A Taste of Kabbalah: A Shabbat in Tsfat!
Although I have travelled around Israel before, being part of Thrive has provided me with opportunities to meet and connect with different kinds of people, gaining a broader perspective on the diverse ways different kinds of Jews live their lives within different parts of Israel.
This past weekend, we began bright and early with a 6:30 a.m. bus ride to Tsfat to learn about a new layer of Judaism I know very little about: Kabbalah. We were accompanied by Rabbi Shore, a professor of Kabbalah at Hebrew University. He provided us with a great deal of insight into the ways people live their lives according the Kabbalistic principles. Kabbalistic thought teaches that all physical aspects of this world contain a deeper significance, which combine and transfer into the World to Come.
We had the unique opportunity to meet a variety of different people who express their Judaism and fascination with Kabbalah in many different ways, especially through art. The definite highlight for me was meeting with an artist who specializes in glassblowing and water color painting. She shared her journey to Tsfat with us, and how every piece of her artwork is connected to her experience and expression of Judaism in some way. She gave us a glassblowing demonstration which was both fascinating and beautiful to watch. Every step of the glassblowing process was directly infused with meaning in ways I never thought could be a part of the art-form of glassblowing.
After being inspired by the glassblowing workshop, we had the chance to express our own ideas through art with an artist named Elliott Tucker. To start, we were each asked how we use creativity in our own lives. I said that I use art to express myself through my love for all kinds of music, singing, theater and painting. Next we were all asked to envision a scene from the Purim story and translate that into some sort of piece of art. This was a really unique exercise for most people (other than the two Fine Arts students!) who rarely take time to sit down and just draw or paint to express themselves, and having to connect it with both the Purim story and Shabbat. It was a really moving experience. We each shared our work with the group, and it was interesting to see how everyone interpreted the exercise differently. I used oil pastels to draw two sides of Queen Esther’s face, showing how she had to conceal a part of herself which she later used to save the Jewish people.
Later we had a lecture about the fundamental elements of Kabbalah study, and I think all of us realized that it was much more complicated than we initially thought! Many had a difficult time fully grasping the concepts, especially about objects and actions in this world used as vessels to connect with G-d. Even though this lecture was way over my head, I found it fascinating to see how connected our lecturer was to Kabbalah. She truly dedicates her life to learning these teachings on such a high level.After a jam-packed Friday, we got time to unwind and relax before Shabbat at the hotel and hang out with our friends. There is something indescribable about spending a Shabbat in Tsfat. The energy in the city is something I think everyone felt as we entered Shabbat. There are so many different kinds of services happening in Tsfat on Shabbat to enjoy. Some Thrivers hopped around synagogues to see how people welcomed the Shabbat in different ways, but I decided to stay at the Shlomo Carlebach Synagogue for some familiarity. After services, we were placed with different families for Shabbat dinner. Ruthie and I were lucky enough to be guests at what was probably one of the most beautiful homes in Tsfat, with delicious food. It was interesting to come back as a group later that evening and compare everyone’s experiences, some good and some…rather interesting!
On Shabbat day we relaxed, spending time with one another and exploring the streets of Tsfat. The highlight for me was definitely watching the sunset descend into the mountain tops at the close of Shabbat. I also really enjoyed getting to know Mo and Rabbi Isaacs’ families better. Shabbat came to a close with ruach and anticipation as we said goodbye to Shabbat, but welcomed in Purim. For almost all of us, we were about to experience our first Purim in Israel. The transition between Shabbat and Purim was electrifying as we finished havdallah.
Like all the experiences we have had on Thrive so far this semester, the trip to Tsfat gave me a new perspective, specifically about the kinds of people who live there and how they live their lives through Kabbalah. I was able to see the beauty of art come to life when it was infused with Judaism, and how many of these artists dedicate their lives to using art as a medium to express and teach Judaism. Our group dynamic is developing into a feeling of strong community, which is really helping me feel like I’m part of something and is enabling me to make the most out of my time here in Israel.
