L'Shana Tovah

Happy Jewish New Year to those of you who celebrate it!

Cuernavaca supposedly has a small Jewish community but it’s very orthodox and very closed. So closed that I haven’t yet met a single Jew out in the community. But I did find the Eichel, the Jewish nursing home, and they welcomed me to their high holiday services today. Louisa, another Rotary scholar who just arrived this week from Australia, came with me.

I will admit that it was a bit awkward for me. The tiny synagogue is set up for orthodox services with women in the back, which I’m not a fan of. The services were led by two visiting rabbis from Argentina who essentially chanted the entire prayerbook without ever stopping to give a page number or a sermon or anything. That was hard because the entire prayerbook was in biblical Hebrew, and my Hebrew is extremely spotty. On the other hand, it was beautiful to hear them singing and praying with such passion. I wish I could’ve recorded it, but that’s definitely not okay by Orthodox rules.

I stayed afterward for a blessing over the wine and then left, despite Mr. Samuel Bigeleisin’s insistence that I stay to eat. I was already feeling a little out of place after the three-hour service and I just didn’t feel comfortable staying any longer. I hope he wasn’t offended.

I’m glad I was able to find the nursing home, even if it was a little…different. But I definitely miss spending the holidays with my family and friends. It was strange to eat the steak my “mom” had prepared for lunch all by myself since I got home late from services (though it was a really, really good steak!).

I’m sure this will turn out to be a great new year – it’s already starting out with this incredible adventure in Mexico! Chag sameach.