Heritage Florida Jewish News - Central Florida's Independent Jewish Voice

(JNS) — As ecstatic songs rang through the hills, I tried to enter the stadium around the grave of the Mishnaic sage and spiritual luminary, Shimon bar Yochai. It was packed rock-solid with people. “That’s OK, let’s listen outside,” I sighed to my staff.

Earlier, as our bus of gap-year students climbed toward Mount Meron, I was constantly receiving Shabbat meal request messages. For 39 years, this has been my life; I quickly arranged as many connections as I could, while yearning to return to the festive atmosphere in the bus. Who knew that many of those meals would be canceled,...