Moments of Happiness

Yesterday was the Jewish holiday of Purim, when Jews celebrate their salvation from annihilation at the end of Persian Hitler, Haman, more than two thousand years ago. The story of the holiday is detailed in the Book of Esther.

To this day, Jews commemorate the event annually on the month of March with feasting, wearing costumes, eating, drinking, partying, giving presents to each other and giving money to the poor and needy.

Sunday I went with my friend to listen to the story of Esther being read at the synagogue, after which I invited her and her family over to a festive dinner at my apartment. Yesterday I went to a party at another friend's house and later to a party the patients at my work threw for everyone who is related to the organization I work for, staff and patients alike. It was a lot of fun. I was happy going to these two parties. I'm not a big party person, but it was nice to see people happy, making fun of themselves in a nice way, enjoying themselves, the holiday and each other's company.

I was even happier to return home last night and see on the door handle of my apartment a beautiful little bag containing different sweets and a small bottle of wine, which a couple of friends of mine left for me there. It was so heart warming.

With all this partying, I also went to work on both Sunday and Monday. These were busy, but beautiful days.

I was truly impressed with the party at my friend's house yesterday. It wasn't just a party with noise, drinking and music. It was much more than that. To start with, the people who organized the party were my friend's parents. They had a huge festive dinner with lots of good food of every kind for everyone. All of their kids (all grown ups) were there and many of their kids' friends were there too. It was so beautiful to see.

Each of their kids gave a little speech of their own related to the story of Purim and a moral message that can be learned from it. The father, who used to serve as a rabbi in North America, gave a very thoughtful, thought provoking and inspiring speech about life, about connecting the little dots of everyday events and gaining perspective of the bigger picture when time is ripe for it. He is a true believer in G-d and his love for G-d is so beautiful to behold. In the cynical world we live in, finding people who know the truth is such a bliss and I hope to be able to meet many more of them.

This holiday made me feel that I belong. I'm new in Jerusalem, as I moved here only a year and a half ago, and little by little I'm getting to know more and more good people. It makes me happy. I feel that slowly and gradually I'm starting to become a part of the community here and to form my own community of friends around me in this city.

Japan...

My heart goes out to Japan and the Japanese.

It's absolutely disheartening to see what happens there.

The Japanese have been fearing a huge earthquake for a very long time now, and tried to prepare for it as best as they could, using their superb technology and impressive modern methods and devices.

When I see the pictures from Japan, the scene from above looks as if a little child wrecked havoc with his little toy boats, cars and houses. He shook the rug on which they were placed and spilled water over them.

Believers around the world ask themselves what happened there, why did G-d do that to Japan. We have to look at the psychological result of the earthquake and tsunami to understand perhaps why.

When you see such pictures, you realize that no matter how technologically sophisticated man is, Nature overpowers man in an overwhelming way.

There is no way around it.

By wrecking havoc with a part of Japan, G-d perhaps wanted to tell the entire world: "you cannot believe in your own power, you shouldn't trust your own achievements as the answer to everything. Everything you have accomplished is there because I have allowed you to accomplish it. Everything you successfully do, you do because I enable and inspire you to do it. Your powers are limited, so don't over trust them. Instead, you have to realize I AM the source and origin of everything that exists and that happens in this world. I AM the only Power in this world you should really trust and turn to. I AM the only One Truth, so don't blind yourselves with lesser powers such as yours".

I believe the disaster hit in such magnitude in Japan of all places, because Japan is the symbol of man's technological power and accomplishment. Japan has been using all of its technological power to prepare for a huge earthquake they had known would sometime strike. They used everything in their power. But their power wasn't enough to escape the tragedy. Man's power can never equal that of G-d's. And G-d, I believe, wanted to remind the whole world that His power is the only true power in this world.

 

The psalmist reminds us:

"By the word of G-d were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap; He layeth up the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear G-d; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spoke, and it was; He commanded, and it stood. G-d bringeth the counsel of the nations to nought; He maketh the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect. The counsel of G-d standeth for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations" (Psalms 31, 6-11).

 

G-d's wrath in Japan is actually a reminder for us all, all mankind, that He is there, and that if we trust Him and acknowledge His presence in every aspect of our lives, we will live in Truth, and our lives will be more meaningful and beautiful.

 

I pray for the surviving Japanese people, who have carried the brunt for us all, to speedily recover and heal.

 

 

A day at the office

These days I work in an organization that helps mentally ill people get rehabilitated and get back to the "normal' world of employment. I personally work with 25 patients and help them through this transition. It's a job very different than anything I had done before and the closest thing to therapy I've ever done professionally. I've been here for four months now and am scheduled to stay here for at least a couple more months, until the woman I'm replacing (who is on maternity leave) will get back to work.

Today my co-workers, most of them are social workers, are on strike, they are not at the office. Together with all other social workers in this country, they demand a raise to their salaries, and I justify and support them in their struggle. They deserve a raise.

So I find myself here alone today, sitting in my office, doing my work, enjoying some quiet time by myself to do things I need to do at work, but also thinking of them and hoping they will get back to work soon. I also enjoy some private time and am able to use my break to write this.

I also work at another place part time, a job that is related to psychological assessment of people who are candidates to different work places or communities, and I enjoy the diversity of my work routine and the chance to meet different people and hear their stories.

I'm so grateful for the chance to have work and be able to provide for myself while living in Jerusalem. I'm also grateful to Hashem (G-d) for giving me the chance to work with people and for them.

