This year in Jerusalem...a Pesach Dream Come True

 This was our first Pesach in Jerusalem.  For years we have ended our Pesach seders with the words, "Next Year in Jerusalem."  This year those words have become a reality.  Another first for us was attending a child's seder as a guest.  Yes, we did do some cooking for the meal, but this year I did not lead the seder.  As worried as I was about how that change of roles would feel, I must say it was very satisfying.  Yehoshua used many of our "home" tunes, engaged the kids in questioning and discussion, and helped create a purely joyous feel to the seder.

We walked home from the seder at 3:30 a.m. and went to sleep at 4 a.m.  That gave us only 4.5 hours before we needed to walk to the Conservative Yeshiva Shul on Agron for the first day of Pesach service.  The shul was re-opened for the first time in a year and only 12 individuals showed up, but it felt good to participate in the re-opening of the shul by leading Shacharit and Hallel.  

In the afternoon of the first day, we joined Yehoshua and family once again for the major meal of the day.  And then, as could be expected, we returned home to nap for several hours.

The first day of chol Hamoed here was incredible.  So many people were out on the streets.  There were street performers, music, dancing, and general revelry.  We walked to see the Mamilla Mall (hoping to find a kosher l'Pesach restaurant to eat in, but alas they were so crowded we decided to walk across the street and enter the Old City via the Jaffa Gate.  We did wind our way down to the Kotel with approximately 20,000 others who had the same idea.  Charlie made his way to the wall and joined a mincha minyan.  I stood back only glimpsing at the wall from a distance.

Now the rest of the week, our apartment will be open to guests on each day of Chol Hamoed. It feels good to be able to be socialable once again.






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