Our Trip to Israel: A Letter to my Sons (Part 3)

A Day in Tzefat. On the 17th Day of Tammuz, a fast day on the Jewish calendar which begins the mourning period known as the “three weeks,” we travelled to the holy and mystical city of Tzefat. In retrospect it is not such a good idea to travel on a tzom (fast day), especially one as hot as this one was. But travel we did, and I think the trip was worthwhile.

We met my new friend Benyamin Rosenberg about noon at the top of the city. Mr. Rosenberg is a Breslaver chassid from Brooklyn who moved to Tzefat many years ago. I met him when I was last in Tzefat, and have become a supporter of his organization Eizer L’Shabbos. This organization (which he runs with help from his wife and son and occasional volunteers) distributes food packages to needy Jews on Shabbat and Chagim (holidays). More than four hundred such meals are delivered every Chag.

Benyamin patiently gave us a walking tour of the old city and seemed oblivious to the blazing heat, even though he was wearing traditional Chassidic garb and refrained from drinking in deference to the fast. He showed us the famous Ari shul, the Abohav, the “Gra” and a few others, and had a story about each. He took us to a courtyard that was destroyed by missile fire in the Lebanon war, narrowly missing the occupants of the adjacent house. We passed through the artist’s colony with the many galleries and shops catering to Tzefat’ visitors. Finally we entered the large Breslav synagogue, with its brilliant chandeliers, ornate carved Aron ha Kodesh (ark), and spectacular view of the mountains of Meron in the distance and the cemetery of the Sages below.

By the time we were finished around 5pm we were all wiped out, and yet Benyamin was ready to show us more. We ended with a visit to his son Nosson’s grocery store, which is a staging area for the meal deliveries of Eizer L’Shabbos. (Nosson also happens to be a Hatzalah volunteer in Tzefat). There we said our “goodbyes” and left for the long trip back to Jerusalem.

For me the highlight of the trip to Tzefat was not so much the city itself, which I have visited before. Rather it was being in the presence of a true “tzaddik,” a righteous person, whose life is dedicated to helping others. Mr. Rosenberg receives no personal income from his efforts, and no doubt struggles to make ends meet. Yet what joy and satisfaction he must receive by performing the incredible mitzvah of feeding the poor, hungry and widowed. He is also kind and wise, and I am happy you had the chance to meet such a fine example of a Jewish hero.

The Shuk, Geulah and Mea Shearim. The Mechane Yehuda market (shuk) is an open air market off Jaffa Street in central Jerusalem, selling all manner of vegetables, fruit, fish, meat, bread, cheese and sweets. On Thursdays and on Friday mornings Jewish housewives (and quite a few husbands) pull their wagons to the Shuk and load up for Shabbat. Many of the stalls have been run by the same families for generations, and the vendors are not shy about calling out to shoppers to taste their wares. There really is no place quite like the shuk.

Friday is also shopping day in Geulah, the “ultra” religious neighborhood adjacent to Mea Shearim just north of the center of Jerusalem. Locals preparing for Shabbat crowd the stores in Geulah buying everything from soup to nuts (literally) to marzipan. Some of the best bakeries in Jerusalem can be found here. It is also a great place to purchase religious gifts and articles, like tallis, tefillin, challah borads and knives, Kiddush cups and the like.

Shabbos--Friday Night. No week in Israel (or anywhere for that matter) would be complete without Shabbos. And no Shabbos in Jerusalem would be complete if we didn’t spend a portion of it with the Obersteins. On each of my many trips to Israel, including those with each of you, I have had Shabbos or Yom Tov at Bracha and Avi’s.

We took a cab to Ramat Eshkol and arrived about 7:30pm, in time to accompany Avi, Arye Leib Friedman, Avi’s brother-in-law Avi Fertig and his son to the “Pagi” shul for mincha prayers. This was followed by a short walk to the “Shmuel HaNavi” neighborhood where we entered the shul of the Chassidic Dushinsky dynasty. Sort of a mini-Belz, we got a real flavor for a chassidush Kabbalat Shabbat. Yes, we were on the receiving end of puzzled stares from some of the little Dushensky children, and I suppose we are as strange to them as they are to us.

In addition to Arye Leib, the Fertigs and us, the Obersteins’ Shabbos dinner guest list included the newlyweds Michoel and Bidi Deutsch from Atlanta. I know you enjoyed the conversation, particularly talking to Michoel Deutsch. Michoel is a young man who I think represents the best Torah Judaism has to offer, in no small part due to the love and devotion of his fine parents, Rabbi and Dena Deutsch.

It is easy to assume that a young man or woman raised in an observant Jewish household walks a straight and narrow path to a Torah-true life, but this is often not the case. All people face challenges along the “derech” (path) of becoming the person they are becoming, religious and non-religious alike. Our lives are shaped in large part by the way we choose to respond to our challenges, and they should be seen as opportunities-- not obstacles-- to personal growth and success.

We finished our lovely Shabbos meal at the Obersteins and walked back to our apartment at King George Street through the semi-deserted streets of Geulah, arriving home sometime after 1:30am. I hope that you enjoyed Shabbos with our Jerusalem ”family” as much as I did.