Tisha B'Av

Today we began at the City of the David and make our way through historical ruins of the Old City. It was my first time walking through the water tunnels under the city of David to the pools of Shiloach, also known as Siloam. This was a bit like spelunking with 6inches to a foot and a half of water flowing. It was intense walking this in the dark. Two people ahead of me had a flashlight and a person behind me so I it was a faith walk. Several of us sang spirituals and Hebrew songs on our hike in the tunnels.

Today’s discussions revolved of claims to the land and the Temple mound. We all felt a bit tense after seeing a new movie that provided a revisionist history of King David and the claim to the land of Israel through him. It seemed as if he were trying to connect intellectually and historically instead of people on a spiritual journey together.

We had a powerful service at the progressive synagogue, Kol Haneshama observing Tisha B’Av. First we spoke with Rabbi Levi Kellman who founded the synagogue in his living room. He shared a painful story where one orthodox rabbi saw women dancing with a Torah from the window and he brought other folks to confront this progressive community. Ironically, the confrontation received a great deal of press, which helped the community’s membership. Now it is a thriving community.

They chanted Aicha/Lamentations with its unique mournful trope and interspersed between the chapters were modern Israeli poets and niggunim/Jewish melodies. The lights were out and people read the text with flashlights and candles. The klutz I am kicked a plate of candles and scalded my foot with hot wax at the end of the service. It still burns.

We closed the evening with an earnest discussion of what people thought of the service. Many people explored the connection of the destruction of the temple and exile, to their gay experience. We did this at a place where there is a beautiful view of the temple mound. We sat on picnic blankets and talked for an hour and then hiked 45 mins home. I fast for Tisha B’Av until tomorrow night.

By the way, Jerusalem is amazing at peace and calm. We walked through the city and felt like things are normal. It has been wonderful to be here.