I'm not sure how long I'm going to work here for finally, as it may take longer than I think and perhaps I'll decide to stay here for a longer period if the chance arises (not sure about it, though). I'm not sure what I'll do after that, when I'll finish working here. But I am not worried at all. I've felt Hashem's Hand in my life so many times, pulling the strings behind the scenes, presenting me with perfect opportunities at perfect timings and never, not even for one second, leaving me alone or letting me fend for myself. He has always provides and I am overwhelmed with gratitude and love for Him. I love Him.

These two jobs that I do these days, that are so meaningful to me at this time, kind of found me without me even having a chance to really look for a job. They found me exactly one day after I told my former boss at my former job that I would like to quit. He wasn't happy about it, he wanted me to stay, but he respected me and so allowed me to leave. I had very good reasons to do so. One day later, I got a random job offer to my inbox from a distant acquaintance of mine. She sent it to many people with whom she had worked in the past in different places. It was a perfect offer at the perfect timing, and I got the job.

Amazingly enough, my former boss had asked me to stay at my former job until November 14th, longer than I had wanted, and a few days later my new boss asked me to start the new job on November 15th...!

They don't know each other and I couldn't have planned it better myself. 

I didn't even have a chance to be unemployed, not even for one day. The new job I started is a part time job and they asked me for 3-4 work days a week. I contacted another place that had once wanted to employ me when I wasn't available and they were happy to hear that I was now available. They asked me to work for them 1-2 days a week, and to start immediately. So together, these two jobs give me a full week of employment (sometimes even 6 days a week, if I choose to), a salary to cover my expenses and leave some more for extras. They give me good and positive work environment and the kind of work-content that is meaningful to me and from which I can learn a lot and help others.

Hashem is so wonderful, great, compassionate and loving, I could never have enough planned things better myself. I don't have enough words to describe all His mercy and glory. He is just amazing, so precise with everything He does and so bountiful! I truly love Him!

 

 

A sunny day...!

It's almost spring time in Israel, and I love Jerusalem in this season. I love Jerusalem in any season, because every season gives it something special, but spring is magnificent here.

Thank God, this winter we've had quite a few rainy days here, and everything looks green and lush because of it. Now, when spring is coming, all the trees and flowers are in bloom too. The city looks gorgeous in this flowery costume of hers.

Today the sun is shining, shedding a beautiful, happy light on the streets and alleys of Jerusalem, nourishing its many plants, trees and flowers, warming every heart of every person on the street. People are happy, smiling to each other, busking in the sun, forgetting for a moment what's on their hearts and minds. The sky is blue and cloudless, and clouds in the heart relating to the terrible earthquake in Japan and the terrible terror attack in Itamar give a little way to the sun to enter the soul and shed its light on it.

On days like this I feel so blessed to be able to live in Jerusalem, to enjoy its beauty and charm, to feel that I'm part of this place, so close to God.

I have a friend here who is a foreigner, but just like me, she feels so fortunate and lucky to be able to live in this most exquisite city. Just like me, she feels that she wouldn't have wanted to live anywhere else in Israel but in Jerusalem.

The special energy of this city is palpable. Yesterday I drove by a rented car to the north of Israel, for work purposes. As I was leaving the city, after a few miles there is a point that whenever I cross it I feel, "here, the special energy is not here anymore, not in the same way", it's something almost physical that you can sense as you leave the area of the Judean Hills.

I know God is everywhere, no question about it, but I feel that He is even more present in Jerusalem. After all, He has chosen His name to be put on this city, and His presence is felt here even more.

It was beautiful driving to the north yesterday, I enjoyed the drive and the scenery, but it was even more beautiful returning to Jerusalem and feeling embraced by the special love of God that prevails in this place in such a bountiful way. 

 

 

 

Living in Jerusalem

I live in one of the world's most beautiful cities, if not the most beautiful of them all. I live in Jerusalem, in the heart of the Judean Hills, on the edge of the Judean desert. It's where I've always known in my heart that I wanted to live.
I felt encharmed and at home here from my very first moment as a new student in town. I fell in love with the campus of the Hebrew University on Mt. Scopus, and spent many inspired and inspiring moments in its secret corners, whose charm never ceased to touch me.
Something about the majesty of the city, reflected from every limestone brick and abundant in the air, got a hold of me, and whenever I'm here I feel like the luckiest person in the world, being able to live in the city I love, the city which so many people around the world yearn for.
I breathe the Jerusalem air everyday and feel that my soul is being uplifted and brought closer to G-d.
Once in a while I feel this strong need and urge to go to the Old City, where the Western Wall is, and be immersed in the presence of G-d, the Shekhina, even more. Hashem (G-d) is everywhere, but He is even more near the Western Wall, one of the few remnants of the Holy Temple.
Whenever I'm there, I feel my soul opens up to a huge channel of communication to Hashem, and I know He hears me even more when I go to pray to Him there.
I call G-d Hashem, literally "The Name" in Hebrew, since out of respect, awe and reverence to Him, we're not supposed to invoke His name in vain. Baruch Hashem, "Blessed be His Name", is a colloquial expression in spoken Hebrew of our days. A normal conversation between two people, not necessarily very religious, might go something like this: "how are you?" -"Baruch Hashem, everything is good".
As a child I was told I should ask God at the Western Wall for anything that I wanted. I remember going there and asking for good marriage for my uncle, for career success for my other uncle, for success for myself at school, etc. All of my requests were materialized in reality, which was a good boost for my young spiritual life.
So now I finally live here.
I rent a two room apartment in Rehavia, one of the nicest neighborhoods in town. It's a magical neighborhood, with beautiful white brick houses, lots of trees and colorful flowers all around, and a very special human atmosphere too.
Other neighborhoods and parts of the city are gorgeous too, including the German Colony, Katamon, Ein Karem, Beit Hekerem and more. Perhaps I'll talk about some of those places in the next posts.