Unfortunately, I have to be quick, as we are about to leave for a farewell dinner and then to the airport.
Back to Friday: There was a trip to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial museum here, but I just couldn't handle any more, given that I had to be ready to sing and lead evening services later. I didn't want to deplete myself emotionally with more tears. The Poland leg was so Shoah-full; I didn't feel I could take any more of it right now. Hopefully one of the others can fill you in. I have been to Yad Vashem twice, but they have renovated the museum within the last five years.
I took some time instead at the pool--did some laps, which strongly indicated that I am no longer the swimmer I once was, but was still refreshing--and then went to have some excellent hummus and to do some shopping.
The evening services at the southern side of the wall were very special. It brought new meaning to "face Jerusalem when you pray..." how beautiful to be right there. Hazzan Bensoussan did a beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat, and I had a fine time with maariv (there were no trainwrecks, at any rate). I had about 8 colleagues to help me as my choir for Ahavat Olam, and I did a nice extended Hashkiveinu, and other than that it was more or less straightforward. I was pretty exhausted when I finished though. It took a lot out of me.
Shabbat morning was the polar opposite of last week--they called it a "contemporary service," with instruments throughout and musically, majority recently composed pieces, with plenty of nusach and improvisation thrown in, but more or less contemp. in feel. I loved the instruments all the way up to Adon Olam, and especially Eytz chayim hi was wonderful--a round that we often do on Tish'a B'Av. The instrumentation pulled theservice along and gave so much energy to it.
I spent Shabbat afternoon by the pool with the rest of the gang-- there is not much to do in Jerusalem on Shabbat was rest, so rest we did. Once Shabbat is over, Ben Yehuda St. turns into a huge street fair and shops are open until midnight!
Today I went to Masada and the Dead Sea for a nice mineral soak...aaaahhhh! It was about 100 degrees, which was definitely oppressive, but at least very dry, as opposed to the steambath of Tel Aviv.
OK, I must go--to be continued--please check in with the blog over this next week, as I'll finish this entry, fill in some of the rest, and the rest of our group will post impressions and reflections.
Thanks for "joining us" and see you soon at home!!!
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Thursday, Jerusalem
I am starting to be delirious at the end of each day. BUT the day always starts with amazing breakfasts here--I only wish that I had more of an appetite in the morning. It's really too bad--you could easily eat your three meals at the breakfast buffet. For instance, you could have your regular choice of breakfast items: cereal, fruit, eggs, omelets, pancakes, yogurt, toast....OR you could have a good old Ashkenazi Shabbat kiddish situation- all kinds of nasty smoked and pickled herring and other fish...OR you could move on to an Israeli lunchtime sort of thing--Israeli salad, cheeses...and it seems to go on and on. I generally begin with the cappuccino, and that takes about ten minutes until the caffeine begins to hit my bloodstream, and then I can move on to food. One of my favorites is shakshuka--I guess it's like huevos rancheros. It's scrambled eggs with a salsa sort of thing and some cheese. It's VERY good.
Today began for mom and me with a trip to the Hebrew University campus at Mount Scopus, where we met the woman who deals usually with the Canadian Friends of Hebrew University (the American liaison is on vacation), and she gave us a tour of the beautiful campus. Many years ago, my father deicded to establish an annual scholarship for a Sephardic student in the sciences. We then met Esther Djian, who is the current recipient, and she was so lovely and impressive. She is working on a Masters degree in Virology, and is of Moroccan origin. She was born in Paris and made aliyyah 6 years ago, met her husband in her ulpan class (he is also French, and his parents are from Algiers), and has an adorable one year old daughter. It was so great to meet her. We also saw three plaques with my parents' names listed on them, and I felt very proud of them and the gift of tzedakah they have made.
Then we were off to the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are kept. I was there when I was 9, but I was definitely totally uninterested. This visit was fascinating, but unfortunately, somewhat short. Outside there was a model of the Old City in the Second Temple Period which was really interesting--I always love seeing what they think the Temple Mount looked like, and imagining the priests and the Levites running around up there and performing their duties.
