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| Pilgrims waiting to be baptized in the Jordan River |
AT THE JORDAN RIVER
Israel Pilgrimage—1987
The
pilgrims line up
at
the popular baptismal site
on
the banks of the Jordan
donned
in flowing white robes
rented
from a vendor
on
the way in
One
by one our rabbi[1]
listens
to words of testimony
and
dips each believer backward
as
their brothers and sisters
sing
softly on the shore
After
they emerge
washed
clean in that murky old river
they
shed their rented robes
and
are funneled through
a
narrow aisle
where
souvenir bottles
of
Jordan River water
where
olive wood sheep
and
olive wood shepherds
tee
shirts and postcards
and
holy this and blessed that
are
offered—
for
a price
Our
driver hurries us along
beckons
us to the bus
The
motor’s running
Quick! Or you’ll miss
the camel ride
through the
wilderness tonight!
And
despite renting and hawking
despite
murky water
and
tight tour agendas, we know
the
sincere emersion
of
each contrite sinner
has
filled the heavens
with
hallelujahs
this
glorious day
Maude Carolan
Pych
[1]
Messianic Pastor/Rabbi Jonathan Cahn of Beth Israel Worship Center at the
Jerusalem Center, Wayne, NJ.
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