shared an old dream from the exile, similar to dreams and thoughts I had before coming here. It was a dream about New York City being suddenly burned down in a few moments in an atomic attack. At the same time the Arabs attacked Israel, and under the circumstances Israel was able to finally fight back with the mighty hand they usually suppress. They bombed the dome of the rock, the Arabs ran away and we rebuilt the temple. In my friends dream, the gates opened and she was the first marriage to take place in the temple.
It was a nice dream with all the overtures of impending doom that used to obsess me when I lived outside of Israel. From the other side of the propaganda fence one would think that no one ventures out in the street in Israel, or goes on buses, or hitchhikes, or goes to clubs. This is far from the truth. The streets are crowded, like the clubs, and the festivals of music and theatre and people travel everyday on buses, trains and cars. When she told me her dream, it reminded me, of the way it was, not too long ago in the exile.
I used to read the paper religiously, turning right away to Israel to see what is happening there, because I felt emotionally tied to it and was worried and concerned and upset at the politics and the threats against her each day. I also was aware of what was happening in the world today as the Arabs become bolder and take up residence all over the free world, waiting for the terrible day of Jihad. And so I escaped to Israel from fear that I would be caught on the wrong side of the line on the day all airports are closed, no matter how much money you have (like September 11th). As it stands there is talk that in another six months there will no longer be benefits for those who wish to make Aliyah.
But all these fears, I had forgotten, and her dream reminded me. Maybe I should send a letter back to my friends and remind them that they are not safe. But like the ship of fools sailing off into the rocky falls, they are worried about me, who has reached a safe harbor. My friend concurred with me. We came to Israel out of fear, but now we are here to stay out of love. I was pulled out with a strong arm but now I gladly walk through the sea and know without a doubt there is a great G-d that makes miracles each day and protects this nation no matter if there were 6 million or 1 million Jews.
Since I have been here I hardly have looked at the news. Now I just live here, in a world without fear. Israel perish? Perish the thought. Israel is indestructible, not only because we are holier, sweeter, and kinder than the other nations. Not only because we are a part of Hashem’s essence, regardless of the exterior. But rather, because G-d has decided to bring us back, for the sake of His Holy name and His promise to our forefathers. Right now the window of opportunity is still open, but it’s closing fast. He will take all who want to come, the same policy as Israel. But soon, it will be much harder im afraid.
Here is a much safer and brighter world, where there is no fear, only precaution. Strange, I was late sending this letter before Shabbat, but later I found out that even if I had gotten to the computer store in time, it would not have helped. There was a power shortage that closed down the biggest cities that were thought to be immune to such things. I’m sure many were frightened not only about the precedent, but the warning it contained in the ‘plague of darkness’.
Here in Israel sometimes the power goes out here and there, but that’s normal. Nothing is completely reliable but everything is certain. The western world you think is the safest place to be may not be so. And the land you think is so dangerous may protect you and bless you and make you a much happier person.
I hope my friends come home soon, not only for their own safety, but also for the tremendous reward that awaits them. We made every empire rich from Egypt to America, and yet we cant see the great opportunities that are waiting here in this young country. The greatest wealth is yet to come when we return from the last of our exiles. The world is thirsty for the light of this Nation in every aspect. Come home now and be a part of it. Don’t lose your place.
Mystical Sfat
I was in Sfat playing at the Klezmer festival, which was just packed with people, as are so many festivals that happen here each summer. Sfat is truly a mystic city and everyone you meet and all that occurs seems to be written from a movie script, the synchronicity is unbelievable. You think of someone and they appear, you pray for someone and they see you in their dreams. The current of life is threaded together by an unmistakingly divine hand.
The young generation of hippie shepherds, wanderers, and idealists that fall asleep on the grass after all night jam sessions, and the children who laugh and play in the morning, are all part of a Jewish world in its essence, unadulterated and pure. The thought of anyone wishing harm to these angelic beings seems so far from reality and so absurd. Who could wish to destroy the greatest good ever known?
Being in the city of dreams I thought I would share one with you. A friend I met here, shared an old dream from the exile, similar to dreams and thoughts I had before coming here. It was a dream about New York City being suddenly burned down in a few moments in an atomic attack. At the same time the Arabs attacked Israel, and under the circumstances Israel was able to finally fight back with the mighty hand they usually suppress. They bombed the dome of the rock, the Arabs ran away and we rebuilt the temple. In my friends dream, the gates opened and she was the first marriage to take place in the temple.
It was a nice dream with all the overtures of impending doom that used to obsess me when I lived outside of Israel. From the other side of the propaganda fence one would think that no one ventures out in the street in Israel, or goes on buses, or hitchhikes, or goes to clubs. This is far from the truth. The streets are crowded, like the clubs, and the festivals of music and theatre and people travel everyday on buses, trains and cars. When she told me her dream, it reminded me, of the way it was, not too long ago in the exile.
I used to read the paper religiously, turning right away to Israel to see what is happening there, because I felt emotionally tied to it and was worried and concerned and upset at the politics and the threats against her each day. I also was aware of what was happening in the world today as the Arabs become bolder and take up residence all over the free world, waiting for the terrible day of Jihad. And so I escaped to Israel from fear that I would be caught on the wrong side of the line on the day all airports are closed, no matter how much money you have (like September 11th). As it stands there is talk that in another six months there will no longer be benefits for those who wish to make Aliyah.
But all these fears, I had forgotten, and her dream reminded me. Maybe I should send a letter back to my friends and remind them that they are not safe. But like the ship of fools sailing off into the rocky falls, they are worried about me, who has reached a safe harbor. My friend concurred with me. We came to Israel out of fear, but now we are here to stay out of love. I was pulled out with a strong arm but now I gladly walk through the sea and know without a doubt there is a great G-d that makes miracles each day and protects this nation no matter if there were 6 million or 1 million Jews.
Since I have been here I hardly have looked at the news. Now I just live here, in a world without fear. Israel perish? Perish the thought. Israel is indestructible, not only because we are holier, sweeter, and kinder than the other nations. Not only because we are a part of Hashem’s essence, regardless of the exterior. But rather, because G-d has decided to bring us back, for the sake of His Holy name and His promise to our forefathers. Right now the window of opportunity is still open, but it’s closing fast. He will take all who want to come, the same policy as Israel. But soon, it will be much harder im afraid.
Here is a much safer and brighter world, where there is no fear, only precaution. Strange, I was late sending this letter before Shabbat, but later I found out that even if I had gotten to the computer store in time, it would not have helped. There was a power shortage that closed down the biggest cities that were thought to be immune to such things. I’m sure many were frightened not only about the precedent, but the warning it contained in the ‘plague of darkness’.
Here in Israel sometimes the power goes out here and there, but that’s normal. Nothing is completely reliable but everything is certain. The western world you think is the safest place to be may not be so. And the land you think is so dangerous may protect you and bless you and make you a much happier person.
I hope my friends come home soon, not only for their own safety, but also for the tremendous reward that awaits them. We made every empire rich from Egypt to America, and yet we cant see the great opportunities that are waiting here in this young country. The greatest wealth is yet to come when we return from the last of our exiles. The world is thirsty for the light of this Nation in every aspect. Come home now and be a part of it. Don’t lose your place.
