Intense Community....Do you know what you are missing?

With a few of the boys on Ben Yehuda Street the night after Shabbat.






This week, I just returned from a trip to Israel with a group that was traveling with the intent of touring the land, growing in our own faith and, more specifically, to meet and encourage leaders of several congregations and organizations the live and work in Israel.

It wasn't a particularly long trip and I am really glad to be back home with the Diane, Emily, Abigail and Ethan. But, I already find myself missing the friends I made on this journey and the opportunities we had to laugh, learn and serve together in the Land of Israel.

Here is part of the reason why:

On this trip we experienced community in a way that is a little more intense (in a good way...:)than what I usually experience. We were emotionally, spiritually and physically invested in working together to help make sure everyone in our group had the best experience they could, grew closer to God, learned interesting and edifying things and were able to be a blessing to the leaders we came to connect with and to each other.

Working on these things together brought to light the scripture passage found in Psalm 133. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity!"

Interestingly enough, this is also the passage that is sung when ascending up to Jerusalem (Hine Ma Tov Una Ma Naim, Shevet achim gam yachad).

I attend Church and small group, where we experience some of this community. At work, we strive for common goals and get a taste of this. In the fighting class, we get some of it, as we work together to help each other improve. But this trip was an intense example of how good and pleasant an intense taste of community can be.

Thanks brothers and sisters, I miss you and our work together already!