But I digress--so essentially, during the Second Temple Period, just before it was destroyed in 70 AD, for about 180 years, this sect called the Essenes moved out to Qumaran, near the Dead Sea, and practiced a really hard-core, highly ascetic version of Judaism, documenting much of it. They lived in caves, all their energies went to worship and study, they worked on a unique genre of hyms of praise (Hodayot), exegetical texts (pesharim), read Torah, and focused onm prophetic texts, especially the Book of Isaiah. They went to the mikveh twice every day (and ps, no one lived past the age of 40, because they were all sharing the same tapeworm, which they probably picked up and passed to one another during this ritual "purification"--isn't that gross and fascinating?). It reminded me of Zen Buddhism, as compared with some of the less intense branches.
From there we went to the Old City, and I walked until my knees hurt (I was also wearing the wrong shoes). It was SO HOT, and mid-day I went to the shuk and bought a darbuka (drum) which wasn't really all that light to be carrying around with me the rest of the day...but we need some Friday night drumming at TBI! We went through the Armenian and Jewish Quarters, and not all the way to the kotel, the Western wall (we'll be there tomorrow), but got a beautiful view from above. I LOVE looking at that huge, gorgeous golden dome of the Al-Aksa mosque rising above the kotel. We went underground to the archeology museum to see Roman ruins that were excavated in 1967, and learned about how the various conquerors kept building on top of existing structures--it's quite fascuinating. There was a lot of history today, and too many dates to keep in my head, and some good discussion on the early Christians.
From there I studied some music, and that was basically the day. There was a concert tonight, but I couldn't put anything more into my consciousness.
Tomorrow I have the honor of leading ma'ariv, the evening service, at the Southern Wall. I am a little nervuos about it, and excited also. Hazzan Aaron Bensousan, from Toronto, leads the first part of the service, kabbalat Shabbat. He is Moroccan, and a very interesting musician--we'll have some great melodies from him leading up to my half of the service. I'm the only woman so far who has actually gotten to lead services. Hmmm.
Today began for mom and me with a trip to the Hebrew University campus at Mount Scopus, where we met the woman who deals usually with the Canadian Friends of Hebrew University (the American liaison is on vacation), and she gave us a tour of the beautiful campus. Many years ago, my father deicded to establish an annual scholarship for a Sephardic student in the sciences. We then met Esther Djian, who is the current recipient, and she was so lovely and impressive. She is working on a Masters degree in Virology, and is of Moroccan origin. She was born in Paris and made aliyyah 6 years ago, met her husband in her ulpan class (he is also French, and his parents are from Algiers), and has an adorable one year old daughter. It was so great to meet her. We also saw three plaques with my parents' names listed on them, and I felt very proud of them and the gift of tzedakah they have made.
Then we were off to the Shrine of the Book, where the Dead Sea Scrolls are kept. I was there when I was 9, but I was definitely totally uninterested. This visit was fascinating, but unfortunately, somewhat short. Outside there was a model of the Old City in the Second Temple Period which was really interesting--I always love seeing what they think the Temple Mount looked like, and imagining the priests and the Levites running around up there and performing their duties.
But I digress--so essentially, during the Second Temple Period, just before it was destroyed in 70 AD, for about 180 years, this sect called the Essenes moved out to Qumaran, near the Dead Sea, and practiced a really hard-core, highly ascetic version of Judaism, documenting much of it. They lived in caves, all their energies went to worship and study, they worked on a unique genre of hyms of praise (Hodayot), exegetical texts (pesharim), read Torah, and focused onm prophetic texts, especially the Book of Isaiah. They went to the mikveh twice every day (and ps, no one lived past the age of 40, because they were all sharing the same tapeworm, which they probably picked up and passed to one another during this ritual "purification"--isn't that gross and fascinating?). It reminded me of Zen Buddhism, as compared with some of the less intense branches.
From there we went to the Old City, and I walked until my knees hurt (I was also wearing the wrong shoes). It was SO HOT, and mid-day I went to the shuk and bought a darbuka (drum) which wasn't really all that light to be carrying around with me the rest of the day...but we need some Friday night drumming at TBI! We went through the Armenian and Jewish Quarters, and not all the way to the kotel, the Western wall (we'll be there tomorrow), but got a beautiful view from above. I LOVE looking at that huge, gorgeous golden dome of the Al-Aksa mosque rising above the kotel. We went underground to the archeology museum to see Roman ruins that were excavated in 1967, and learned about how the various conquerors kept building on top of existing structures--it's quite fascuinating. There was a lot of history today, and too many dates to keep in my head, and some good discussion on the early Christians.
