A View of Jerusalem from Mount Scopus...
Israel
Pilgrimage—2006
It’s
nighttime—
We arrive at
Mount Scopus
overlooking
Yerushalayim[1]
The stars
glimmer
in the
heavens
and The City
is lit up
like the
jewel of all the earth
Wishful, I
want
there to be
fireworks
want the
surroundings
to express
the excitement
stirring inside
of me—
Suddenly, I
hear
the
unmistakable sound of fireworks
boom, boom,
booming
somewhere
although I
cannot see
their luminous
splendors
bursting in
the sky
We partake of
the fruit of the vine—
our cup of
blessing
as we prepare
to enter in
Our rabbi
prays
for the peace
of Jerusalem
prays the
Shema[2]
prays the Shehekianu[3]
covers his
head
with a
magnificent tallit[4]
embellished
with
the Star of
David and the Lamb
He lifts his
hands and prays
the Aaronic
Benediction
Our joy
cannot be contained—
This is the
City of Our Great King
I watch a
tear
trickle down
my rabbi’s
face
Maude Carolan
Pych
[1]
Jerusalem
[2] The
central prayer in the Jewish prayerbook (Siddur)
[3] A common
Jewish prayer to celebrate special occasions
[4] prayer
shawl
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