A very special Shabbat experience in Jerusalem

Shabbat is the day of rest and the seventh day of the week in Judaism. The day is defined with the cycle of the sun; it begins at sunset on Friday and ends at sunset on Saturday. The idea of Shabbat originates from the Torah’s creation myth, the story of how God created the Universe and Earth in six days. On the seventh day, shabbat, he rested.

On Shabbat, observant Jews cease working, using electronics, driving and cooking. Instead, they spend the day resting, studying the Torah and spending time with family.  The beginning of shabbat is welcomed by lighting candles and prayers, followed by the traditional Shabbat dinner. On Shabbat morning, prayers are offered and in the evening, the Havdalah (‘separation’) service marks the symbolic end of Shabbat and the beginning of a new week.

Being in Jerusalem during Shabbat is a unique experience, one that I was very lucky to have. Unlike other Israeli cities such as Tel Aviv, Jerusalem closes down for Shabbat. Before sunset on Friday, the shops, restaurants and businesses of the Western part of the city close and all public transportation ceases to run. For tourists, this may not be ideal, but Shabbat can actually be a wonderful experience if you make the most of it.

For example, there are several tour companies that offer Shabbat experiences, where they pay a Jewish family to take tourists in for the Friday night dinner. I considered this experience, but I was lucky to be invited to a Shabbat dinner by a friend.

Shortly before sunset, I met up with my friend Rory from South Africa, who I’d met a few days earlier. He is Jewish and had previously told me a lot about the Faith but I was eager to learn more. He took me to the best rooftop in town, at the home of the most wonderful and hospitable family I’ve ever known. They keep their house open for anyone wanting to experience their view and have welcomed me with open arms twice. They have the best view of the Western Wall in the city, so it was the perfect place to watch the opening prayers of Shabbat.

We had been invited to a shabbat dinner that same evening. It was with a family that Rory knows, who have big shabbat dinners every Friday, inviting strangers and friends to join in for free. Since no electronics were allowed, I obviously didn’t take any pictures of the special evening. I was actually relieved as it gave me the opportunity to be fully engaged in the conversations instead of acting as an awkward photographer.

We were greeted with smiles and handshakes and soon found a place to sit amongst the other guests. There were more people there than I had expected, but the more the merrier. I was seated next to Rory and Shula, who was a wonderful help for understanding all the rituals. She was very insightful and didn’t mind sharing about the Faith. I learned a lot from her.

The evening started with prayers and song before moving on to the first course, bread with hummus and vegetables and wine or soda. As the evening went on, more prayers and songs were offered and food kept finding its way to our tables. I hadn’t told anyone about my vegan diet as I didn’t want to be of any trouble, but when the wife of the family saw that I hadn’t touched any meat or dairy, she brought me a hummus salad. I was amazed at their incredible hospitality. They were feeding so many people, giving us a unique experience and didn’t expect a single penny in return.

I learned so much about Judaism on this wonderful evening. It’s a religion that always seemed so mysterious and distant to me as I never knew any Jews and never learned much about the religion in school. Christianity and Islam have been part of my life for as long as I remember, and recently the Bahá’í Faith, but I’ve only just started scratching the surface of Judaism. I’m forever thankful for this opportunity to learn and witness one of the many traditions of Judaism first hand!