From there I studied some music, and that was basically the day. There was a concert tonight, but I couldn't put anything more into my consciousness.
Tomorrow I have the honor of leading ma'ariv, the evening service, at the Southern Wall. I am a little nervuos about it, and excited also. Hazzan Aaron Bensousan, from Toronto, leads the first part of the service, kabbalat Shabbat. He is Moroccan, and a very interesting musician--we'll have some great melodies from him leading up to my half of the service. I'm the only woman so far who has actually gotten to lead services. Hmmm.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Wedenesday, Tel Aviv and en route to Jerusalem
Yesterday (Tuesday) was another "singer day." I spent the morning at a kibbutz (frankly, I am not sure where they delivered me, I just get on the bus) rehearsing the evening show, an outdoor concert in a park with a band and orchestra. I did a set of 4 Ladino (Judeo-Spanish) songs with the band-keyboard, saxophone, guitar, bass guitar and drums. It was a little stressful in the morning, because I was still memorizing words, I wasn't quite sure about the key relationships, and the band also wasn't entirely sure what to do--so in my 7 minutes of rehearsal I had to get all of us on board. Add to this the fact that I am really not used to the whole band and mocrophone situation (though I DO find it very fun), so I was a little off-center. No matter...these were incredible musicians, two of whom I had worked with on the Israel Philharmonic tour last year, so I knew I was in good hands.
I managed to get in some walking and shopping in the afternoon, to the Shuk Carmel and over to Nachalat Binyamin, the outdoor craft fair on Tuesdays and Fridays. Teron and I had some good kabob and salad at an outdoor cafe, then it was time for "pre-game," ie nap, yoga, steam, warm up. The concert was successful--thee were upwards of 1000 people there, and they really enjoyed the program. I had a good time with my songs, which remids me that I think my next project is an album of Ladino songs with guitar, flamenco style.
Several of my friends came out to see me, so the concert was followed by beer and french fries and general good cheer--one of these friends I'd not seen for a year, so it was very special for me.
Not enough time in Tel Aviv! This morning was a scramble to do some more shopping errands, and to retrace my tracks a bit and visit my special places in the city, including a lunch at the sabich stand on the corner of Frishman and Dizengoff Streets. Oh, how many memories of gong there after rehearsal! Sabich is one of those high-on-the-list delicious items (though it does not sound it at all): grilled eggplant, mashed up boiled egg, lots of veggies and amba, a sort of curry sauce. I think it's Iraqi , actually (am I supposed to know this? I was brought up on geilte fish). Oh, was it ever good.
Then we boarded the buses for the journey to Jerusalem, which is only an hour away, but we made a day of it. The first stop was the armory museum in Latrun. In case we were not adequately depressed from Poland, now we learned about and remembered those who have fought in tanks to fight for the State of Israel. It's a beautiful place. We sang hatikvah and laid a memorial wreath down, with the help of soldiers, then we went inside to see the museum and see a movie, which was quite moving and sad. In the gallery there is a dark room--it is supposed to show you how it feels to be inside a tank-- and inside, on the walls, are projected about six at a time, the pictures, names and ages of men and women who have died for Israel. Many various emotions...
From there we went to plant trees (shrublets, really-think, Charlie Brown) at the Kennedy Memorial sight. It was amazing and moving! We recited a beautiful prayer together, and each of us planted a tree. We learned a bit about the incredible innovations this country has made in irrigation and environmental work...it is hard to imagine, perhaps, but this was the highlight of the day.
THEN we went to Mount Scopus....aaaaaahhhhhh, the first views of the Old City.....and did a service for entering/honoring Jerusalem with some great music. The new mayor stopped by to welcome us and gave a great short talk. He is very special.
And finally, to the hotels where we got settled and then saw an amazing one-man show about Janusz Korczak, the Polish pediatrician, educator and writer who ran an orphanage in Warsaw (this entry is missing frmo earlier--I have to fill it in --our day at the Warsaw ghetto memorial)/ He was such a hero, and the show was very special, "10 Matchboxes." It's an interactive show, usually performed at the childrens' theatre in Tel Aviv, about how he gave ten kids matchboxes and how through this taught them morals, ethics, creativity and self-empowerment...and more! It was a very special evening.
And now I am off to bed, tired.
