Kotel. Gold. Stone. Seminary. Arnona (location of Midreshet Lindenbaum). Home. I asked one of my daughters and my friends who just returned from a year of study in Israel what comes to mind when I say the word Jerusalem. Their answers above reflect how we might also respond. We face east to daven, reminding us of the overwhelming loss of the Beit HaMikdash; yet, our daily davening as well as the words said at the Pesach Seder and end of Neilah, L’Shana Habah b’Yerusalayim, instill hope for the rebuilding of our spiritual and national center.
Look at the bustling city it has become – with yeshivas, seminaries, mosdos, restaurants, apartments, hotels, archeology come to life and the kaleidoscope of Jews, Sabras and those ingathered from all over the world. Friday morning at Machane Yehudah is proof positive!
Cities like Tel Aviv may have beaches, nightlife and a hi-tech center, but Jerusalem, at its core, is the place. The overall air pulsates with the kedusha of why we have returned to the land. The dry bones have come to life. Amidst the mundane we should never forget the miracle of Jerusalem today.
