Apples to Apples – America to Israel

by Rabbi Judy Schindler

Haifa is Israel’s San Francisco. Both are port cities with hills, spectacular views, and mellow co-existence.

Tzfat is Israel’s Asheville. Here it’s mysticism, there it’s hippies, and both have art and mountains.

Tel Aviv is Israel’s New York. Here’s it’s beaches on the Mediterranean and there it’s high rises on the Hudson. Both are major metropolises with fashion, nightlife, businesses, and fun.

But Jerusalem has no match. The Talmud says, “Ten measures of beauty were given to the world, nine were taken by Jerusalem.” (Babylonian Talmud Kiddishin 49b)

TBE in Jerusalem!

After stormy delays from Charlotte, and mechanical delays out of Philly, the thirty members of Beth El arrived happily and safely to Jerusalem. Israeli bagels, falafel, a late night hike through the Old City to enjoy the annual light festival and now an early morning archeological dig at Beit Guvrin mark our first 24 hours.

Today, we are literally digging  in our past and tomorrow we will celebrate our future with the B’nei Miztvah of Ellen Garfinkle, Sophie Levy, Hannah Schwartz, and Jacob Stein.