Thank you all for your comments. Please keep them coming, as it is nice to know someone is out there reading!
I managed to get in some walking and shopping in the afternoon, to the Shuk Carmel and over to Nachalat Binyamin, the outdoor craft fair on Tuesdays and Fridays. Teron and I had some good kabob and salad at an outdoor cafe, then it was time for "pre-game," ie nap, yoga, steam, warm up. The concert was successful--thee were upwards of 1000 people there, and they really enjoyed the program. I had a good time with my songs, which remids me that I think my next project is an album of Ladino songs with guitar, flamenco style.
Several of my friends came out to see me, so the concert was followed by beer and french fries and general good cheer--one of these friends I'd not seen for a year, so it was very special for me.
Not enough time in Tel Aviv! This morning was a scramble to do some more shopping errands, and to retrace my tracks a bit and visit my special places in the city, including a lunch at the sabich stand on the corner of Frishman and Dizengoff Streets. Oh, how many memories of gong there after rehearsal! Sabich is one of those high-on-the-list delicious items (though it does not sound it at all): grilled eggplant, mashed up boiled egg, lots of veggies and amba, a sort of curry sauce. I think it's Iraqi , actually (am I supposed to know this? I was brought up on geilte fish). Oh, was it ever good.
Then we boarded the buses for the journey to Jerusalem, which is only an hour away, but we made a day of it. The first stop was the armory museum in Latrun. In case we were not adequately depressed from Poland, now we learned about and remembered those who have fought in tanks to fight for the State of Israel. It's a beautiful place. We sang hatikvah and laid a memorial wreath down, with the help of soldiers, then we went inside to see the museum and see a movie, which was quite moving and sad. In the gallery there is a dark room--it is supposed to show you how it feels to be inside a tank-- and inside, on the walls, are projected about six at a time, the pictures, names and ages of men and women who have died for Israel. Many various emotions...
From there we went to plant trees (shrublets, really-think, Charlie Brown) at the Kennedy Memorial sight. It was amazing and moving! We recited a beautiful prayer together, and each of us planted a tree. We learned a bit about the incredible innovations this country has made in irrigation and environmental work...it is hard to imagine, perhaps, but this was the highlight of the day.
THEN we went to Mount Scopus....aaaaaahhhhhh, the first views of the Old City.....and did a service for entering/honoring Jerusalem with some great music. The new mayor stopped by to welcome us and gave a great short talk. He is very special.
And finally, to the hotels where we got settled and then saw an amazing one-man show about Janusz Korczak, the Polish pediatrician, educator and writer who ran an orphanage in Warsaw (this entry is missing frmo earlier--I have to fill it in --our day at the Warsaw ghetto memorial)/ He was such a hero, and the show was very special, "10 Matchboxes." It's an interactive show, usually performed at the childrens' theatre in Tel Aviv, about how he gave ten kids matchboxes and how through this taught them morals, ethics, creativity and self-empowerment...and more! It was a very special evening.
And now I am off to bed, tired.
Thank you all for your comments. Please keep them coming, as it is nice to know someone is out there reading!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Monday, Tel Aviv
We had to get up at 4:45am to get to the airport. Uch!
The arrival in Israel was very emotional for me--I began to cry as we touched down and i saw the sign saying "Ben Gurion Airport." Ok, so I set myself up with a soundtrack for landing, too-one of those wonderful nationalistic pop songs from the 70s, "Eretz Eretz"--you know, of the sweet soprano, Shuli Natan variety--and she is singing about the "sun of milk and honey" ETC...and I'm feeling like I have personally been airlifted out of the ghetto...I swear it had something to do with bringing those souls along with me. The heaviness of the first part of the trip was somehow mediated by this landing. landing home.
The first thing I did was RUN to get into my bathing suit and race to the beach for a walk and a swim...sun of milk and honey indeed! It's really my beach-after three summers in the opera program and walking this stretch of the Mediterranean every morning or evening- it's home. I got a good dose of sun, salt and sand, and then we went to Kibbutz palmachim to witness an unbelievable sunset and be together for dinner. More healing.
And from there to an air force base next door where we heard some amazing speeches from soldiers, learned of a trip they had taken to Auschwitz and watched a film about it , "Risen from the Ashes," and THEN got to hear a short concert with Shiri Maimon, Israel's hottest pop star. It's not my genre, but she was GREAT. She was runner up on the Israeli version of American Idol, Kochav Nolad (A star is born), and was also sent as a representative from israel to the Eurovision contest. She was fantastic. Totally a star.
