My Dear Sons,
Now that some time has passed since our return to Atlanta from our wonderful trip to Israel, I want to share with you my impressions of our visit, and my thoughts as to what we accomplished in terms of our understanding of what it means to be a Jew in the modern world.
Let me first confess that while our itinerary seemed to develop in a more or less unhurried and unplanned fashion, in fact the main theme of the trip was thought through in advance. My unstated goal—hopefully it wasn’t too obvious—was to introduce you to individuals and experiences that would leave indelible and positive impressions of the dynamic and diverse people who lead a Torah-observant life. Hopefully you came away from the trip with an appreciation of the many and various ways in which a Jew can live a G-d-centered life of Torah without “sacrificing” his or her individual personality.
Rather than review in detail each day’s activities in journal fashion, I prefer to recount events and experiences that I think were meaningful and which I hope enhanced your appreciation of Yiddishkeit (Jewishness) and the importance of the performance of mitzvos.
The Schroeder-Fruchtman Wedding. It isn’t every day that two families from the same shul in Atlanta make a chossona (wedding) for their children living in Israel. We were fortunate enough to attend and celebrate the “wedding of the century” in a suburb of Jerusalem, in which Aaron Fruchtman and Shoshana Schroeder exchanged vows. Shoshana’s parents, Harold and Lora Schroeder, and Aaron’s Mom, Lora Fruchtman, are active and valued long-time members of Congregation Ariel as well as good friends of our family.
There is nothing that touches the heart and soul of a Jew quite like a Jewish wedding. No one who is not closed-minded or cold-hearted could fail to be moved by the the insistent heart-catching strains of the violin as the bride and groom make their way to the chuppah, the sight of the Kallah (bride) circling the Chosson (groom) seven times under the chuppah, and the sound of shattered glass signifying the completion of the vows. This particular event was held under a cool, dry Jerusalem summer sky, with a lovely breeze carrying in the sweet smell of bougainvillea.
Due to the Israeli flavor of events, the reception was casual and relaxed. I seem to recall that either voluntarily or under duress you found yourself on the dance floor, participating in spirited rounds of male-only dancing, clapping and shvitzing. What’s not to like!
Aish HaTorah. We spent a morning visiting Aish HaTorah’s headquarters in the Old City overlooking the Kotel (Western Wall). My friend Gavriel Kleinerman, a senior staff member of Aish, met us and took us on a tour of the facilities. One of the highlights was sitting in on a few minutes of an “Essentials” class led by the “surfer Rabbi,” R’ Yom Tov Glazer. I am sure you will agree that the instant he begins speaking Rabbi Glazer commands your attention and grabs your soul. His topic that morning was “resonance,” and his words surely resonated with me.
Aish is perhaps the world’s most successful Jewish outreach organization (with apologies to Chabad). It was founded by Rabbi Noach Weinberg 35 years ago and is responsible for bringing thousands of Jews back to Judaism. Rabbi Weinberg passed away recently but his vision lives on in all his many students, staff members and followers.
Reb Gavriel showed us the very impressive 6-story building adjacent to the Kotel plaza which (hopefully) is nearing completion. This building will house Aish’s Essentials program, Discovery program, executive learning facilities, a museum, and a library and banquet space. We took some wonderful pictures on the balconies of the building with awesome views of the Kotel, the Dome of the Rock and Mt. of Olives beyond.
Perhaps the most memorable part of the visit was the number of enthusiastic and welcoming boys and young men that we met in the Aish Yeshiva Beis Midrash. For anyone who thinks that learning Torah and good times don’t go hand in hand, a visit to Aish’s Yeshiva will quickly dispel that perception.
Mr. Kleinerman represents the face of modern Torah Judaism. He is learned in the ways of the Torah and lives according to its laws. At the same time he is a mensch, fully engaged in the “real” world and involved with Jews of all backgrounds. I hope you enjoyed spending time with him as much as I did.
The Sheva Brachas. The Schroeder-Fruchtman wedding, like all traditional Jewish weddings, was followed by seven days of celebrations, hence the name “Sheva Brachas” (Seven Blessings). We attended the first of the Sheva Brachas, held at Bracha and Avi Oberstein’s in Ramat Eshkol. In addition to music, dancing and good food, these meals give the participants a chance to “bless” the bride and groom, usually by saying a few words of Torah or doing some “shtick.” (Like the “name that tune” game that Bracha dreamed up). The whole idea is to treat the “Chosson” and “Kallah” like royalty for the week following the wedding, thus easing their entry into the “real” world once the week is done.
