I read the first chapter of Megillah (Book of Esther) Sunday night at Pardes. I was nervous as all hell and had been practicing since December. Being first and having to open with the Blessings in front of a room of 120+ was somewhat nerve racking--I don't think I have sung in public in some time! But after some deep breathing exercises and imagining that I was up there all alone it went smoothly. Some girlfriends and I decided to not think too hard on costumes, each bought a wig gathered up some garbage bags, table cloths and duct tape and went wild. The night was a lot of fun but a combo of not eating and a lot of drinking meant I was in bed before midnight...
I woke up the next morning and headed to the Old City where I read Megillah again. This time with Women at the Wall. Women at the Wall is a group of Women who have tried to make a voice for themselves within communal prayer. They gather once a month to do a Rosh Chodesh Torah service however they are not permitted to read at the Western Wall itself. Therefore they read at the Southern Wall Excavations. This is due to the fact that the Western Wall is technically an Orthodox synogague and there according to Orthodoxy there are Halachic problems with women being a part of a Torah service. The Halachot however are different when it comes to reading the Megillah. Many Orthodox communities have adopted Women or mixed Megillah services. So when Purim roles around Women at the Wall read Megillah at the Kotel (Western Wall). I was expecting some sort of controversy but was pleasently suprised that we were only met with curious stares. Looking back I really wish I had a camera to document the experience...Again I was up first. However this time it wasn't my nerves but my neaseua that was making me anxious. Luckily I read almost on auto-pilot and made fewer mistakes than I had the night before!
It was my first trip back to the Old City since August. I live a 20 minute walk away. It was my backyard the last time I spent time here in 1999. I think that is why I hesitate to go back. On one hand it is so familiar and on the other hand I just realize how much of a different person I am today than I was back then. So much of me has changed. To be a part of the Women at the Wall experience was a good way to get me back there. Maybe I won't let another 7 months pass by before visiting again.
I returned home to nurse the hangover some more and made it to my friend's Annie and Marni's later that day for Seudah (big festive meal). In the spirit of paying it forward I was on hand passing out glasses of water to all those with potential hangovers the next morning. We then headed over to town where the city of Jerusalem had put on a street fair. It was super cool to see the whole place lit up for the holiday and everyone walking around in costume. It kinda reminded me of being in Ireland during Holoween but I was having more fun this time around. The big show was HaDag Nachash--Israel's hottest hip hop group. Here are some photos from the holiday. I know I haven't uploaded anything for a while--you know the technology shpeil...but here are a few to enjoy in the meanwhile:
Here are the Lovely Ladies of 4 Mendele and 6 Jabotinsky:
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