Tomorrow...another concert!! Long day ahead.
Sunday, Krakow
Sunday was a "singer day" for me...unfortunately I missed a few great things--a lecture with Dr. Berk on Weitzman and Ben Gurion, and a tour of the Old City, cathedral and Wawel Castle (so you will have to inquire from the others). The joy of my day was a rehearsal and concert called "American Songbook" in Philharmonic Hall. The hall seats about 800 and is just beautiful, yet another European treasure of a house. The Krakow Philharmonic plays there (as the name suggests). The violinist in the band explained to me that the hall had suffered a fire about 5 years ago, and the renovations are still in progress. Unfortunately, the organ was lost in the fire and has had to be rebuilt.
I got to sing "Over the Rainbow" and "Somewhere" from West Side Story. It was my first time performing Over the Rainbow, and frankly, I was very nervous! Probably the most popular American song, and I thought, watch me forget words...or not live up to peoples' favorite interpretation (my personal favorite is that Hawaiian guy's recording-the guy with the crazy long name you cannot pronounce). We had a really nice band--piano, bass, keyboards, electric violin and drums. The violinist is a composer and apparently really famous in Poland. one person likened him to Joh Williams and anotehr to Mick Jagger...hmmm.
The concert was basically "greatest hits" and was a blast, both to sing and to listen to. I was in heaven. Then mom and I ate in the main square, which was stunning, and had a really nice meal. The sun didn't set until maybe 9:30.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Friday, Krakow
I apologize that I am going out of chronological order! On Friday morning we had a tour of Jewish Krakow, the city formerly known as Kazimiercz (established in the Middle Ages), and incorporated into Krakow after a Swedish invasion in the early 1800s. Jews had been here since medieval times, but especially in the 15th and 15th century, they began to arrive in larger numbers after pogroms ravished their communities elsewhere--Germany, Moravia, Spain, Portugal. They began to create one of the most important jewish centers in the world. Jews and Christians co-existed very well during all of this time. The 19th century saw a loss of uniformity in the Jewish community as the Reform movement started to take root and Jews were assimilated into the culture at large and the intellectual culture and began to live in other parts of the city.
There were 65,000 Jews in krakow before WWII, 25% of the city's population (today the community is 250 Jews). Krakow was a headquarters for the German military government during the war-beginning in 1939- and therefore was not destroyed. 50,000 jews were forced to leave Krakow so the Germans could occupy it, and the 15,000 who remained were enclosed in the ghetto in March 1941 (director Roman Polanski was one of them). 15,000 people in 320 buildings over 15 streets. Most went from the ghetto to the death camps, and the ghetto was completely liquidated over 2 days, March 13-14, 1943.
There were 65,000 Jews in krakow before WWII, 25% of the city's population (today the community is 250 Jews). Krakow was a headquarters for the German military government during the war-beginning in 1939- and therefore was not destroyed. 50,000 jews were forced to leave Krakow so the Germans could occupy it, and the 15,000 who remained were enclosed in the ghetto in March 1941 (director Roman Polanski was one of them). 15,000 people in 320 buildings over 15 streets. Most went from the ghetto to the death camps, and the ghetto was completely liquidated over 2 days, March 13-14, 1943.
Shabbat, Krakow
We really needed Shabbat after the experience of Thursday. I suppose this amount of stored energy contributed to its magic. We spent Friday night and Saturday morning services in the Tempel Sinagoga, the progressive synagogue of Krakow. Thes walls had probably not heard music like this since 1939. The synagogue was rebuilt after the war, and is mostly of Moorish design inside, with hints of Art Deco and neo-Baroque, the walls painted and carved with rich lapis, deep reds and gold leaf, chandeliers hanging from above, a neat balcony above. Friday night was a service in the style of Lewandowski, with all the cantors providing the choir and about 7 or 8 cantors leading the service in turns. It was so much fun for us to fill the space with sound, to be the m'shor'rim (providing humming of chords for the cantor) giving support to the hazzan. Our services were part of the Jewish Music Festival, and so the synagogue was packed wall-to-wall, sans air conditioning, with us and a large Polish audience at both serivces. The davening on Shabbat morning was equally glorious, and it was amazing to hear hazzanic improvisation at its best from my colleagues.