Let me first confess that while our itinerary seemed to develop in a more or less unhurried and unplanned fashion, in fact the main theme of the trip was thought through in advance. My unstated goal—hopefully it wasn’t too obvious—was to introduce you to individuals and experiences that would leave indelible and positive impressions of the dynamic and diverse people who lead a Torah-observant life. Hopefully you came away from the trip with an appreciation of the many and various ways in which a Jew can live a G-d-centered life of Torah without “sacrificing” his or her individual personality.
Rather than review in detail each day’s activities in journal fashion, I prefer to recount events and experiences that I think were meaningful and which I hope enhanced your appreciation of Yiddishkeit (Jewishness) and the importance of the performance of mitzvos.
The Schroeder-Fruchtman Wedding. It isn’t every day that two families from the same shul in Atlanta make a chossona (wedding) for their children living in Israel. We were fortunate enough to attend and celebrate the “wedding of the century” in a suburb of Jerusalem, in which Aaron Fruchtman and Shoshana Schroeder exchanged vows. Shoshana’s parents, Harold and Lora Schroeder, and Aaron’s Mom, Lora Fruchtman, are active and valued long-time members of Congregation Ariel as well as good friends of our family.
There is nothing that touches the heart and soul of a Jew quite like a Jewish wedding. No one who is not closed-minded or cold-hearted could fail to be moved by the the insistent heart-catching strains of the violin as the bride and groom make their way to the chuppah, the sight of the Kallah (bride) circling the Chosson (groom) seven times under the chuppah, and the sound of shattered glass signifying the completion of the vows. This particular event was held under a cool, dry Jerusalem summer sky, with a lovely breeze carrying in the sweet smell of bougainvillea.
Due to the Israeli flavor of events, the reception was casual and relaxed. I seem to recall that either voluntarily or under duress you found yourself on the dance floor, participating in spirited rounds of male-only dancing, clapping and shvitzing. What’s not to like!
Aish HaTorah. We spent a morning visiting Aish HaTorah’s headquarters in the Old City overlooking the Kotel (Western Wall). My friend Gavriel Kleinerman, a senior staff member of Aish, met us and took us on a tour of the facilities. One of the highlights was sitting in on a few minutes of an “Essentials” class led by the “surfer Rabbi,” R’ Yom Tov Glazer. I am sure you will agree that the instant he begins speaking Rabbi Glazer commands your attention and grabs your soul. His topic that morning was “resonance,” and his words surely resonated with me.
Aish is perhaps the world’s most successful Jewish outreach organization (with apologies to Chabad). It was founded by Rabbi Noach Weinberg 35 years ago and is responsible for bringing thousands of Jews back to Judaism. Rabbi Weinberg passed away recently but his vision lives on in all his many students, staff members and followers.
Reb Gavriel showed us the very impressive 6-story building adjacent to the Kotel plaza which (hopefully) is nearing completion. This building will house Aish’s Essentials program, Discovery program, executive learning facilities, a museum, and a library and banquet space. We took some wonderful pictures on the balconies of the building with awesome views of the Kotel, the Dome of the Rock and Mt. of Olives beyond.
Perhaps the most memorable part of the visit was the number of enthusiastic and welcoming boys and young men that we met in the Aish Yeshiva Beis Midrash. For anyone who thinks that learning Torah and good times don’t go hand in hand, a visit to Aish’s Yeshiva will quickly dispel that perception.
Mr. Kleinerman represents the face of modern Torah Judaism. He is learned in the ways of the Torah and lives according to its laws. At the same time he is a mensch, fully engaged in the “real” world and involved with Jews of all backgrounds. I hope you enjoyed spending time with him as much as I did.
The Sheva Brachas. The Schroeder-Fruchtman wedding, like all traditional Jewish weddings, was followed by seven days of celebrations, hence the name “Sheva Brachas” (Seven Blessings). We attended the first of the Sheva Brachas, held at Bracha and Avi Oberstein’s in Ramat Eshkol. In addition to music, dancing and good food, these meals give the participants a chance to “bless” the bride and groom, usually by saying a few words of Torah or doing some “shtick.” (Like the “name that tune” game that Bracha dreamed up). The whole idea is to treat the “Chosson” and “Kallah” like royalty for the week following the wedding, thus easing their entry into the “real” world once the week is done.
Hopefully you felt the love and warmth that was directed towards the bride and groom, and would agree that it’s not a bad way to get a marriage off on the right foot.
What a special trip. Thank you for sharing it. Chana Rudnick
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