Doors of the Torah ark

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For Monday Doorways let's focus on the doors of the Torah ark in the synagogue.

After two scrolls were taken out of the aron kodesh (the "holy ark"), the parochet (curtain) was again closed.
Enlarge the top picture and you can see the bar mitsvah boy holding a silver yad (pointer) and chanting his Torah portion.

At the end of the readings, the wooden cases of the scrolls are closed.
The parochet is drawn to the side, then the wooden holy ark doors are opened.

The scrolls are carefully put inside the ark while prayers are sung.
Then the doors and the curtain are closed.
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Mazal tov to my young neighbor, the bar mitsvah boy!
He did well and made us proud.
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This indoor tour can be for Our World Tuesday too.

Lots more posts about the Torah here.
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Bent and bowed

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For Robert's PsalmChallenge at Daily Athens blog, here is Psalm 38.
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1. A Psalm. Of David. Lihazkir.

2. O LORD, do not reprove me in Your wrath, and do not chastise me in Your anger.

3. For Your arrows have fallen on me, and Your hand has fallen against me.

4. There is no whole place in my flesh because of Your rage; no wellbeing in my bones because of my sin.

5. For my iniquities have engulfed my head; like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

6. My wounds grow foul and fester because of my folly.

7. I am utterly bent and bowed; I go about in gloom all the day.

8. For my innards are full of fever; there is no whole place in my flesh.

9. I am utterly spent and crushed; I roar because of the turmoil in my heart.

10. My Lord, You are aware of all my entreaties, and my sighing is not hidden from You.

11. My heart reels; my strength forsakes me; the light of my eyes—that, too, not with me.

12. My friends and companions stand back from my plague, and my near ones stand far off.

13. Those who seek my life lay snares and those who wish me harm speak malice; they meditate treachery all the day.

14. But I am like a deaf man, unhearing, and like a dumb man who does not open his mouth.

15. I am like one who does not hear, and in whose mouth are no rebukes.

16. For in You, O LORD, I have hoped; You will answer, O Lord, my God.

17. For I thought, "Lest they rejoice over me; when my foot gives way, they will vaunt over me."

18. For I am on the verge of collapse, and my pain is ever with me.

19. For I acknowledge my iniquity; I am apprehensive due to my sin.

20. Yet my mortal enemies grow numerous; my treacherous foes are many.

21. Those who repay harm for good hate me for pursuing goodness.

22. Do not forsake me, O LORD, my God; be not far from me;

23. Hasten to my aid, my Lord, my deliverance.

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Translation by Rabbi Benjamin Segal.
Hebrew text and a more traditional translation at Mechon Mamre.
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Photos:
Outside the Rabbi Kook Museum, Jerusalem.
The wall around Hansen's Hospital, the former "leper colony" of Jerusalem.
At the tomb of Rabbi Akiva with Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee below.
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A clean heart at Hadassah

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Agam's kinetic sculpture got kinetic again, at least for a short time, thanks to this worker moving each segment and giving them all a good cleaning.

When it was installed in 1984 I assume water was shpritzing in the fountain, but today it's dry and dust gathers fast.

"The Beating Heart Caring for Jerusalem" stands in the courtyard next to the Chagall windows synagogue at Hadassah Medical Organization.

For more about this sculpture, Yaacov Agam, and why he thinks Jerusalem art should be different from all other art, please see my earlier post.
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For more nice shadows, see Tracy's meme, Shadow Shot Sunday.
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At last, a puddle

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Finally! Enough rain water for a puddle, for a reflection.

In the forested hills that surround my village.

Shabbat shalom and happy Weekend Reflections.
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Let go of your rain, clouds!

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The Jerusalem Hills (aka the Hills of Judea) had heavy skies all day but just now, at 5 pm, the clouds are giving their rain.

That's my village on the hill.

"Hilltop" and "Judea" might make you think of "West Bank settlement," but no--my moshav (founded in 1949) is inside the Green Line, in Israel proper.

