Shabat in Tsfat: made at the end but planned from the start

Last May I got the opportunity to go to the Holy Land staffing the Akiva trip for Young Jewish Professionals ages 18-30 for 2 weeks. Then I extended my stay 3 more weeks, visiting family & friends. As I go into the details in future posts, Hashem's intervention will surely be evident.

As we arrived to Ben Gurion airport we were a group of people from different backgrounds all a little unsure of what was to come. Anticipation was racing through me. What brought us together was being Jewish and we were about to deepen that connection. Our first stop was Jerusalem for a night then headed North.

Of the two shabbatots with the group, the first one was in the holy city of Tsfat. Known to be the center of Kabbalah & Jewish mysticism throughout the centuries and even today. The city oozes with holiness, rising to its zenith during Kabbalat Shabat, Receiving the Sabbath, the beginning of the holiest day of the week. There are few experiences in the world that compare to singing Lecha Dodi* in the place where it was written over 400 years ago, while overlooking the breathtaking mountains of the Galil. It is surely one of the highlights of my trip and I'm very grateful that I got to experience it.

An amazing perk of the Akiva Trip is that we got to bask in the holiness of Tsfat for 3 nights, something very unusual in Israel programs. While doing the signature walking tour of the old city we fed both our bodies & souls. Strolling down cobblestone narrow streets with pieces by local artists, going to the famous cementery of blue tombstones with countless Tzadikim, rightheous people. Rabbi Klatzko, our fearless leader, treated the group to local artisan samples from a Cheese Factory and Ice Cream scoops to beat the heat.

The title of this post references one of the poetic verses of Lecha Dodi. It praises the depth of Shabat, its implications for the Jewish people since creation and until today. It captures the essence of the ambiance felt while visiting Tsfat. In coming posts I will continue to share experiences of my Summer in Israel BH.

To Life,

Vivian Chaya Russo

#LechaDodi #Kabbalah #Tsfat

*Note: Lecha Dodi, translated as "Come My Beloved", is the mystical hymn composed by Rabbi Shlomo HaLevi Elkabetz in the 1500s. Jewish communities all over the world sing it to usher in Shabat.