I have been a longtime admirer of Rabbi David Wolpe. I have read several of his books, watched him debate atheists on television, and have listened to hours of the Shabbat sermons on mp3 he makes freely available to the world.
Finally, I also receive the rabbi's weekly newsletter via email. On the week my father passed away last August, the words in that bulletin were especially helpful to me. When I wrote to to tell Rabbi Wolpe how his message was so meaningful, during my time of mourning, I was so touched that he took the time to send me back a personal note. He's just that kind of rabbi.
So, despite that the journey to Sinai Temple was over an hour away. I hopped in a car that is not mine, navigated my way through streets and highways that are totally unfamiliar, and drove to Sinai Temple. It would have been nice if I didn't have to stop for gas on the way (oy vey!) but I survived that too.
Being a big synagogue, Sinai Temple regualary hosts over one thousand worshipers each week. It was delightful to celebrate Shabbat alongside so many other Jews. For one of the first times in my life, I did not feel in the minority. Instead, I was 1 Jew in a group of 1000. Wow. The energy in the room was vibrant as we sang, prayed, and enjoyed Shabbat together. It was an incredible experience.
I could not help but think about the parallel of getting to Israel. To find myself in a country, where I would be the majority, instead of the minority. While I love where I live in Northern Utah, I have always felt so alienated being known as the "one Jewish family" in town. In my state, Jews only make up 0.2% of the population. Even back when we lived in Phoenix, Jews only made up 1.7% of the state's population. Most people would be surprised to discover that Jews as a whole only make up 2.1% of the entire population in the United States. While we may be in the news alot - as a people we are very small in number. In Israel, Jews make up 75.5% of the population. Big difference.
Of course, while it was sweet to be side-by-side with so many of my Jewish brothers and sisters, I also got a taste of sour. I was very aware of the high security measures in place. The temple's private parking structure had security guards searching through every car that entered. Armed guards searched the purses and bags of all congregants as they entered the building. Every person was wanded with a metal detector device. And EVERY SINGLE EXIT in the temple had multiple armed security people guarding it.
This may seem over the top, however, it was only ten years ago that a white supremacist opened fire at the Los Angeles Jewish Community Center. And, just last month in Southern France, when a Jewish rabbi and three children were gunned down in front of Jewish Day School. A horrible fact of life is that Jews are often the targets of hate and terror.
This is something I am going to have to acknowledge is a danger in visiting Israel. The country exists in sea of other countries, that would prefer Israel be wiped off the map. While some countries have peace treaties - most do not. Just this last year, with the new turn in the government in Egypt, the first statement issued by new reigning Muslim Brotherhood was "Death to Israel". And let's not even talk about Iran - who every day calls for the destruction of Israel.
My wonderful visit at Sinai Temple gave me a wonderful glimpse of what it will be like to be in a large community of Jews. However, it also gave me a sobering insight into the danger I may face as a visitor. While this will not deter me from my journey, it has at least given me pause to stop and think about the possible consequences.
As I struck up the courage to get on the LA freeways (which I hate driving) I kept saying "Feel the fear and do it anyway". Following that guidance led me safely to where I was going. When it comes time to go to Israel, I will use the same mantra to negotiate through any fears I have. Afterall, the joy we experience upon arriving at our destination, outweighs the fears we have push through to get us there.
