Connecting to Jerusalem Through Legos and Song

After so many days of disturbing news coming out of Israel, Sunday's program, building Jerusalem from legos, brought me comfort.  I loved seeing our students of all ages and parents work together to build Jerusalem.

Our program connected our kids with Israel in a new way and I hope that someday, when each of them travels to Jerusalem, they bring with them memories of creating Jerusalem with 70,000 legos!

While the highlight of this morning was the legos, I always try to make sure that content is presented in multiple ways.  During our tefila time, Cantor Ken and I introduced several songs about Jerusalem into the service: sections of birkat hamazon (the blessings after eating), the 14th blessing from the Amidah, Lach Yerushalim, Chiri Biri Bim Bom, Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, Hatikvah, Sisu Et Yerushalim, L’Shana Ha’Ba-ah.

One of my favorite songs about Jerusalem, comes from Psalm 116.  It is a song that I have listened to over and over the past few weeks.  In English:

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may they prosper that love thee. 7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. 8 For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say: 'Peace be within thee.’ And, I cannot resist sharing this photo with you.  When I was little, I loved legos!  Sometime in my childhood, my parents took a trip to Israel and brought me back this poster.  For years it hung in my bedroom before making it’s way to the attic.  Several years ago, I found it in my parent’s attic and it’s now found it’s way to my office at TI.