Today is DAY TWENTY-ONE, which makes THREE WEEKS of the Omer.
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Torah for Today
Anat Katzir, Kol Dorot Educator
In honor of Yom HaAtzma'ut, this week we are sharing places in Israel that inspire/delight us.
WADI SIAH (THE HIKERS' STREAM), Haifa
This week the prompt was to choose one place in Israel that we would love to share with others. It has been quite tough, but one thing I know is that it would have to be a place in Haifa, my hometown. It is almost impossible to think of just one place in Haifa that is both interesting and meaningful to me. Should I choose from the beautiful nature of Haifa? The Carmel Mountain forest or the beaches where I have spent many days and nights hanging out, camping with friends and celebrating different occasions, from birthdays to graduations and IDF draft parties. Or perhaps something that speaks to the unique culture? Downtown areas that celebrate the magic of Haifa’s culture of multiple religions and heritage, where the Holiday of Holidays is celebrated each year for Chanukah, Christmas, and Ramadan and Eid-El-Fitr or Eid-El-Adha depending on the Islamic calendar? Maybe one of the museums of art, history, science and others that tell the stories of Haifa and of Israel.
After a lot of thought, I am choosing something that in the grand scheme of Haifa may seem almost insignificant—a small trail called Wadi Siah, "The Hikers’ Stream." This trail begins on one of the hills in the Carmel between two neighborhoods, Carmelia and Kababir. One mostly secular and traditional Jewish, the other mostly Ahmadiyya Muslim. This valley leads from the street bellow my parents' house all the way down to the beach. It has unique plants that are indigenous to Haifa and to Israel, caves formed in the rocks of the mountain, natural and man made pools of water and beautiful remains of a Carmelite Monastery from the year 1214.
But none of the wondrous qualities mentioned above are the reason I chose this location. Before knowing all these things about Wadi Siah, for me and my neighborhood friends, it was just one of our favorite playgrounds. A place to meet kids from each of the neighborhoods on each side of the valley, a great place for hide and seek and climbing trees, and a quick getaway to the beach on hot days when we needed to cool off in the water.
It is so well hidden in its urban surrounding, it is almost magical to be able to immerse in the nature and watch the buildings around almost disappear from view. I am sharing a picture from the Holiday of Holidays in Haifa and a short video I found with a few images from Wadi Sia.
I hope it will share a little bit of the magic I experienced growing up there.
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Celebrate Shabbat
*LIVE* Candle Lighting and Shabbat Blessings
Friday, 5/1, 6:00pm
Check your daily email for details
*NEW* *LIVE*Friday Night Shabbat Service
Friday, 5/1, 7:30pm
Check your daily email for details
We're trying something new this week! We will be holding our Friday Night Shabbat Service LIVE via Zoom. Please join us to pray virtually "together" in a new way. (Note: Check your daily email, and use the same link for the Candle Lighting and Shabbat Service.)
Shabbat Morning Torah Study
Saturday, 5/2, 9:00-10:00am
Check your daily email for details
Havdallah with Morah Anat and Family
Saturday, 5/2, 6:00pm (Pre-recorded)
Join Morah Anat for the blessings that conclude Shabbat. Havdallah will be pre-recorded and posted on the Kol Dorot Facebook page.