The wadi leading to the spring at the foot of my moshav (village) is now bare, charred, and stoney.
After last year's forest fire the Keren Kayemet/ JNF forestry guys took down all the dead burned trees.

Let's see what new natural growth comes up with the winter rains now starting.
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This post is for SkyWatch Friday.
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The Jew and his violin

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The young Hasid's extreme inwardness and intensity and his soulful music stopped me in my tracks.
It was Friday and I should have been hurrying, like everyone else, to buy food in the market and get home before Shabbat.
But I was drawn in, mesmerized by his playing; I could not move away.
Suddenly all the hustle and bustle of the shuk disappeared for me; there was only him.

For some reason a municipal inspector appeared and told him he could not play here.
He kept playing, didn't miss a note.
The official said, "Too bad then, I have to write you a ticket."

I went closer and dropped some shekels in his violin case, maybe to help cover the fine.
Without a word to the evil inspector, the boy moved back a dozen steps--and resumed his music.
Still he played with eyes down, almost closed; only when he sensed children watching did he look up at them momentarily with a twinkle in his eye and a shy smile.

I remembered seeing a strange and powerful movie decades ago about the Seer of Lublin.
This young Jew and his violin had the same kind of mystical magic, as if . . . if he played just a little longer it would bring the redemption, the messiah.

Suddenly he looked up, straight at me.
I hope he couldn't see the tears.

What is it with Jews and the violin?
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Underground

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U is for underground.
Down under, as in Australia.

Unfortunately Israel has nothing as large and grand as these Jenolan Caves in the Australian Blue Mountains.

Brave grandson Dean was exploring the cold dark caverns on a guided tour, with his parents of course.
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For U-Day at ABC Wednesday.

Photo was taken by our friend Noa E.-R.
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Botnar Auditorium (I think)

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For Monday Doorways (also Our World Tuesday), notice the little door between the two ... umm ... strange structures.
This is from last month, after they put in the pretty flowers.
It is part of the Hebrew University medical school at Hadassah Ein Kerem.

For the longest time I watched the curved things being built but had no idea what they would become.
Here is an early shot from March 2008.

Some concrete was poured in June 2009.
Meanwhile the normal building in back was finished, the Octav and Marcela Botnar Research Building.

The beginnings of a "roof" were visible in July 2010, next to many tall stacks of yellow-wrapped Isocam rock wool.
I never saw more than three workers down there, and they always seemed a bit hesitant and confused; like, "WHAT are we supposed to build??"
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I don't blame them. Who ever saw such a thing!
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From Psalms to Beatitudes

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For Robert's growing PsalmChallenge meme, here is today's Psalm 37.
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1. Of David.

Do not be vexed by evil men; do not be envious of wrongdoers.

2. For they soon wither like grass, like green plants they fade away.

3. Trust in the LORD and do good; abide in the land and keep faith.

4. Delight in the LORD and He will grant you your heart’s desires.

5. Commit your way to the LORD; place your trust in Him; He will act.

6. He will bring out your righteousness like the sun, the justice of your case, like the midday.

7. Be still before the LORD and wait for Him; do not be vexed by the man whose way prospers, who carries out his schemes.

8. Desist from anger, abandon fury, do not be vexed; it can only bring evil.

9. For evil men will be cut off, but those who hope in the LORD―they shall inherit the land.

10. In just a little while, there will be no wicked man; you will look for his place―he is not there.

11. But the meek shall inherit the land, and delight in abundant peace.

וַעֲנָוִים יִירְשׁוּ-אָרֶץ

12. The wicked man schemes against the righteous, and gnashes his teeth at him.

13. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his time is coming.

14. The wicked unsheathe their swords and bend their bows, to bring down the lowly and needy, to slaughter men of upright ways.

15. Their sword shall come into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

16. Better the little that the righteous man has than the wealth of many wicked.

17. For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, while the LORD sustains the support of the righteous.

18. The LORD knows the time of the blameless; their portion lasts forever.

19. They shall not be put to shame in evil years; in time of famine, they shall eat their fill.

20. For the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD, like meadow vegetation—vanished in smoke, vanished.

21. The wicked man is a borrower who will not repay; the righteous is a constantly generous giver.

22. Indeed, those blessed by Him shall inherit the land, but those cursed by Him shall be cut off.

23. A man’s steps are made firm by the LORD, and He delights in his way.

24. Though he trips, he does not fall down,

for the LORD holds him by the hand.

