March 29, 2024 |

Connecting to Jerusalem Through Legos and Song

Posted on October 20, 2015

After so many days of disturbing news coming out of Israel, Sunday’s program, building Jerusalem from legos, brought me comfort.  I loved seeing our students of all ages and parents work together to build Jerusalem.

Our program connected our kids with Israel in a new way and I hope that someday, when each of them travels to Jerusalem, they bring with them memories of creating Jerusalem with 70,000 legos!

While the highlight of this morning was the legos, I always try to make sure that content is presented in multiple ways.  During our tefila time, Cantor Ken and I introduced several songs about Jerusalem into the service: sections of birkat hamazon (the blessings after eating), the 14th blessing from the Amidah, Lach Yerushalim, Chiri Biri Bim Bom, Yerushalayim Shel Zahav, Hatikvah, Sisu Et Yerushalim, L’Shana Ha’Ba-ah.

One of my favorite songs about Jerusalem, comes from Psalm 116.  It is a song that I have listened to over and over the past few weeks.  In English:
6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may they prosper that love thee.

7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.

8 For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say: ‘Peace be within thee.’

And, I cannot resist sharing this photo with you.  When I was little, I loved legos!  Sometime in my childhood, my parents took a trip to Israel and brought me back this poster.  For years it hung in my bedroom before making it’s way to the attic.  Several years ago, I found it in my parent’s attic and it’s now found it’s way to my office at TI.