The Jewel of the Whole Earth

View from Mount Scopus, Jerusalem

MOUNT SCOPUS

Israel Pilgrimage—2006

It’s nighttime—

We arrive at Mount Scopus

overlooking Yerushalayim^[1]

The stars glimmer

in the heavens

and The City is lit up

like the jewel of all the earth

Wishful, I want

there to be fireworks

want the surroundings

to express the excitement

stirring inside of me—

Suddenly, I hear fireworks

boom, boom, booming

somewhere

although I cannot see

their luminous splendors

bursting in the sky

We partake of the fruit

of the vine—

our cup of blessing

as we prepare to enter in

Our rabbi prays

for the peace of Jerusalem

prays the Shema^[2]

prays the Shehekianu^[3]

covers his head

with a magnificent tallit^[4]

embellished with

the Star of David and the Lamb

He lifts his hands and prays

the Aaronic Benediction

Our joy cannot be contained—

This is the City of Our Great King

I watch a tear

trickle down

my rabbi’s face

Maude Carolan Pych

---

[1] Jerusalem

[2] The central prayer in the Jewish prayerbook (Siddur)

[3] A common Jewish prayer to celebrate special occasions

[4] prayer shawl

For details about ordering my little book of poems about pilgrimage, scroll to the end of the blog.