Tonight, we went out around 6pm and started at Shira Chadasha, a "progressive orthodox" synagogue on Emek Refaim, a cool neighborhood near our apartments (I guess you could compare Emek Refaim to Union Square). We walked in during the middle of the "hakafot," each of 7 dances (mini ceremonies you could say), with the Torah. We got there around number 3 or 4, and although the men and the women were relatively separate, the curtain between us was very thin (i.e. see through) and kept opening anyways, so I didn't feel like it was so segregated. Not to mention, the person announcing each new hakafa/circle, was a WOMAN! Chick power. Do you dig it? There were at least 3 Torahs on the women's side; I have no idea how many were on the men's side. Song after song, there was so much ruach/spirit in the room, with jumping and dancing and singing and clapping and stomping and moving and everyone young and old was engaged. It was a really beautiful sight to see. (A couple of times we were close enough to the curtain that the boys poked one of our shoulders or we turned around to say hi. Call it scandalous, I don't care.)
Once we knew we were leaving (after hafaka number 6), the group started to head toward the door, and I saw one of my favorite people in the world - Esther Abramowitz! She runs all the Hillel Birthright trips so I have gotten to know her over the last few years. I tell her that I have to go; all my friends are waiting for me. "Ruthie, what are you doing for lunch tomorrow?" "Ummmm, nothing!" "Come over at 2." She tells me exactly which apartment she is in and in which building (although I already knew I could see her building from my window because someone we both know pointed it out to me a few weeks ago) and we call it a day.
We headed out toward another synagogue, but found them all out on the street before we even got there! This time it was only the men dancing with the Torah, so I wasn't so excited about this. Heaven forbid women should dance also and the men get "distracted" by our beauty and they stop being able to focus on the prayers and the Torah. Gimme a break. (This really is a sexist city; I can't promise to like it while I'm here but I think I will have to deal with it.) I was also starting to feel not so great again, so when everyone went inside to the synagogue, I left with Ethan and his girlfriend Althea (who is studying at Pardes, and who I had met before and is very lovely!). We started the walk back to the apartments, which included a few minutes walk on Emek. Ethan and Althea could not stop talking about burgers; either they were really hungry or just like burgers! Well just to Ethan's luck, McDonald's is open! The entire block is filled with restaurants, but because it's the holiday, everything is shut down. A few cabs and cars are driving on the road (it's not as quiet as Yom Kippur in this country) but everyone is walking in the middle of the streets and it's not really a time that businesses are open. Except for the double golden arches. So we go in, Ethan orders his burger, along with 3 cups of water of course; we all need to hydrate. A couple is in there ordering their food. The man has a huge gash on his elbow (we wonder if he even knows this!) and then see that he and the woman he is with are both on rollerblades. Yeah, I'm pretty sure he knows he has a gash on his elbow. They go and sit down to enjoy their fast food as well. Man, this place is hoppin!
We arrive back at the building and part our separate ways (Ethan is on the first floor, I have 39 steps to go) and I hang out in my apartment for most of the night with the exception of a short stop in apartment 5 where the Israeli girls live and are hosting a dinner. Lots of people gathered around the table; they gave me some soup to help settle my tummy! They are so good to me. Lots of people are around, sharing their Simchat Torah stories - some people stayed in for a meal; others went to synagogues. Josh of course went nuts somewhere. I head up to my apartment to get into comfy clothes and lie in bed. Rachelle comes up for a little bit so we can catch up - always fun times. I think sometime after midnight she goes back down to her apartment; I close up shop in the kitchen. I see Josh walk through the door and I say "hey" so he knows I'm in here. By the time he comes up, a few hours have passed since I saw him downstairs and I know people have been drinking (that's fine, hey if I felt better I probably would have had something to drink to celebrate as well!) so when I see he has an almost empty vodka bottle in his hand, I say, "Are you drunk?" "No, why would you think that?" [I point to the bottle.] "Blueberry Smirnoff? No way. This is like milk!" Priceless, Josh, priceless. And goodnight to you, my friend.
I can hear the music and singing from my apartment window...who knows when I'll get to sleep tonight, if I can get to sleep tonight.
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