Passover Seder and Synagogue

A couple of weeks ago we all celebrated an early Passover with our Jewish studies professor, Ophir Yarden.  I wasn't sure what to expect, but we really did the entire production (it took 4 hours), complete with reading the Haggadah and going through the 15 parts, singing Hebrew songs, telling the Exodus story, breaking the matzah bread, drinking a lot of cups of grape juice, and eating a several-course meal :) Loved it all!

And tonight, again with  Ophir, a group of us went to an evening Shabbat service at a Reformed Jewish synagogue in West Jerusalem just after sunset.  That was a really cool experience-- the service was conducted in Hebrew, and almost entirely in the form of song, led by the rabbi.  Everyone in the congregation has a prayer book with just the words to the prayers (apparently they all just know the music already.)  I know little beyond the alphabet and a few expressions in Hebrew, but it was fun to put it to use and try to participate-- I knew more than I thought I did!  I just loved seeing the devotion of these people, and experiencing a full sunagogue service for the first time! Good thing to do in Israel, I think :)