Home Away From Home
"Temple Mount Tensions Flare" and other similar headlines dominate world news outlets.
They say "the more things change, the more they stay the same." Ever since King Solomon built the Holy Temple in Jerusalem in 825 BCE, tensions have constantly been rising over that tiny slab of land. The "city of peace" has, ironically but not coincidentally, been the subject of more conflicts than any other city in the history of the entire world!
As Jews, the depth of our connection to that city goes to the essence of all our historical, Biblical and national roots. "Next year in Jerusalem," recited for over 2000 years at Passover Seders and Yom Kippur services, incidentally the two most widely observed Jewish rituals, point to a significance much greater than the Jewish penchant for real estate deals and acquisitions. In 1967, at the culmination of the Six Day War, as the Israeli army re-captured the Kotel, the Western Wall of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, here's what one Israeli soldier named Abraham Duvdevani said:
There was the Wall. I had never seen it before, but it was an old friend. I closed my eyes and brought my lips to the Wall. Tears burst forth. A Jewish soldier in the State of Israel is kissing history with his lips. Past, present and future all in one kiss.
This week was Tisha B'av, and for me personally, it was a very meaningful experience. I felt privileged to lead a service at JFX on Tisha B'av eve, with close to 50 people in attendance. The next morning, I had what I cherish as my annual "Tisha B'av alone time." I spent the morning meditating, praying and crying for everything that Tisha B'av represents: national and personal challenges, suffering and reflecting. It was a real emotional and spiritual workout for me, and by 12:30 pm, I felt truly cleansed, energized and reunited with Jerusalem and all that it represents.
In this week's Torah portion, Moses prays and beseeches G-d to let him enter the land of Israel. On my desk sits a picture of the last summer's JFX Israel men's JWRP contingent, with the 8 of us, arm-in-arm, overlooking the Kotel. The special bond and camaraderie from that trip still remains strong, over a year later. I feel truly blessed to be able to travel again to Israel this Sunday, again as part of a JWRP men's mission, with a very special group of men from Cleveland.
To all of us, Cleveland is a very special place. We take tremendous pride in our hometown. But there's something about Jerusalem, the heart and soul of Judaism, Jewish history and the Jewish people that makes it our home away from home.
Shalom and Lehitra'ot!
Rabbi Koval
