Lisbon,Portugal
This was the weirdest Yum Kippur I had ever had.
The first thing is that is the first Yum Kippur that my Girlfriend isn’t religious anymore. That made her think about if she should fast or not. After we had a long discussion I had to think to myself Why the hell do I fast in Yum Kippur and why I don’t drive or use electricity during it.
I never really thought about it, mostly because I use to spend it in my parents house. And when they keep it, I keep it. Even as to honer them.
That is second reason, this is the first time I am not in Israel in Yum Kippur. The only time I remember not to have been in my parents house,was during the army service I was set in a Ultra-Orthodox city, Beitar Ilit, but it was still in Israel.
So I had this Yum Kippur different – for the first time I am both alone and not in Israel. I can spend it alone, hurting no one not honoring anyone.
I tried to give it a religious meaning: I brought a Siddur – read all the prays and even finished in going to ‘Sheari Tfila’ Synagogue in Lisbon, hearing the Ne’ila pray and the Shofar.
Well I had at least found some answers.
Or a kind of answers…
It isn’t got a religious meaning for me.
Doing Yum Kippur abroad took all of the first meaning that I have to Yum Kippur – Some of the basic thing we hold as a country. We have a law that don’t allow entertainment, but no one tells you not to use computer or drive your car (But there is still no TV broadcast or public transportation). Once you are here and everyone around you acts as it is normal day… it miss something…
Apparently the second reason is that used to be a day I really spent with my family. We don’t really keep Sabbath, so we do all kind of things around. Not really sitting down spending time together. But in Yum Kippur… You have to spend it with family – Cheating in Monopoly, cheating in cards, cheating in… well you got the point =).
You really go around in your neighborhood, meeting people, seeing friends and talk with them (remember you don’t drink or eat during that time), Well that was good!
I still don’t think I know what is Yum Kippur for me…. =) And not a bit of knowing what I gonna do, next time I’ll be abroad alone at Yum Kippur…
I went to eat before the fast, I decided to pray Arvit before on a bench in the sun. But it was raining, so I had to hide from the rain and pray in the Cathedral. Do you think they care? =)
I had no watch, and I didn’t want to use to cellphone. So I had to keep track on time, listening to bells of the church outside my window.
Take Care
Gad
Lisbon’s Cathedral
The Cathedral that helped me keep a track on the time