מֵיְהוָה, מִצְעֲדֵי-גֶבֶר כּוֹנָנוּ; וְדַרְכּוֹ יֶחְפָּץ
כד כִּי-יִפֹּל לֹא-יוּטָל: כִּי-יְהוָה, סוֹמֵךְ יָדוֹ

25. A lad was I, and now I am old, but I have never seen a righteous man abandoned, or his children seeking bread.

26. At all times he is generous and lends, and his children are a blessing.

27. Shun evil and do good, that you may abide forever.

28. For the LORD loves what is just, He does not abandon His faithful; they are maintained forever, while the children of the wicked will be cut off.

29. The righteous shall inherit the land, and abide eternally in it.

30. The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.

31. The teaching of his God is in his heart; his steps do not falter.

32. The wicked looks for the righteous, and seeks to slay him.

33. The LORD will not abandon him to his hand; He will not let him be condemned in judgment.

34. Look to the LORD and maintain His way, and He will exalt you that you may inherit the land; you shall see the wicked cut off.

35. I saw a ruthless wicked man thriving like a luxuriant native tree.

36. He passes on and behold―he is not there; I seek him, but he is not to be found.

37. Mark the man of integrity, and behold the upright; for there is a future for the man of peace.
[or: 37. See and maintain innocence and uprightness, for there is a future for the man of peace.]
שְׁמָר-תָּם, וּרְאֵה יָשָׁר: כִּי-אַחֲרִית לְאִישׁ שָׁלוֹם

38. But transgressors all shall be utterly destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39. The deliverance of the righteous is from the LORD, their stronghold in periods of distress.

40. The LORD will help them and rescue them, shall rescue them from the wicked and deliver them, for they take refuge in Him.
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Photos:
1. The entrance lane of the Church of the Beatitudes is lined with the eight Beatitudes spoken by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount. Psalm 37:11 entered the New Testament in Matthew 5:5.

2-3. Grandson Dean in his younger years at a favorite hiking place near my home.
4. Dean at a wintery Western Wall.
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The translation I used today is by Rabbi Benjamin Segal, with the addition of an alternative for verse 37.
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The Hebrew original is at Mechon Mamre.
If you'd like to see or try to pronounce the Hebrew words, see them transliterated here: hebrewsongs.com .
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Shadows in the cemetery

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We're almost done with our walk in the Sisters of Sion convent in Ein Kerem, but you still have to see the cemetery.

I like how the tree shadow bends to walk up the stairs to a door to I know not where.
(For Shadow Shot Sunday, of course, and Monday Doorways too.)

The deceased and their visitors have a great view over the convent wall to several other churches and monasteries in the Jerusalem Hills.

The convent was built in 1860 and many of the Religious of Our Lady of Sion (and some of their friends) are buried here.
No worries, the ancient ossuary is just for decoration, not for the Sisters' bones.
It was discovered on a nearby hill.

Marie-Alphonse Ratisbonne died in 1884 and is buried in this place that he built and where he lived for several decades.

His last words are engraved in French under Mary's feet:
" Oh Maria, remember thy son who was conquered by your love."

Ratisbonne was born to a French Jewish family but while visiting a small church in Rome he had a sudden conversion experience.
He said that Mary appeared to him and without words taught him everything he needed to know about the Catholic faith.
He went all the way and became a Jesuit priest and a missionary to the Holy Land.

His older brother had converted much earlier; Fr. Marie-Theodor Ratisbonne founded the monastic order and gave them a biblical verse as their foundational text.

You can read it here on Alphonse's grave:
"IN SION FIRMATA SUM" meaning "In Zion I will establish my dwelling."

