There is a moment, when all of a sudden
every path you've walked down suddenly converges into one. The heavy vines and
brush have been cleared, chopped and hacked away. All that is seemingly left,
is a well-lit path that glistens in the sun and sparkles in the night. You have
found your path. Your destiny. That "thing" you know you are meant to
be doing. That "thing" that you have to do, because it chose
you.
I had that moment several months
ago. I was pondering how I could combine my love for Israel with my future as a
writer. In a flash, as if it had been there all along, "Shabbat Across
Israel" came to my mind. I began furiously typing the idea, lest I forget
it. I found my path, and after years of wandering through a metaphorical desert
(I don't know how the ancient Hebrews did it for 40 years...two years of being
"lost" was enough for me!) Metaphorical Deserts aside..I truly
believe everything in my life has led me to this.
Growing up, I
had the pleasure of sitting down with my entire family (great-grandmother
included) every Friday night to share the Shabbat Meal. Our dinners gave me a
strong connection to Judaism that I wouldn’t have found otherwise, and an
extremely powerful sense of family. By
the time I was eighteen, I had been through roughly 936 Friday night Shabbat
dinners at my Grandparent's house--but on June 2, 2006 the chair at the head of
the table was empty for the first time. The sudden passing of my invincible
Grandfather showed me the importance of my family's weekly tradition, for in
the midst of sorrow, observing the Sabbath held us together.
That realization got me thinking--when
we examine the history of The Jewish People, we see a history filled with
persecution. So how is it that after thousands of years we are still one of the
major religions of the world? What is it that has kept us strong throughout the
generations?
I believe the glue that holds us together
is the Sabbath; I am embarking on a journey across Israel to explore the
meaning of this tradition in all walks of Jewish life across the ethnic and
socio-economic spectrum. The mission is to express the collective Jewish
family through the observation and experience of Shabbat Across Israel.
This research will not only benefit the Jewish people, but it will show all people
the true value of coming together as a family, demonstrating that family is the
thread of every individual’s life, weaving together generations.
My immediate goal is to write a memoir
discussing my Shabbat experiences across Israel. Each experience will be a
unique look into the traditions of a family and community, highlighting the act
of a family coming together. This book will serve as a means of connecting
families, and the Jewish community across the world; as we live our hectic
lives, we often need to be reminded that religion, and the traditions that come
with it are not archaic, but rather a beautiful and spiritual experience to be
shared with loved ones and passed on to younger generations.
The ultimate goal is to facilitate a conversation among
young adults about the importance of tradition, and how they relate to it; as we race towards the future, it has
never been more important for young adults to understand who they are and where
they come from. I feel that beginning a conversation on the importance of our
traditions in today’s fast paced world is vital to maintaining the Jewish
people’s place in it, as a growing amount of teenagers and adults are rejecting
their traditional heritage- to them it seems archaic.
Now, you have to understand...when I
first set out to do this, I never imagined how excited other people would be
about it. But, the response from both Jewish and Non-Jewish Communities has
been overwhelming. Today, I spoke with a family friend, Bryan David Scott, who
is a self-described “Mick from San Francisco”. He was so touched by my story,
and by the act of observing the Sabbath. We spoke for nearly an hour,
and I was truly humbled by his support of this project, by his love and
respect of the Sabbath and of the Jewish Community.
I may have found my path, but there is no way I can walk down it alone. In order to
accomplish this research, I need to raise $45,000 to cover the initial
expenses. I would like to offer you the opportunity to be a part of this
exciting, new research project that will play a phenomenal role in the Jewish
Future. A financial sponsorship would enable me to conduct my research across
Israel for the next year. For you, it will mean participating in an endeavor
that will demonstrate your commitment to community, and show a dedication among
people of all faiths towards the preservation of family.
If you or your company is interested in learning more about "Shabbat Across Israel", please view the facebook page and contact me through there, or at
AJR5127@GMAIL.COM
Thank You.
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| My family, gathering to observe the Passover Sedar |
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