Tours in Jerusalem with Yishay Shavit

The Parasha of Shoftim deals with a variety of issues. Rules for the conducting of a king, the theory of law and justice and a broken necked heifer are only examples for some of the subjects. I decided to refer to only two verses:

These verses are used during Tu-Bishvat (the 15th of the Hebrew month of Shvat) and in other events in order to point out the affinity between a human and the tree of the field. A good illustration for this idea is given by Nathan Zach’s Poem:

The first line of the poem represents another possibility for the English translation of the verse “Are trees of the field human “, hence an interesting double meaning. The view expressed in the poem is very common these days. It is a kind of an ecologic point of view that humanizes the tree of the field and ties its fate with the fate and course of life of man. It is interesting to mention here that the more traditional interpretation including the English translation of the bible understands these verses in a completely different way. Rashi thinks that the expression “Because the man is the tree of the field;” is actually a rhetorical question – Are trees of the field human? Definitely not! Trees can’t hide behind fortified walls so why should we vandalize them? Eben-Ezra understands the human life depend on the trees. People eat the fruit of trees and shouldn’t damage them. Rashbam understands the verses as forbidding the uprooting of trees far from the city under siege but enabling warriors to cut down the flora if it serves as cover to the enemy.

Alongside the words of the distinguished interpreters, we find that in modern Israeli way of thinking there is a special place for the direct analogy between human and tree. An interesting example can be found on mount Aminadav nearby Jerusalem, where on 1966, the Kennedy memorial was built.

The Kennedy memorial

John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States is remembered in Israel mostly because of the Cuban missile crisis. Theoretically there was no special connection between J.F. Kennedy and the state of Israel. Well, he did meet Ben-Gurion and Golda Meir but you can’t say he was particularly friendly towards Israel. Considering this it might come as a surprise that the decision on building a memorial for Kennedy in Jerusalem was made on the same day he was killed. The man who suggested it was Menachem (Max) Bresller, head of the USA branch of the Jewish national fund. Bresller has done much for the state of Israel in fund raising and the Jerusalem neighborhood nearby is named after him “Kiryat Menachem”.

The Kennedy memorial near Aminadav

The Kennedy memorial was built by architect David Resnick. It is shaped as a pruned trunk of an oak tree as if saying “… the man is the tree of the field”. Kennedy’s life and premature death were compared to the severed trunk of a tree typical to the Israeli forest. The memorial is built with 51 concrete pillars with the 50 emblems of American states and the one of Colombia district. Inside there is a place representing eternal flame and a relief on Kennedy’s face, identical to the one set on Kennedy’s tomb in Arlington, Virginia.

David Resnick was born in Brazil and started his professional life over there. He was greatly influenced by his master, the famous architect Oscar Niemeyer who built the Cathedral of Brasilia. Resnick’s Kennedy memorial is deeply influenced by the cathedral.

You can find a quite a few of Resnick’s buildings in Jerusalem: The Giv’at Ram Synagogue, The Yad Labanim (a memorial for soldiers) and the Education faculty in the Hebrew university on mount Scopus.

The Kennedy memorial, known as Yad Kennedy, was inaugurated on the 4th of July 1966 and since then it has become a symbol of the deep connection between the USA and the state of Israel. Many ceremonies take place in this wonderful spot, where the pruned trunk memorial lays among the trees of “Forest of peace”, symbolizing the strong affinity between mankind and world, mankind and the tree of the field.

Oscar Niemeyer, the Cathedral of Brasilia

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The weekly Tora Portion or ‘Parasha’ is the heartbeat of the Jewish calendar. Every week, throughout the year, Many Jews and many others who are not Jews unite while reading and studying an ancient text. From hundreds of years, Reading the Parasha had made an enormous contribution to the spiritual Jewish assets. Today it is as relevant as ever and many dedicated religious people as well as non-practicing Jews feel it serves as an impotent source of inspiration.

For the past few years I have tried to study the Parash every week. Sometimes I only find a moment to read the Tora portion. Other times I read the text and then turn to a thorough reading of interpretations. No doubt that the regular studies influence me. I use my knowledge while guiding tours in Jerusalem, I often find myself thinking of what I have just read and sometimes I find myself talking about it with friends. Some people might think a Parasha is a thing for holy people. Why should I, a secular Jew who chose not to keep the Mitzvot, read the Parasha? I can hear the thoughts of some who would say “He is becoming more and more religious… and what next? A Kipa, a beard and tearing toilet paper before Shabat?” well, I have to say that is the way I am. The Parasha interests me not because it involves matters of holiness but because it has a lot to do with our day to day life. As a tour guide who specializes in Jerusalem I often try and look for the ways the Parasha is realized in the streets of Jerusalem. It might come as a surprise, but I can find an example for every single Parasha. Sometimes it can be a whole site. Other times I’ll find a modest piece of art. It can be a reference to the complete Parash or just a small citation of one of the verses. After a while of doing this I have decided to start a project that will reveal the way I experience the Parasha in the streets of Jerusalem. The next posts will include my ideas about all the Parashot. I must say that often you’ll find quite a few places that relate to the Parasha and while writing I had to choose. I thought it would be best that I write about places that are not so commonly known to the public or that their connection to the Parasha is not a trivial one. I am sure it is not always the best choice. You are welcome to write and share your thoughts, ideas and corrections.

To conclude I’d like to apologize. It is going to be a while before the project is finished. I’ll do my best to write as often as possible and I hope that your patience will prove worthwhile.

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Parashat Bo

Parashat Devarim

Parashat Vayehy

Parashat Noah

Parashat Ekev

Parashat Shoftim