You shall rise before the aged and show deference to the old.

מפני שיבה תקום והדרת פני זקן... ויקרא י'ט

On the trains and some of the busses in Israel, this sign is posted over the handicapped seats. I love that instead of Reserved seats or please move to give way to the elderly and handicapped, they invoke a Biblical commandment. You shall rise before the aged and show deference to the old. (Lev. 19.32)

I took a number of trains last week. On Thursday we had a MAKOM outing to different Masorati shuls in Israel. We went to the Masorati shuls in Hod Hasharon, Kfar Saba and Zichron Yaakov. In each we heard from members of the community and from the rabbi (if they had one-only in Zichron). When we got to Zichron, many of us agreed that they should move Schechter or just the program there. Gorgeous! Views of the mountains and the Medditeranean and also clean and cool air.

After the day of visiting communities, I took a train to Tel Aviv. Roee, a friend from Israeli dancing in NYC years ago, picked me up at the train station on his tustus (sounds dirty but it is a scooter) and took me to his apartment. Then after relaxing and checking e-mail it was again out on his tustus to Tel Aviv University for Israeli Dancing. Roee was such a good sport to dance with me there. Dancing is held with Gadi Bitton (although he was not there) in the basketball gym of the university. When we got there (on the early side) there were close to 150 people there. When we left there were over 300 people and Roee told me that 500-600 can go a night. That is why he does not like it- too crowded and impersonal. I think that next time I am in Tel Aviv, I will go and stay longer. Then back to Roee's- I went to bed and he went out.

In the morning, I was picked up by Rabbi Cymet. Rabbi Jeff Cymet is a pretty recent JTS grad who made aliyah with his family after ordination. I am going to be serving as a student rabbi in one of his two masorati shuls on most shabbatot that he is not there. I am also hoping to do some teaching and organizing some community events.

After our meeting, tour of the communities and coffee, I went to one of the train stations in Tel Aviv. My friend Dan from Hebrew University came to visit and sit with me while I had lunch and then I caught a 1:45 train which said that it would take me to Jerusalem. Apparently on Friday afternoon, the trains stop running to Jerusalem on the early side. Something about not being able to get back wherever before shabbat. The train took just over an hour to get to Beit Shemesh and then there was a tour bus that took the lot of us the rest of the way to Jerusalem. Not only was the train ride slow, but we hit traffic coming into Jerusaelm. The bus drove right past the central bus station and out to the Malcha Mall (where the train would have gone if it had entered Jersualem). Of course by now- there are no trains, no busses (too close to shabbat) and one cab which I hustle to and wake the driver from his nap so that he can get me to my apartment. Whose brilliant idea was it to drop us off near no transportation?!

Needless to say, shabbat was great and restful but apparently not restfull enough. I am still so tired.

Go Eagles!