Rebbe Nachman's Chair, Israel Museum

Tuesday evening I was privileged to attend the opening of the new exhibit in the Israel Museum, Seated in Seclusion: Bratslav Hasidim and Contemporary Design. It's a photography exhibit of broken chairs in isolation symbolizing the popularity of the prayer in seclusion among followers of Bratslav Hasidim.

Hitbodedut – self-secluded prayer and introspection – is practiced by Bratslav Hasidim in forests throughout Israel. These Hasidim use the salvaged parts of old chairs to create “new” chairs for this very purpose. Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav (1772-1810) believed a regular practice of hitbodedut was perhaps the most important element in one’s relationship with God. In this state the Hasid addresses God directly, sharing his most personal prayers and thoughts without the mediation of a prayer book or synagogue, as he strives to achieve spiritual affirmation and restoration. (Israel Museum)

Catriel and Heidi Sugarman and I 

The most famous of the Bratzlav chairs is the one that had belonged to their rabbi, Rebbe Nachman. A few decades ago the chair was clandestinely sent to Israel, in pieces. The carpenter chosen to restore it was Catriel Sugarman, who at that time had a Judaica woodwork workshop on Shlomzion Hamalka Street, Jerusalem. He and his wife happen to be old friends of ours.

Curators of the museum exhibit contacted Sugarman and brought him to the synagogue where the chair is now located. They filmed his examination of the chair, reminisces, his descriptions of what he was given to work with and what he had to recreate. A short movie of that visit is part of the exhibition, and that's where we spent our time.

Catriel Sugarman, master Judaica craftsman/carpenter and writer

I must visit the exhibit another time to see the photographs and replicas of the broken chairs in situ. Yes, I do recommend seeing the exhibit and others in the Israel museum.

As part of the exhibition opening there were some speeches and a wonderful performance by Shuli Rand, a popular chassideshe singer and actor.

Shuli Rand

Giant Jug in Israel Museum Found in Shiloh

If you wander through the Israel Museum, as I sometimes do, you'll find this enormous jug in the Archaeology Department. Shiloh, yes, where I live, is more than just a vibrant town. There's a fascinating archaeological and tourist site, which is nicely maintained and always adding new and high tech exhibits.

Shiloh is the Biblical Shiloh, where the Tabernacle stood for almost four hundred 400 years. Shiloh was the spiritual and administrative capital of the Jewish People before King David ruled from Jerusalem. It was in Shiloh where Hannah prayed for a son.

In addition to seeing the jug in the Israel Museum, you can go to Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh, and see its original location. The site is open to visitors Sunday-Friday. For more information: Phone: 02-5789111, Fax: 02-9948011, visit@telshilo.org.il.

You can get to Shiloh by car or public transportation, Egged Taavura buses 461 and 463.

Shiloh is more than just another archaeological site. It's one of the Jewish People's holiest places, and many people come here to pray. For well over a decade I've been inviting women to join me on Rosh Chodesh, the beginning of the Jewish Month, which is traditionally known as a Women's Holiday.

Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers, Ellul, Sunday 1st of Ellul, 5779, September 1, 2019 at 8:30am, Shiloh Hakeduma, Tel Shiloh. For more information email me shilohmuse@gmail.com, subject: Rosh Chodesh.

תפילת נשים בראש חודש אלול תהיה יום א', א' באלול, ,8:30 1-9-2019 בשילה הקדומה, תל שילה. לפרטים נוספים , shilohmuse@gmail.com subject: Rosh Chodesh.

This is where the jug was found almost forty years ago.

Israel Museum, Peter Pan

The big exhibit now in the Israel Museum is about Peter Pan. I found it very interesting, though the "Peter Pan" I grew up with, singing along all the songs, wasn't included. I'm of the generation of Mary Martin's Peter Pan.  I would watch it every year on television. My mother bought the album, and I'd play it, sing along. Even today I know almost every song, and certainly can sing along, picturing it in "color," even though tv was black and white.

Visit the Israel Museum, and tell me what memories Peter Pan awake in you.

