On October 19, Rafi and I were picked up by Pamela and her husband Werner, to make our way out of Jerusalem to Kibbutz Gezer where their daughter and her family live. We were going for their annual Simchat Torah celebration. Pamela had previously told us that this kibbutz had a good relationship with the neighboring monastary and that each year during Simchat Torah, the nuns and priest come down to celebrate with the Jews - even dancing with the Torah themselves!
We arrived at Kibbutz Gezer about an hour after leaving Jerusalem. The sunset was beautiful in the rural area.
Before the crazy celebrations began, we had services at an outdoor temple on the Kibbutz. The services were Reform, complete with guitars and the like. It was a new experience to be outdoors during a Torah reading, and the air was lovely.
There you go! Everything that Pamela had told us about the nuns and priest was correct! They were happy and excited to celebrate with us during our special day. It was so interesting to see them there with us loving every minute and excited to hold the Torah. Only on a kibbutz in Israel can I see this happening.
My turn with the Torah. Someone handed it to me and I danced with it, but then the sond ended and I held the weighty scroll for what seemed like ten minutes. My arms were tired, but at least it was a Torah I was holding :) In the picture below, Pamela snapped a candid of Rafi and I line dancing. I am holding the shoulders of a very happy-looking nun! Pamela's daughter is behind Rafi.
Here I am passing the Torah to Rafi - now it's his turn to joyfully dance with it!
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