Shabbat Shalom

Shabbat Shalom


Shabbat Shalom everyone! In the past 11 months, tonight was the first time I have said the Kiddush and the Ha-Motzi before dinner with Amitai. But first let me introduce him.

My friend Amitai, who I mentioned in the last blog, is from Israel. He is 23 and spent the last 3 years of his life in the Israeli army as a Medic. He came to china because he did not know what to do with his life and thought it would be nice to spend a couple months here in the academy. I have talked to him in the past and told him that I am Jewish. I even told him about how I went to Sunday School to learn about Judaism since I was 5, went to Hebrew school to learn how to read and chant prayers for my Bar Mitzvah, and spent many Fridays in my Temple for Shabat. He told me about how religious he is in Israel. He doesn't go to Temple often but keeps kosher because of his parents, but he would like to start being more religious since he is away from home. I said, "Ill teach you some prayers that I know." He said he knows a few from family gathering for holidays back in Israel. I told him about time I went to Israel with my best friend, my Rabbi who is my best friend's dad, and other temple members. He was shocked that I have been to Israel. 


We shared stories about the places I been to, the amazing Shwarmas I've had, even told him the few Hebrew words I remember. Amitai was shocked I knew how to speak a little so he offered to teach me in exchange for me helping him out in class. I agreed. So over the weeks I learned how to count to ten, say the basics like how much, thank you, your welcome, even learned how to say, "You have beautiful eyes." The lessons have been fun. Then one day Amitai told me that its Rosh Hashana on the 28th of September. He told me that we must celebrate it and that his dad sent us a list of prayers and a list of food we need to buy to eat on the day! 


I asked how do they celebrate it in Israel. They have big parties and no one goes to work or school and everyone eats apples and honey...along with plenty of wine. He asked how I celebrated it in Temple. I told him how I would skip school to spend the whole day in services and the songs and prayers we sing and of course the apples and honey...and wine. We agreed to celebrate it here along with Sam and another Israeli guy who just joined the academy.

The past few Fridays I would see Amitai after training all sweaty, tired, in training clothes, and he would ask why am I not dressed for Shabbat? I'd laugh and ask him about his training. But today was different. When I saw Amitai in line for dinner he yelled out while shaking my hand, "SHABBAT SHALOM!" Then he told me he had a surprise and so sit next to him at dinner. When I sat down he pulled out a bottle of Grape Juice, poured us each a glass, and told me to say the Kadish with him. Well we stood up from the table, not paying attention to the other people at our table starring at us with food in their mouths, and said the prayer. Then he said, "Grab a noodle." "Why?" I asked. "We have no bread!" he told me. I laughed so hard and grabbed a noodle. Once again we said the prayer in unison and ate the noodle, which he said to dip in salt first...not sure why. Then we sat down with the rest of the table, I told him, "Botah Avon," (a Hebrew word that he taught me which means Bon  apatite) and we began eating. 


I was not suprised when Darel,one of the guys at the table asked, "What the heck did you guys just do?" I told him and the rest of the table who was listening about Shabbat and that we say prayers before we eat. Then he said, "You guys have a lot of Holidays huh?" I told him about the High Holy days that were coming up, Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur. Again he asked what they were about. Amitai told me to explain because he was not very religious back home. So I explained what the High Holy days were about and the traditions. Then I said, "After Yom Kippur its Hanukah! You know that one right?" Amitai corrected me,"No its Sukkot!" 


I can't believe I forgot that and then I explained about the Sukka and other traditions we do on that day. Afterward Amitai named the next holiday which I explained the traditions. So I told them about Simchat Torah, Purim, Pesach (Passover), and many others. With each Holiday came many traditions and with many traditions came a lot of food and of course...the wine drinking. Told them about the commandment that said 'You have to drink so much that when you read the Megillah (story of Esther and Haman) you can not tell the difference from the Good guy (Mordecai) and the Bad guy (Haman)'. Then on Passover you must drink a glass of wine after each prayer. 


Darel, the guy who asked all the questions, said, "Sure looks like you guys like to get drunk." Everyone laughed but Amitai looked a little insulted. I said, "Many of our holidays involve suffering, pain, and death. The story of Hanukah isn't about Santa Claus and presents, its about the Menorah lasting 8 days when it only had oil for one day left and the Brave Macabees who fought the Greeks to protect their temple from destruction. Purim was about a evil guy who wanted to KILL all of the Jews! Passover was about the Jewish people who have been slaves for decades and finally was saved by Moses! You think we drink just to get drunk? No, we share these stories with our families and friends to REMEMBER, the hard times our ancestors had to go through and the hardships they had to deal with. 


We drink to rejoice that the hardships are now over and we can live peacefully, for however long that may be. So to say we just like to get drunk is not correct, but we Jews.....sure know how to party! Everyone laughed at that last statement which seemed to lighten the mood a little. Even Amitai laughed and started telling us about the crazy parties in Israel. 

Out of the 11 months I been training at the academy, tonight was my favorite night. I miss my temple friends and being in temple. Tonight brought back many memories of the time I celebrated holidays with family and friends, but now I will make new memories with my new friends who are like family to me.

Shabbat Shalom.

-Scott