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Traveling with Sinai

04/24/2023 09:55:32 AM

Apr24

Rabbi Brad Levenberg

This past week, thanks to the generosity of my clergy colleagues and our Temple Sinai lay leadership, I was able to join the Atlanta Jewish Federation’s trip to Israel. While I could write volumes about this incredible experience, I’ll instead share just three of the MANY points that truly stood out to me.

First, our Atlanta Jewish Federation is particularly strong.
In all, there were 200 participants on this trip, with 36 coming from Temple Sinai. Some of the participants were first-timers, one person was on his 45th trip to Israel, and most were somewhere in between. The trip was broken up into tracks and participants were able to self-designate which track most spoke to them. Optional tracks included, just to name a few: Culinary, First-Timers, Israel Through New Eyes, Outdoors, and more. There were times for us to gather as a larger group as well, and those moments showcased a snapshot of our Atlanta Jewish Community. The staff and lay leadership worked immeasurably hard, and that hard work was evident every step of the way.

Second, there was a desire to explore the challenging moments about Israel and celebrate the great promise of Israel.
We were there at a unique point in time: on the one hand, we commemorated Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day) and witnessed the State of Israel prepare for the upcoming 75th birthday celebration. There was elation about this modern-day miracle, not only because Israel was born or even that Israel has survived for 75 years, there was genuine joy over celebrating Israel’s many victories of entrepreneurship, of creation and innovation, and of uniting the Jewish world. 

We are also there at a time when issues related to judicial reform in Israel were taking center stage. Many of the participants elected to join the demonstrations in Jerusalem’s streets, showing solidarity with those who were demonstrating while also professing that measured and negotiated reforms are needed to better strengthen our relationship with Israel. Admittedly, it was difficult to see this as an issue that is dividing Israeli society, for the demonstrators were in the thousands and the only people we saw supporting the present government were government ministers and coalition party stalwarts. While a challenging time for sure, it was very refreshing to see so many people taking a vested interest in the goings-on of government.Many of the Sinai participants on the Federation Israel Trip gather for dinner in Tel Aviv.

Third, Sinai travel, to Israel or, really, ANYWHERE, is a great way to get to know other Sinai members.
Among the most oft-repeated lines that I heard was some fashion of the following: “I’ve heard so-and-so’s name over the years but we’d not met until this trip.” Even amongst our Sinai group, there were some participants who are newer members of the congregation and some who have been at Sinai since just after our founding who had still never met. People got to know each other, and bond together, over shared experiences and shared curiosity. Meals were opportunities to build relationships, to celebrate friendships. I loved walking into areas of our communal gathering on the last night of the trip to find people who had been strangers only a few days prior sitting together in boisterous laughter.

I know that we have more travel opportunities on the horizon and there is still room on each of these trips (click here for more information) should anyone desire to participate: We have two trips to Israel (an adult-only “cuisine and culture” trip in October and a family trip in December) and a trip this November to Italy. As well, our Federation will return to Israel in a few years. I hope you will consider going. I know that I will!

With wishes for a Shabbat filled with Shalom,

Brad

Fri, March 29 2024 19 Adar II 5784