In Jerusalem the feeling of Yom Kippur started at 10am Wednesday morning, the grocery stores were packed and people were rushing to finish last minute details before the city shut down. At 2pm every store was closed, and hardly any cars were on the street. At 3pm there was a hurry in my apartment building; we were cooking, cleaning, showering, and feeling the need to conclude our chores in an hour.
As the air gets cooler, the sun goes down we sit and enjoy our last meal for 24 hours with friends and family. As we sip our last dribble of water, eat our last crumble of cake, the Siren calling in Yom Kippur blasts all around Jerusalem for a whole minute.
I walked to the holiest site for the Jewish people, the Kotel, with thousands of other Jews just as they did two thousand years ago and along the way hearing different congregations start their Kol Nidre service. When I walked down the stairs that overlook the Golden Dome and Kotel I heard what sounded like a tenor cantorial chant of "KOL NIDRE" but it wasn't, it was the Muslim call to prayer. At that moment I was reminded how similar my religion is to the religion of my close neighbors and cousins.
At the Kotel no matter the differences in culture, Mizrahi or Ashkanazi, conservative or orthodox we prayed together to G-d to atone our sins in harmonic melodies. I sat there hearing the songs from my childhood, seeing people cry, smile, and in awe, and smelling the crisp Jerusalem air. After having an internal conversation with G-d I left the Kotel feeling in awe and overwhelmed about how special it is to live in Jerusalem.
There are so many aspects that are not discussed about Israel that are deep routed in their traditions. One of these special traditions is "taking to the streets" after Kol Nidre service. In the middle of the street there were thousands of kids on bikes, young adults mingling, and people strolling with their dogs. Not one car came through and not one person yelled at each other to move.
As I broke the fast with friends on my porch, I am reminded how lucky I am to be living in Jerusalem at this moment in time. I am happy for everything that brought me here along my journey.
L'Shana Tova Tikatavu (May you be inscribed in the book of life)
Jackie, my neighbor, and I at our break-fast shindig
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