Wikipedia says this about Theodor:

"In the 1820s, Ratisbonne joined a wave of apostasy in the French Jewish community triggered by a sense that the Jews could not achieve full integration in French society as long as they remained Jews. Ratisbonne reached the conclusion that there was a fundamental incompatibility between Judaism and French citizenship."

The rocks placed on Alphonse's grave in the traditional Jewish custom of showing respect always make me sad, thinking about these two ex-Jewish brothers.

Seven or nine? Or 8+1 ?

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A table outside a shop on Jaffa Street laden with all kinds of chanukiot.
And from the bakeries down the street the smell of soofganiot (jelly donuts) frying in oil.
Sure signs that Chanuka is coming!
The first light will indeed be kindled on December 20.

The Chanuka chanukiah, with eight arms and one for the servant candle (8+1=9), is not to be confused with the menorah, the lampstand with seven branches that was used in the Temple in ancient days.

The sculpture in the photo is "Menorat Hashalom" by Salvador Dali.
It is the first thing travelers see when they land at Ben-Gurion Airport and exit from Terminal 3.

In case you were thinking of climbing on it, note that the sign says "Climbing prohibited."
And just for fun enlarge the photo to see two young women stretched out for a rest.

The reflections in both pictures are for James' meme, Weekend Reflections.
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Earliest Shabbat of the year tomorrow

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The view from our moshav as the sun sets behind the Jerusalem Hills and soon sinks into the Mediterranean over on the west side of Israel.
(The sea is less than an hour's drive from here.)

Sabbath candles are lit every Friday evening, 18 minutes (I think) before sunset.
That means tomorrow candles must be lit at 3:55 pm.
So early! The earliest time of the whole year.

The soft colors of sunset are for SkyWatch Friday.

And tonight is not too early to start wishing you Shabbat shalom.
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Action in the air

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Two military helicopters land at Hadassah Medical Center, probably carrying wounded.

The wind sock at the helipad twirls around and straightens out or bends, showing the pilot the direction and strength of the wind.

Today's subject for City Daily Photo Theme Day is "Action shot."
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.
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Tilt and trepidation

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Tilt and trepidation were today's T words for ABC Wednesday as I walked down Jaffa Street.
Two workers were trying to either raise or lower the tilting sign.

The one man I could not see but from behind the tarp he could be heard warning his comrade "Shwaya shwaya, shwaya shwaya."
(That's Arabic for slowly slowly / little by little / be careful / easy does it!)

Enlarge the photo and you'll see he is balancing on an inch of stone and hanging on to the railing with one arm.

The fear and trembling typical for Jewish Mothers rose up in me, so I took a quick snapshot and kept on walking so as not to distract or embarrass the worker. God forbid he should fall on my account!
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They are doing a great job preserving and restoring the facade of the hundred year old Saidoff building while a highrise is being built behind it.
See how the gutted building looked a few years ago here and see how another endangered worker put his nose to the grindstone here.
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Improving with the years

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This newly planted (or maybe newly severely pruned) tree caught my eye several years ago while I was doing my first roam of the Romema neighborhood.

The sandy yard belonged to a house that was being renovated.
Out with the old-fashioned doors!
(Little did I know that in 2011 there would be a Monday Doorways for this photo.)

The house was impressive, even then.
A metal roof, even!

Recently I passed it again; this time the place was surrounded by green.
The name of the landscapers is proudly posted on the fence.

Enter the gate if you dare.
Judging by the sign on the door, this huge house is a private one-family residence. Wow . . .
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Romema is near the western entrance to Jerusalem.
Founded in 1921, it was the first Jewish neighborhood built during the period of British rule and was planned as an exclusive residential neighborhood.

You know, now as I reread an excellent article by Aviva Bar-Am, I see that this house was built by the initiator of the Romema project.

