Ani Zocher:
Pilgrims' Stories
Poland Seminar 2003,
by Josh Nason, SWUSY
One of the great things about Israel is the chance to see the diversity of Jewish culture. I
don't just mean different observance levels, but the way in which Judaism developed in so many
different countries. In America we are used to a fairly straightforward, Ashkenazi version of
Judaism. In Israel, the different cultures within our people stand out.
It was during my free weekend that I got the most real taste of this. I was spending Shabbat
with family friends in Rana'na, right outside Tel Aviv. That Friday afternoon, a friend of theirs
came over to invite me to have Shabbat dinner with their family. I graciously accepted the
invitation, not expected anything different from what I was used to in America.
On my way to shul, my host asked me whether I had ever been to a Yemenite shul. Not even
realizing that there existed such a thing, I responded that I had not. As we walked in, I heard
the whole shul chanting Kabbalat Shabbat together in unison. The tune struck me immediately, it
was unlike anything I'd ever heard before. It sounded like a strange tribal song, certainly
unlike the typical Karlebach Shabbat tunes I was used to.
As soon as Ma'ariv was finished we headed home for dinner. Even the food was so different from
what I was used to on Shabbat. Instead of Challah, we said Hamotzi over home-made Pita Bread.
Rather than Chicken Soup, we ate a spicy beef soup, of which no one was permitted to remove any
meat from the pot until all the soup was gone (so as not to destroy the flavor). The rest of the
meal continued this pattern with beef and rice, all taking on a distinctive Yemenite flavor that
I'd never tasted before.
We finished up the meal by learning from the Shulchan Aruch (something their family did at the
table every Friday night). I walked home that night with a new appreciation for the true
diversity of Judaism, and an appreciation for the small pockets of Jewish culture that you find
"Rak B'Yisrael" (Only in Israel).
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