I was excited to celebrate Shabbat in Jerusalem. There seemed to be a buzz in the air in the old city. We had two classes in the morning and then we had free time until we had to be back in the old city for bringing in the Shabbat.

Our morning classes were all about Mitzvahs for women – “Light up your life – the Mitzvah of Candle Lighting” and “A Mitzvah of Body and Soul: Challah baking”

Mitzvah definition:
mitzvah [ˈmɪtsvə (Hebrew) mitsˈvɑ]

n pl -vahs, -voth (Hebrew) [-ˈvɔt] Judaism

1. (Non-Christian Religions / Judaism) a commandment or precept, esp one found in the Bible

2. (Non-Christian Religions / Judaism) a good deed

There are 613 Mitzvot and only three of them are for women:

1. Candle Lighting

2. Separating Challah

3. Going to the Mikvah

Shabbat is a very special time. It is a time to stop creating and recognize your creator. That the world keeps turning without us. 

Lori explained that Judaism is like a tree – it has blossoms, fruits and roots. 

On Shabbat you need to remember the blossoms of the tree – your children, challah, songs. The roots of the tree are connecting to G-D. If you don’t connect your roots to G-D, your tree will die. 

We discussed that the hotel would have a Shabbos elevator (one that stops on every floor automatically so you don’t have to touch any of the buttons) and if you didn’t plan on turning on and off the lights in your room, you had to decide before you left the room what you were going to do. 

Since the hotel had free wifi, I had been on line every night keeping in touch with family and friends at home. I decided that for Shabbat I wouldn’t use the Ipod or blackberry. It wasn’t that hard and I was happy that I said I wouldn’t do it, and I didn’t. 

We learned from Rebbitzen Raizy Guttman about the mitzvah of Challah making, the significance of breaking off a small piece to say the prayer, and how that piece is supposed to be burned. She explained that the flour symbolizes the earth and the water symbolizes the sky and how the physicality and spirituality combine. 

We learned how to braid the dough, and make flowers with the dough to create beautiful loaves of challah that we would enjoy at dinner. It was fun, and everyone participated making their own loaf design to be baked off.

 After the two sessions in the morning we had free time until we had to be back in the old city for a pre shabbat concert and Shabbat at the Kotel. By the early afternoon the shop keepers were closing early, going to the shuk – where there are 250 vendor selling fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, nuts, flowers and more. Everyone is getting ready for Shabbat and you can feel the excitment.

We had time for lunch, shopping, buying wine for dinner that night, and then getting ready for Shabbat. The dress code for that night was “Shabbat pretty”. It was nice to see everyone getting a little more “spruced up” for our special night at the Kotel.

“Shabbat is the sign of the Jewish People” 

Where do I begin?

The Oxford dictionary defines “Journey” as:
noun (plural journeys)

• an act of travelling from one place to another:

• A long and often difficult process of personal change and development:

I would agree with both.

Last summer a group of friends that I know were going to Israel. They were going with a women’s group on a “Transformation and Grow” mission with and organization called JWRP (Jewish Women’s Renaissance Project). I wasn’t really involved with them when they applied and never thought about going, until they were all there and posting pictures on facebook, that I was envious and thinking I should figure out a way to get on one of these trips.

It was while they were there that another friend of ours messaged me that a trip was open for October 2011 and that she was going to apply. I applied as well. There is a process where you apply, you go for an interview with the city leader from your group, and then you wait to see if you are accepted for the trip. There are qualifications and specifications to being approved for the trip.

I don’t want to work backwards in my life’s journey, but what I know now, that I wasn’t able to really appreciate then, was that I was not “meant” to go on the trip in October. I was going to get my chance and I just had to wait for it to happen for me. When you are disappointed about something in your life, who thinks like that? I didn’t at first, but I know that now.

Back in February this year, through another friend (completed unrelated to the women who already attended the trip) I found out she was going to be going on the SAME trip this June. She told me her trip was not full and I should apply. I was hesitant to do so, knowing what I had already gone through previously, but thought, what the heck….this trip seems to keep coming up in my life, I should listen to the signs, and I applied.

I was very lucky to meet my city leader for the interview. She is a kind, compassionate women who saw something in me that allowed me to go on this journey. She accepted me right away at my interview, and within 24 hours, I had booked my ticket and paid my deposit for the trip.

Just have to jump ahead for a moment.

Lori Palatnik is the co-founder of the JWRP and our host for the mission. On our very first day in our very first class with her she told us that the Talmud says it takes merit to come to Eretz Israel (the land of Israel) and whatever we did last Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur has allowed us to come on this trip at this time.

And here I am. I have gone to Eretz Israel and have now returned. I have posted pictures on facebook, but really haven’t talked much about the trip yet (I have been sick since I got home).

I hope you will read along with me as I share with you what I learned from my “Transform and Grow” mission to Israel with JWRP. They say that just going to Israel you come back a changed person. I think that is true, on so many levels. Stay tuned folks, lots more to come!!!

This post has actually been sitting in my drafts folder since November of last year. I started to write it, and then wasn’t sure if I wanted to post it or not. I am still not sure, so let’s see how this goes.

Through facebook re-connects, work friends, friends through different groups, I have had so many conversations about life, loves, loss, hardships. One thing I can say forsure, is that the saying of the “grass isn’t always greener” has never been so clear to me than after these conversations. I have always believed that, but it is clear as we are getting older and living our lives and different experiences.

I remember one year after I went on a med cruise with my aunt I was having dinner with a friend and showing her all the pictures. She was happy for me, and envious at the same time, commenting on how great it was that I could travel and see different parts of the world with no worries other than myself. I agreed, but commented, you are married, you are expecting a baby and you have just bought a house. I don’t have any of that. At that time, I wasn’t living in my condo at that time. She thought the grass was greener in my single yard, and I thought her grass was greener in her married with children yard. I am sure that either one of us was right or wrong. It all depends on what side of the fence you sit on.

I know I am very lucky in my life. I have good friends, I have a job, I have a great relationship with my parents and family, and being an aunt is truly the most rewarding part of my life. Not everyone I know has the chance to see their nieces and nephew on a weekly basis. I am lucky enough to have them close to me and now the girls are old enough to call me on their own and want to see me and their parents can drop them off. It is the great joy in my life.

I have had a job that has taken me around the world (literally) and back over the last 21 years. The industry hasn’t been as rewarding as it once was, but I am still fortunate to have been and seen as much as I have over the years, and will always have that. Wherever my life may take me, I will always have my travels. What I have seen and learned over the years has been invaluable. I will never forget any of it. I consider myself very wealthy in the life experiences I have been able to have because of my job.

Never judge a book by its cover….we all learned that, didn’t we?

Life changing….every day life is a roller coaster – some days we want to get off the ride and other days, we scream with excitement and want more. Tomorrow is another day – get back in the line to ride the ride again!