Services were great. I have been thinking about how to blog this and I realized, I can’t. I do not know how to bring the outside world in to the High Holy Day experience.
I did have an incredible internal experience. Fasting and leading services at the same time makes me worried. Can I do it? Will I have the energy to carry it off?...HOW will I have the energy to carry it off? And it was clear to me during services where it comes from. I was channeling my high holy day experiences from my upbringing. I could hear the congregation I grew up in singing in harmony around me. I could hear the voice of my cantor in my head singing all of the liturgy I was singing, when I did the Priestly blessing, I could feel the arms and tallitot of my parents and brother around me, and when I was unsure of what to do, I felt the support of other important people in my life. It was pretty cool. I missed everyone. Being here is wonderful and it is far from home, far from the people I love. Being away on the holy days is tough.
No regret that I am here, it is just also true that I miss my home.
And on that note…I am so not ready to leave here. Last night at break fast, they presented me with a Yokosuka T-shirt and a sionara doll. She is a purple doll with a scroll wrapped around it-it is like Japanese art meets Torah scroll. It is wonderful. People got to sign it and I get to bring this beautiful doll home to display on my shelf and forever remember my time here.
On Sunday, we will be having a Sukkah Party. You will LOVE this sukkah. The CBs (Construction Builders) built it. It is a 16x16’ structure in front of a statue of Mary built out of 4x4 solid lumber. The guys who built it did so on their free time which was such a gift. The greatest part was trying to explain to the Petty Officer First Class in charge of this project what exactly a sukkah is. Explaining Judaism to the outside world is sometimes very strange…
After the sukkah party, the Shlessingers will be taking me to Kamakura, home of the Big Buddha and other beautiful ancient sites. Then back here for lots and lots of packing.
Monday is all business checking out and Captain Weed (the Commanding Officer for the whole base) has requested to see me again before I go. Lunch, check out of the BOQ and catching a bus up to Narita for the long flight home.
I hope everyone’s fasts are ending well. You are all almost there and I am thinking of you.
Shana Tova to all.
1 comment:
Have a safe journey home. You have traveled so far these past few weeks and have made such an impact on both sides of the Pacific.
We can't wait to see you!
Love M and D
PS. We shared those same memories of years past too, just 13 hours apart!
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