A Family Dinner

A sense of urgency invariably falls on the State of Israel in the hours before Shabbat. Airplane passengers pray that there won't be delays, drivers wish fervently that for once there won't be traffic and travelers silently urge their bus driver to step on the gas. Everyone is desperately trying to make it to their destination before sunset. The afternoon of my arrival was no different.
Being the first weekend that our entire apartment was home we were all excited for a real Shabbat dinner. Working on top, around and next to each other in the small kitchen we each worked to replicate a dish that we would frequently eat back at home with our families.* As the food was cooking we began a somewhat impromptu Kabbalat Shabbat service. Sitting on the colorful couches in our living room (with the window flung wide open) we made our way through the prayers with an effortless blend of familiar camp tunes, and melodies we drew from our own homes and communities.
It was what I hope to be the first of many wonderful Shabbatot.

*(And since I know Zayde, Rachel and Julie want to know, we had: chicken cutlets, roast potatoes, avocado tomato salad and cooked carrots)