Jerusalem, spiritual jewel

Hollywood is home to most actors, producers and film moguls.

Silicon Valley (and Israel) is where most tech startups are located, Texas is where most energy and natural resources corporations are based, whereas New York (Wall Street) and London are where a disproportionate number of financial services firms are headquartered.

The Talmud describes Jerusalem’s erstwhile uniqueness much as we relate to these business hubs. Absent any indication of a different hometown, one may assume that a prophet originates in Yerushalayim (Megillah 15B).

Where else would a man or woman achieve the uber-sophisticated spiritual development necessary to enter the ranks of prophecy? Which, according to Maimonides, demands deep wisdom, razor-sharp self-control, far-reaching intellectual capacity and decisive disengagement from any worldly interests?

The character of Yerushalayim and the inspiration that it instills in visitors is the basis for the Biblical mitzvah of aliyah la’regel, the thrice annual, nation-wide visitation to Jerusalem and the Temple which a verse in this week’s parshah powerfully describes as “appear[ing] before the Master, the LORD.” Although we can only assume that its impact pales in comparison to a pilgrimage to the ancient city, a visit to contemporary Yerushayalim does not disappoint.

I visited most recently one year ago, and I was astounded by the number of major construction projects, infrastructure upgrades and residential building going on throughout the city. Its recently completed light rail system is packed with passengers and major expansions and extensions to additional neighborhoods are underway. The highway from continues at least a pace with its physical expansion, with its multitudes of Gemaralugging yeshiva students, its throngs of Kohanim (descendant of the sons of Aaron who served as priests in the Temple in Jerusalem) overflowing and spilling out of the Kotel Plaza on Pesach and Sukkos, and its endless, head-spinning variety of shuls.

Few experiences can inspire more than a visit to one of its loud, crowded yeshivas, an Erev Shabbos (Friday) trip to the Machane Yehuda open market with its and spoke about why the congressperson should or should not co-sponsor or vote for an upcoming bill. The staffers took notes and they also shared how they progressed, in some cases from Phoenix high-school students themselves, to now working with our congressional leaders.

FEBRUARY 18 - 6:53 P.M.

FEBRUARY 25 - 6:59 P.M.

We were blessed to bring a very large contingent of young adult Reform Jews from the Phoenix area. In total, there were 47 students along with six chaperones (myself and Jesse Edwards from Temple Solel, Rabbi Sara MasonBarkin and Rachael VanLandingham from Congregation Beth Israel, Amanda Campbell and Carly Kastner from Temple Kol Ami) on our trip.

We came for the Union for Reform Judaism’s Religious Action Center’s (RAC) L’Taken teen program. Each southern Yerushalayim to Gush Etzion is undergoing a major widening project. A new, fast, low-cost train takes travelers to and from Ben Gurion Airport to a stunning modern Jerusalem train station. Not far from the city entrance, a towering apartment building is under construction that will be the tallest in the city, and there are dozens of major renovation projects in progress in each of its many neighborhoods. The city’s parallel spiritual growth year, thousands of teens attend a L’Taken weekend. At L’Taken, they learn about social justice topics, tour Washington, D.C. and explore Jewish values that inform the Reform movement’s advocacy on modern issues.

On our L’Taken weekend, we joined over 300 students from 38 different congregations from throughout the United States. Most of our teens had never been with that many Jews their own age before. This itself was an impactful event which helps our students deepen their Jewish identities and feel connected to the larger Jewish world. Already at Shabbat services on the first morning, our students began to make friends with Jews from other congregations.

The four days that we were in D.C. were packed! Our students had fun visiting Smithsonian museums, Georgetown, Pentagon Row, the Washington Mall and the congressional office buildings around the U.S. Capitol (they even ate in a staff cafeteria). They spent impactful time at thousands and thousands of Jews of all stripes and types bustling through its packed alleyways, or a few quiet moments of prayer at the Kotel.

Notwithstanding other cities that claim or boast special religious status, Yerushalayim remains the spiritual capital of the universe.

The symbolic significance of Yerushalayim spirituality has come up regarding the debate over the results of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and celebrated Havdalah together at the Jefferson Memorial. They participated in educational electives on topics such as reproductive choice, food insecurity, climate change, gun violence prevention, LGBTQ rights, voting rights, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. They listened to the story of someone who had been homeless — so that they might understand that challenge better. And they learned about lobbying, advocacy and how a bill gets passed.

On the final day, as I listened to our students speak on Capitol Hill, I was so relieved that we had finally made it to DC. You see, the past two years we tried to bring students to L’Taken. Each time, the RAC canceled L’Taken due to COVID19. But seeing our students all dressed up and addressing congressional staffers, I felt so grateful that these 10th -12th grade students finally had this opportunity. Our Phoenix students got to know each other, learn important skills, and see how we can the recent Israeli elections which reflect a politically divided electorate. One major issue is the role of religion in the state. “This is the struggle, if you will,” wrote Elliot Abrams, “between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, between those who go to the beach on Shabbat and those who go to synagogue.” The former is concerned that the democratic foundation of the country is at stake, while the latter, the growing majority, fears an ambivalence or hostility to the state’s Jewishness and “they see no point in an Israel that is just another liberal democracy like Canada or Norway or the United States.” As Yossi Klein Halevi put it, “an Israel stripped of its Jewishness would lose its reason for being, its internal cohesion and the vitality that has enabled it to survive against the odds.” Let’s hope that these factions can meet in the middle, and both appreciate that a healthy, vibrant Israel needs the economic heft of Tel Aviv but is bereft of purpose without the spiritual lodestar of Jerusalem. JN take our Jewish values and use them to promote social justice.

After the trip, I heard the following comments from our students which just point to how powerful this experience is, “I never knew you could go to the office of your senators,” “I plan to take a government course over the summer now and return to D.C.,” “It was very meaningful to be with so many other Jewish students,” “I really learned a lot about what is going on between Palestinians and Israelis,” “I am so glad to know the teens from the other local congregations.”

We talk frequently about Jewish values and being part of the bigger Jewish community, but a trip like this brings those lessons home in a very tangible, memorable and impactful way. If your children have a chance to attend L’Taken, I highly recommend it. JN