Short Stories

Religious Adventure

For one of my religious experiments and site visits I choose a synagogue. I have never been so welcomed in a religious space like this before. I was shell shocked with how one member grabbed ahold of me and explained everything to me in detail and everyone was totally welcoming and understanding. They believed, I later found out, that if a person with an open mind came in and they did not know really anything about the synagogue that one of the older members were to take them under their wing and explain or show them what to do and what was going on.

The outside of the building was small, very long building with drop down area which was the bottom level and everything out side was glass or brick. The synagogue had a very choppy interior design. There were many levels and slopes inside. There were two floors. The sanctuary was very modern and had one stained glassed window. It was the Torah on top of a pulpit, the woman called it a pulpit, while the background was a burning bush behind it. One of the older ladies said me down and told me the story of Moses. She had been going for there for a while and she said she really loved the community. She showed me around even though I already knew what things were and what they we call I loved listening to the woman. She was so gentle and passionate that I became almost like a little child. She of course was in love with showing me that she basically stole me and taught me everything she could.

For the sake of the report I will call her Faith, since she was truly and completely devoted. Faith came to me and she knew "immediately" that I was a new comer to the synagogue. We first started to talk about the window and then moved to the rooms. Each room was special she said. There was one big room which held the Hebrew school and what she called "Torah school" for the little kids. The room was used by all those in the congregation. There were many windows but none of them were stained glass.

The sanctuary was a very open, clean and modern room. The Bema was surrounded on three sides with pews. Each pew held prayer books and Torah books. Faith told me that the mini Torah books were for guess who did not know Hebrew. It gave them something to look at along with English versions of the texts. There were also little bags in the back of the sanctuary. Faith said they were for families with children. The ark was highly decorated with a tapestry with many colors. There were two Torah scrolls one was a modern scroll and people kissed it. I know we saw a video were they did kiss the scroll but my mind was still blown.

If you looked at the congregation there were many different kinds of people and families. Most people were in business casual or just casual. Faith pointed out several types of families to me. She told me that there were a gay couple who had a surrogate having their child. She sat with them and her family joined her. There were mixed religious couple and also many interracial couples. Every family sat together but for those who did not have a family they either sat with each other or sat near another family. The worship area was so welcoming that everyone no matter what they were wearing were welcomed.

I loved how open the synagogue was about them and how they were embraced by their community. Faith told me that since they were in the area and the rabbi said it was okay that they were more than welcomed. I asked her about their affiliation and how that effected the decision making of the community. She gently reminded me that they were in the process of trying to affiliate themselves but they congregation was trying to include every member. Since the synagogue was open to everyone it was very difficult to pick the right area.

Faith guided me around the Bema after the service. She showed me the eternal light above the ark. She talked about how it represents the eternal guidance of God. She said it was a symbol of how God is always here for us when we need him. The canter and rabbi were both lead prayer and worship. They were the only ones really wearing the Kippa and Talli. The prayers wer chanted and so were the Torah readings. There was no music during prayers but after praying and reading then music was played. People oved around when they needed to. There was a couple mothers in the back that had to get up and take care of their children but not much movement after that.

I really loved going to the synagogue. The congregation was really friendly and helped me learn. I loved how open they were to people and how welcoming they were. Faith really knew her stuff and I loved being her little shadow. Although tradition is really important to the synagogue they really do not want to exclude anyone. Everyone seemed to put their differences aside to focus on the Torah. They were very open to anyone.