She writes,
"Romema was intended as a splendid neighborhood of 24 houses, far from the noise of the town and situated between the Arab villages of Lifta and Sheikh Bader. Yet in the end, apparently for lack of money, just over a dozen beautiful buildings were constructed.
The initiator of the Romema project was attorney Yom-Tov Hamon, an expert in Ottoman law and land ownership issues, who was often asked to arbitrate disputes between Arab landowners in the region. When there was a disagreement about ownership of the land on this hill, Hamon decreed that the plot should be sold, thus making it available for a Jewish neighborhood."
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More about this fascinating area are under my label "Romema."
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This post joins tonight's Our World Tuesday.

Those of straight heart

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You're invited to visit the new contributors to Robert's PsalmChallenge over at Daily Athens.
Today's text is Psalm 36. For the Hebrew see Mechon Mamre.

1 To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, the servant of the LORD.

Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated. 3 The words of his mouth are mischief and deceit; he has ceased to act wisely and do good. 4 He plots mischief while on his bed; he sets himself in a way that is not good; he spurns not evil.

5 Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. 6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God, your judgments are like the great deep; man and beast you save, O LORD.

8. How precious is your kindness, O God! The children of man shelter in the shadow of your wings.

9. They feast on the rich fare of your house; you give them drink from your stream of delights.

10. Indeed with you is the source of life; by your light do we see light.

11. Bestow your kindness upon those who know you, and your justice on those of straight heart.

11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. 12 There the evildoers lie prostrate, they are thrust down, unable to rise.
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Photo: My precious granddaughter, Libby, light of my life. Age 1.7.
(By a professional photographer.)
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In the shadow of Prometheus

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Prometheus found -- by a cat!
Who knows, maybe this cat appreciates art or is interested in Greek mythology . . . or maybe he is just hoping for a bite of liver.

Fittingly, the statue stands in the courtyard of Hebrew University School of Medicine at Hadassah Ein Kerem.
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The little cat joins today's animals at Camera-Critters meme.
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Mercaz Shalem

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While strolling in Jerusalem's Greek Colony I found a very reflective door for Weekend Reflections.

It is the front door of the Shalem Center think tank.

The back of the historic building bears its Hebrew name, Beit Nativ.
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I learn here that next year it will house the new Shalem College.

In March 2009, Shalem submitted an application to Israel's Council for Higher Education to open Israel's first liberal arts college. Shalem College will offer the first Israeli B.A. modeled on the American liberal arts degree.
Top Israeli and overseas applicants will pursue a unique core curriculum in which the classics of Western thought are studied alongside the Bible and other Jewish sources. The College is currently scheduled to open with majors in Philosophy, Political Theory and Religion (PPR) and in Middle East and Islamic Studies.
Additional majors will be added as resources become available.
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This post will be for Monday Doorways.
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A golden moment

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A moment of grace this afternoon!
For five minutes a little patch of rare sunlight was centered exclusively in my yard.

The golden light made it look as if we had glorious foliage colors, just like other hemispheres have.
Actually Israel does not have many deciduous trees.
Only the fig tree drops all its fig leaves and gets totally naked.

The silvery olive and the wild sumac, and of course the evergreens, they stay green all winter.
The pomegranates can't seem to decide whether to shed leaves or not.
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The heavy sky is joining SkyWatch Friday.
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Thanksgiving blessings to all who celebrate today.
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A hermit at heart

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Impossible to get through. grrr . . .
For a whole week I felt like this puppy. I couldn't get through to the Internet.
And no telephone either.

Finally the Bezeq phone line repairman came yesterday, climbed a ladder to my neighbors' roof, and put my wires into a new DRY box.
The wonders of technology came to life. But by evening, they were dead again.
Then mid-morning today the phone and Internet began working. But for how long?
Tomorrow I will sit home again and wait for the technician to return.

It was so strange not being able to blog or to read your blogs.
I missed the Skype calls from the grandkids in Los Angeles and Australia.

On the other hand, no one could catch me on the phone; I didn't need to answer emails; I was spared the frantic hours of newscasts on Israeli Internet TV.
I got a lot of deep housecleaning and yard work done.
All my books got dusted and put in order on the bookcase; I even read some.
I could go to bed as early or as late as I wanted.

Days did not race by, they took their sweet time.

It was so quiet.
It was splendid isolation.
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