Shabbat in Tel Aviv

This past shabbat was my first week "interning" in Tel Aviv at Tifferet Shalom, a small Masorti shul in Ramat Aviv (North Tel Aviv near Tel Aviv University). Rabbi Jeff Cymet, a recent JTS grad, is there part time and also in Rechovot at a Masorti shul part time. I led services Friday night and then went to dinner with a former Ramah Poconos person, Arie Hasit. He was hosting Marom students for dinner (the Israeli Koach or Masorti/Conservative student group from Tel Aviv Unversity) at his apartment. He made Aliyah a few years ago and is currently serving in the IDF. Dinner was great. I got to hang out with Jewishly minded students and others who were interested in Judaism and doing Jewish things. Many of them have American parents and spoke English but the majority of the evening was in Hebrew. Over shabbat I stayed with a young family at the shul. They have a very cute 10 month old son who is quite the flirt.

On Saturday morning, I read part of the Torah reading and led musaf. Both were received well and I met a guy named Bill who is a past president of the community and a Judaica collector. He knew my grandfather and when he visits NYC, he stays with the other library sleuth. After lunch, I got a short nap in and then headed back to Jerusalem to get ready for another week of classes.

I have spoken to the head of the Marom student group since Shabbat andam going to try to arrange to teach some classes on campus, at a coffee house, or after services. I am open for topic suggestions for one-time classes that would be interesting for college-aged Israelis (20-25).

This is the last week of class before Hannukah vacation. I am going to be in Eilat for Shabbat and then early Sunday morning I will be headed to the border with Egypt for a few days of vacation in Cairo and Luxor. Pyramids, G'niza and Valley of the Kings, here I come! I will be sure to write about it when I return.