A few days ago, I spent part of the morning in the Old City of Jerusalem. I was standing in front of the Kotel [the Western Wall] and was looking around the plaza. I realized how many different types of Jews (and some non-Jews) were there, seeking to connect with the Creator. There were those whose connection to Judaism (in the religious sense, as distinct from ethnic/cultural ‘Jewishness’) seemed, at least by appearance, to be peripheral and those whose appearance met all the stereotypes for the “Ultra-Orthodox” Jew. There were those who appeared to be clearly American (or other) tourists and those who appeared to be native Israelis. There were people who appeared to represent the spectrum of Jewish identity.

I use the word “appeared” here hesitantly. Something I have learned from the taxi drivers here is that using appearance as a basis for assessing religious piety or commitment can be very misleading and inaccurate. Yet despite these reservations, I felt that the Kotel was a perfect place to work on Ahavat Yisrael [loving all types of Jews]. As I looked around, I tried to reflect on the diversity and continuum of Jewish commitment and expression that was around me, and to realize that all of these individuals had come, just as I had, to the Kotel seeking to enhance their connection with Hashem. The contemporary disunity among the Jewish people, even (or perhaps especially) among different groups within Orthodoxy, is disquieting. This is something I will need to reflect on more and try to instill within myself a greater sense of Ahavat Yisrael.

Just read an interesting article entitled The Future of User Interfaces. It lists a number of real but not entirely mainstream technologies (i.e. niche or experimental) or technologies that are currently product specific. Interesting overview of some technologies that could potentially or even presently have impacted the way in which people interact with computers. Personally, I think that augmented reality, if it achieved mainstream adoption, would be the most socially impactive and economically disruptive.

I have been working to redesign this site both in terms of visual design and function. I am going to try to use it as a place to post shorter thoughts, reflections, happenings, links, etc. Hopefully that way I will be more consistent in posting. I am still working on the other pages of the site – hopefully very soon they too will have content.

I am spending Shabbat in Ma’ale Adumim – I haven’t been there yet and am looking forward to experiencing the community.

I have been back in Jerusalem for the past two weeks. I have been getting up to speed in terms of my learning and living here. The most interesting experience so far was a trip to the holy city of Hevron and the Ma’arat HaMachpelah ["Cave of the Patriarchs"], where according to our tradition, Adam and Chava, Avraham, Sarah, Yitzchak, Rivka, Ya’akov, and Leah are buried. A good portion of the Darche Noam students and Rebbeim came on the Tiyul, where we had a chance to pray at this sanctified site. Afterwards, we experienced a video/interactive presentation nearby about the history of the Gush Etzion area and the tremendous Mesirat Nefesh [self-sacrifice] that took place among the early settlers in defending the land both before the establishment of the State of Israel and afterwards.

Photos (including full-size originals) can be viewed and downloaded here.