Prayer Cycle

Evening is falling. Molly and Ada sit by my side. They are watching the birds at the feeder taking their last bite before calling it a day. Cardinals and Blue Jays pipping and shrieking. Jonathan Elias' Prayer Cycle accompanies me as I light candles and incense and pour myself a really good glass of Pinot Noir. I salute the first night of Passover and sense those ancient rituals of our oral heritage all around somewhere up and down the East coast. My family in Israel are done with their dinners and gatherings, probably asleep by now. I think about one sister far away in the Congo, another crossing the Atlantic on her way to ... my son traveling to visit friends in his very first newly acquired car, and my life partner winging his way home. The air is still with a rich earthen smell from strong spring rains. Dark skies expectant and heavy with still more to come.

Prayer Cycle has reached the part where James Taylor sings:

Father won't you carry me for the ocean's wide ... Father won't you carry me for my boat is so small ... Out here in the darkness help me find my way back home ... Someone watching over me - over me. Father won't you carry me ... home.

I remember the yellow daisies and red poppies at Passover time in Israel, neighbors banging their carpets on washing lines as they did their spring cleaning in preparation for the holiday, shopping for gifts and crisp new clothes. Sunshine and warmth, and driving up and down the little country rushing to arrive at family dinners before sundown.

And now Ofra Haza warbles Middle Eastern style in Hebrew accompanied by Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn as he wails in Urdu. They sing of forgiveness and mercy.

I raise my glass to us all tonight: L'Chaim!

I return to Kushner once again this week:

Bye now. You are fabulous creatures, each and every one. And I bless you: More Life. The Great Work Begins.

Comments

[Richard Lawrence Cohen]

I like your way of celebrating Passover. As usual, I haven't done a darn thing about it myself.

[Tamar]

One year, many years ago, I organized a "Freedom dinner" - invited all sorts of people - I think only one of them was Jewish (apart from Gilad and I). Each couple or group had to prepare a freedom theme. We had hippies, feminists, environmentalists, social and civil rights activists - all were represented. People prepared civil rights songs, posters, placards, poems, stories. It was fabulous! I would love to do that again and this time invite my blogger buddies!

Hmm ... you got me thinking ... so what else is new?