At 4:40, a large group of us left for Yakar. There was no room but most of the girl managed to get seats, and I did by chance as well, right up front by the mechitzah. The service was absolutely beautiful, and it was exactly what I wanted. I had my friends around and yet I was totally alone to talk to God and look within myself. We also had the added bonus of hitting the cute kid jackpot, today as well, and I will not be surprised if I accidentally steal children from shul next week.
After Yakar, Razie and I were determined to begin singing in the middle of the street, so we stole some Bkol Echads (songbooks) from Beit Nativ (we returned them!) and some friends and we plopped down in the middle of our five way intersection! Our circle grew and grew until almost all 80 of us were sitting there, singing at the top of our lungs and smiling at each other because of the incredible moment we created. At least a hundred people stopped on their walks home from shul to stand around us (I know because our circle was about 80 people in circumference and there was at least one person deep behind each seated Nativer) and people were coming up to us and thanking us/complimenting us/asking us about what we were doing and they were singing along and at one point, although we tried to keep the mood Yom Kippur appropriate, we started singing very upbeat songs and strangers started to dance with us in the street! Ohhhhh my goodness it was a beautiful moment. It ended with the singing of Hatikva and then we all hugged and retired to our sleeping quarters.
I woke up so so early this morning (6:15!!!) because a small group of us were very determined to get into the most popular shul in Jerusalem, Shira Chadasha, a Modern Orthodox minyan with a cotton mechitzah straight down the middle. The shul is a big community center, and it is not ornate but instead it is just open and clean, and the main draw is the great singing. I didn't like the voice of the woman who led Shacharit, but the Chazzan and the woman who led the Torah service both had very beautiful voices. Women did everything in the service except for read Torah, including Haftarah, Gabbi, Shacharit, etc. I sat in the very first seat in front of the ark and next to the Mechitzah, so I was front and center when about a dozen little girls came up to sing responsively before the Torah service. It was so cute/perfect/adorable!!
I ended up not going back in after Yizkor because I was just too freezing cold, so I did Mussaf by myself-plus Shara-in the courtyard (the windows were open so I could hear the congregation while doing my own thing), and after we were finished we walked home with John and Meir. The traditional Yom Kippur nap called out to us, and we could not resist the temptation, so then we slept.
After napping, it was time for a little reading up on Jonah and the like. I didn't feel like going out for Mincha, so I read over the Torah and Haftarah in my bed and found it enlightening. I love the idea of a forgiving God! After my reading, Shara, Becca and I walked to the Cotel for Neila. There were no organized minyans on the women's side, but that was fine with us, and we prayed by ourselves in the whipping wind. With moments to go, we went up to kiss the wall and the Shofars erupted and we celebrated! We walked home through the Old City swiftly, although I wasn't even that hungry. It was the easiest fast of my life, and I was so fulfilled by the holiday being everything I could have dreamed, and food didn't even seem like a necessity at the time.
That isn't to say that the cake when we got home went unappreciated. After the break fast meal we hung out and debriefed and now it is late so I must say good night!
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