My trip to the Synagogue was a very edifying experience. First, it is a Conservative Egalitarian synagogue-it is not Orthodox. That means you won't see the black garments that ultra-orthodox Jews will wear and there is no separation between men and women (except, of course, for the bathrooms). The building itself is a renovated school with learning areas, two kosher kitchens, a small shop where one can purchase menoras, skull caps, wine, prayer shawls and mezuzahs, walls adorned with framed art and even walls that are visually and spatially dedicated to deceased members of their Jewish community. The sense of community that I felt from just visiting there was quite profound.
It is one thing to learn about another religion; and it is an entirely different thing to see it for yourself. The synagogue at Beth Jacob is architecturally similar to the original temple that was destroyed in 70 AD. The Torah scrolls they have are over 100 years old. We were allowed to look at a section from Genesis...dark brown wooden scrolls with parchment paper, Hebrew lettering handwritten with black ink by a learned Rabbinical Scribe, smudges from the oils left behind by many fingertips over time. All this, I know, is only a small inkling of the sense of history and community that they cherish so much. I have such a deep respect for the Jewish people, their sense of community and their history-and it is a respect I hope to view more closely by one day visiting Israel.
May God bless me with that opportunity someday.
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