Shabbat

Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest, is something taken very serious here. It starts Friday evening with a loud blow of the horn heard throughout the city. The Jewish people rush home to enjoy an evening of good food and family time. If you make your way through the streets, they are not only deserted but you can hear the families singing & enjoying each others company from their homes. It does make it tricky for us travelers to find food, taxi's and other needed things, so during Shabbat, which lasts until Saturday evening, we find ourselves hanging out in the Muslim quarter of the city. (The picture shows the deserted streets on a Shabbat which is so opposite to the bustling streets every other day).

I think this concept of Shabbat is somewhat unique. It's not unique in its notion; it is something we are all familiar with and something some try to keep. What makes it unique is that it works. Shabbat isn’t like our Christmas or Thanksgiving break which only happens once a year. Shabbat is something the Jewish people do week after week, month after month, year after year. And still life gets done. Their to-do lists still get checked off, businesses are still profitable, houses are still cleaned and friends are still visited. But it's all done with this Shabbat in mind. They take one full day to rest and spend time together without any shopping or major work being done. And it has been a good reminder for us that this notion isn't something altruistic for us. It isn't merely a rule to be followed but it provides a great rhythm to life which we hope to incorporate more as we return.

PS - as we write this (10:45 PM) a ton of loud firework sounds are going off. We really hope they are indeed fireworks!