Early Lunch and Visit to Israel Museum

Yesterday I only had one of my Matan classes, so I was finished there before 10:30, and I had made a date with a friend visiting Jerusalem. Since we had a couple of hours and we were both hungry, we decided to go to the Israel Museum.

Mansfeld Café is always a good choice for a simple tasty dairy meal. For her it was breakfast, and for me it was an early lunch. I chose the Quiche of the Day, which was spinach. It comes with a fresh salad and was totally delicious.

After eating we found ourselves just wandering around various exhibits, not with any real plan. We didn't even check to see what's new. There is always so much to see in the Israel Museum, even in the permanent exhibits there are changes, since the museum has  so much in its storage facilities.

We really enjoyed looking at these beautiful and amazingly modern-looking jewelry in the Jewish Costume and Jewelry: A Matter of Identity gallery.

Right now, even though quite a few galleries are being redone with  new exhibits, there's still plenty to see. As the days get hotter, it's extra important to find places that are indoors. Parking is free, and there are a number of buses that you can take to the Israel Museum.

Ancient Beauty, Glass and More in The Israel Museum

One of my all-time favorite exhibitions in the Israel Museum is Glass through the Ages. During my recent visit, besides getting a last view of the Israeli Fashion exhibition, which has now closed, I entered the Archeology section to see the Glass exhibit and the giant Shiloh jug. For me visiting the jug is like paying proper respect to ancient ancestors.

Shiloh was the first Religious and Administrative Capital for the Jewish People, after the Return Home from slavery in Egypt. It was in Shiloh, and archeologists and Bible/Tanach scholars agree that my village Shiloh is that very Shiloh where Joshua had the Mishkan, Tabernacle erected to serve as a place for central Jewish prayer. The Tabernacle remained standing in Shiloh for 369 years.

This ancient jug/jar is much larger than others found in archeological sites, because Shiloh was a place of pilgrimage and had to be prepared to welcome large numbers of people to pray at the Tabernacle.

Following the capture of the Holy Ark and the death of Eli, the Head Priest, leadership was transferred to Samuel the Prophet who anointed the first two Jewish kings, Saul and David. King David decided to make the more central Jerusalem as Capital (main city,) the location of Mount Moriah, the "place," מקום Makom of miracles including Akeidat Yitzchak, The Binding of Isaac.

And now for some photos of the Ancient Glass. I truly find it ironic that something as fragile and delicate as glass could have survived thousands of years. We can liken glass to the Jewish People and Judaism. No other Ancient People/Religion has survived thousands of years the way we Jews have. We still celebrate the Holidays commanded to us thousands of years ago. We read the Torah and Gd's words. And we live in the same Land from which long dead nations had banished us. Please remember this on Seder night. Passover holiday is so soon.

Hurry to The Israel Museum Before Israeli Fashion Exhibit Closes

I've been through the Fashion Statements: Decoding Israeli Dress Exhibit in the Israel Museum a number of times, and each time I notice more and enjoy it more. It's closing on  April 6, 2019.

Here are some pictures I took there the other evening:. Which is your favorite and why?

I Recorded My Heartbeat in the Israel Museum

During a recent visit to the Israel Museum I came upon this little room with a sign welcoming visitors to have their heartbeats recorded for some international archive in Japan. It's noninvasive and certainly didn't endanger me, so I went in and did it. Now my name and heartbeat are on their list. And my heartbeat has joined many others...

If you're in the Israel Museum you can do it, too. Ask at information where to find it.

A Visit to The Israel Museum

Tuesday evening I spent some time in the Israel Museum. I hadn't been there for months. There was one exhibit I really wanted to see, and it didn't disappoint. That's the one about Israeli Fashion. It was amazing, and if I get there again, while it's on display, I'll spend more time there.

There was another exhibit I liked and highly recommend. Apparently, it had been commissioned by the museum. To Go - New Designs for Jewish Ritual Objects is stunning, practical and innovative.

Designers and artists from around the world were presented with a challenge: to create a collection of objects together with a case — essentially a travel set to accompany a Jewish holiday or lifecycle event..

If you don't have time for a long visit at the Israel Museum, just go to those two exhibits, and you've gotten your admission money's worth for sure.

What's your favorite department of the Israel Museum?