November 5, 2009

Bob’s Sabbatical

November 5, 2009 – Jewish Spirituality (or
Spiritualities)

 

            Andrew Mayes
began the morning with a reading from Deuteronomy 6:4-9, “Hear, O Israel, the
Lord your God is One….”  He then went on
to talk about eight marks of Jewish spirituality: Creation, Covenant, Continuity,
Community, Celebration, Connections, Combat and Challenge.  He referenced Martin Buber’s I and Thou,
in thinking about how to encounter one another as equals, not as objects.  It made me think about the theme of General
Convention last summer, “Ubuntu,” which is the African concept that, “I am,
because you are.”  The bottom line is
that we are all in this together.

            After
lunch we went to the “Shrine of the Book,” and the Model of Jerusalem – both parts
of the Jerusalem Museum.  The Model (1:50
scale) is of Jerusalem as it looked in the year 66, just before the revolt against
the Romans (who, among other things sacrificed pork on the Altar of the
Temple), which resulted in the destruction of the city and the 2^nd
Temple.  As the model shows, Jerusalem
was twice the size of the Old City today, it was an ancient city at its peak.

            The
Shrine of the Book is covered by a roof in the shape of a lid to one of the
pots which hid the Dead Sea Scrolls form the Romans (and everyone else) until a
shepherd found the first one in 1948 in one of the Qumran caves.  These were inhabited by an Essene sect of
Judaism which was very conservative, and, among other things, thought Temple
worship of their day was no longer “Holy.” 
Archeologists found more scrolls, hidden in pots in caves in a
mountainside near the Red Sea.  They contain
all but two books of the Old Testament, as well as many worship materials and
rules of life for the Essene community. 
No pictures were allowed inside the museum.

            Note:
from today’s “Haaretz” Newspaper: ‘Ministry Plans to Slash Tax on New Cars to
60%.”  That’ll get your attention!  Right now, the tax on a new car is something
like 85%, down from 95% in 2005. 
Currently, the average age of cars on the road here is 7 years old.  Few cars you see on the street do not have
dents.  Walking and driving here is truly
by “jungle rules.”  Pedestrians are
supposed to have the right-of-way, but you have to be pretty brave to step off
the curb around here.

            After
dinner, the Rev. Canon Robert Edmonds who is the Chaplain to the Bishop and
Canon Pastor at the Cathedral spoke about the ministry in this province, made
up of Israel, Jordan, Syria, and Northern Africa.  There are 37 congregations.  They have strong educational and hospital
ministries.  Susan and I hope to at least
see, and perhaps participate in some of their work during the days we are here
after the course ends.

            Tomorrow
we go to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

Peace,

   Bob