Ah, but the thorn...the chief Rabbi of Poland decided to exert his power over the situation (remember that this particular synagogue is progressive) and asked us to separate men and women--this was after everyone was seated in mixed company and we were already feeling like sardines. So we played musical chairs right before the Friday night service began. And of course, no women were allowed to lead services. More than a few of us were all but pleased at this situation. Minhag hamakom (the custom of the place) aside, we were not told in advance what to expect, and how exactly does this represent the Conservative movement?? I don't have a problem attending an Orthodox service, but for my colleagues to agree to this, as representatives of the movement, poses a very serious problem, in my opinion. Upon which I will not elaborate here, but you get the picture.
The afternoon was filled with various lectures and programming. Hazzan Jack Mendelson did a session on improvisation (his Kiddush on Friday and Shacharit on Saturday were out of this world), Hazzan Arianne Brown did a yiddish theatre program, conductor Nick Strimple talked on the Holocaust and the creative impulse, and finally Dr. Steven Berk, who has been the incredible guest lecturer, spoke on the birth, death and re-birth of Polish Jewry. He is the an absolutely mesmerizing speaker. I have no idea how that much knowledge can fit into the head of one person.
In the evening, we led Havdalah for the Festival, and the main square of the old Jewish Quarter was wall-to-wall people all afternoon and evening to hear various bands and finish up Shabbat. I think the music went well past 1am. I felt as I left the square at about 10pm that I was in a time machine. I walked away, alone in this packed crowd, from mostly Poles drinking beer and listening to klezmer-fusion bands, and suddenly came upon a few open ground floor windows where men in streimels and peyes were beginning to daven maariv, singing nigunim and gaining momentum. I felt like a naughty six-year old, hiding by the side of the window to listen so that no one would see me--ah, the evening service led properly in the Ahava Rabba mode--but more importantly, I might have been in 18th century Poland. To witness this firsthand after nearly all of Poland's rich Jewish culture had been essentially extinguished 50 years ago...and then from across the street, yet another minyan of men singing Carlebach songs...the streets teeming with people moving toward and from the main square, beer in hand. It was truly a moment!
Ah, but the thorn...the chief Rabbi of Poland decided to exert his power over the situation (remember that this particular synagogue is progressive) and asked us to separate men and women--this was after everyone was seated in mixed company and we were already feeling like sardines. So we played musical chairs right before the Friday night service began. And of course, no women were allowed to lead services. More than a few of us were all but pleased at this situation. Minhag hamakom (the custom of the place) aside, we were not told in advance what to expect, and how exactly does this represent the Conservative movement?? I don't have a problem attending an Orthodox service, but for my colleagues to agree to this, as representatives of the movement, poses a very serious problem, in my opinion. Upon which I will not elaborate here, but you get the picture.
The afternoon was filled with various lectures and programming. Hazzan Jack Mendelson did a session on improvisation (his Kiddush on Friday and Shacharit on Saturday were out of this world), Hazzan Arianne Brown did a yiddish theatre program, conductor Nick Strimple talked on the Holocaust and the creative impulse, and finally Dr. Steven Berk, who has been the incredible guest lecturer, spoke on the birth, death and re-birth of Polish Jewry. He is the an absolutely mesmerizing speaker. I have no idea how that much knowledge can fit into the head of one person.
In the evening, we led Havdalah for the Festival, and the main square of the old Jewish Quarter was wall-to-wall people all afternoon and evening to hear various bands and finish up Shabbat. I think the music went well past 1am. I felt as I left the square at about 10pm that I was in a time machine. I walked away, alone in this packed crowd, from mostly Poles drinking beer and listening to klezmer-fusion bands, and suddenly came upon a few open ground floor windows where men in streimels and peyes were beginning to daven maariv, singing nigunim and gaining momentum. I felt like a naughty six-year old, hiding by the side of the window to listen so that no one would see me--ah, the evening service led properly in the Ahava Rabba mode--but more importantly, I might have been in 18th century Poland. To witness this firsthand after nearly all of Poland's rich Jewish culture had been essentially extinguished 50 years ago...and then from across the street, yet another minyan of men singing Carlebach songs...the streets teeming with people moving toward and from the main square, beer in hand. It was truly a moment!
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