Tsfat Part 2: taking journey within
- Vivian Chaya Russo
- Oct 24, 2019
- 2 min read
Continuing my picturesque second stay in the holy city of Tsfat, I was blessed to meet all kinds of people. Among them, was a young Italian lady at the Bed and Breakfast learning for a month. I also made a new buddy with a woman from Mexico living in LA who was also there for an extended period of time. With the latter I connected by having a conversation in Spanish. This last newfound friend showed me around the alleys that were unfamiliar to me before to cut through the crowd of tourists in the Artists Quarter. It was an improvised walking tour on less famous streets. Yet it was breathtaking as usual. My friend from Mexico was headed to Ascent, the famous Chabad-run hostel and learning center in Tsfat. That day I enoyed discovering every little corner and hidden jem, then went back to my host. I've had enough sit-down learning for the day. Besides, I had to rest before a special Rosh Chodesh (Jewish new month) event that night.
The mandatory sightseeing includes the Goodbar health store. A local staple of healthy juices and homemade granola bars, free of any added junk. Tsfat is a city that caters both to the body and soul. I became a usual to get my daily smoothie, I also stock up on yummy snacks to keep me going while on the run.
The Rosh Chodesh event was a real novelty for me, I didn't know Rabbi Anava's center had that. Made for women, with a Guest Speaker and delicious food. It was on the month of Sivan and the lecture was about health. The speaker was a famous Rabbi and Doctor from the Rambam Insitute of Tsfat, who shed some light on how to be a Torah Jew in all our ways. He covered a subject most observant people neglect, diet. It was refreshing and interesting. And taking place over a balcony with breathtaking views of the Galil. It was so lovely to have a hotel room turn into a conference room.
On Tuesday I got a full morning of Pearls of Wisdom courtesy of Rabbi Anava. It is a real treat to listen to him in person and not through a screen. Afterwards I went around the holy sites I had yet to see. I visited both Ari Synagogues, the Sephardic & Ashkenazi ones. Also Rabbi Yosef Caro's synagogue (author of the Shulchan Aruch, code of Jewish Law). And came upon a new underground ancient city that has an exposition you can walk through.
That night the fun continued with another special event right after Rosh Chodesh Sivan, also at Rabbi Anava's center. This time it was a Kabbalistic Meditation for Men & Women to maximize the energy of the month. It started with a lecture and then we did some practice that spanned over an hour. It was intese but interesting.
Those three days really got me acquainted with Tsfat on a local level. I was going around public transportation with buses when walking was too much. The experience was comprehensive and fun. I am very blessed to have been able to do it. Baruch Hashem.
To life!
Vivian Chaya Russo
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