Both were beautiful:
Flower arrangement #1
Flower arrangement #2
One of the fruit platters for the luncheon
The Congregational church is relatively free of overt Christian symbolism, so it is easy to adapt it for use as a synagogue:
The Bat Mitzvah ceremony was incorporated into the regular Shabbat service. Photographs were not permitted during the service, but there was a lot of picture-taking beforehand.
The Torah scroll is housed in this beautiful ark.
Miriam is rehearsing her reading of the Torah. She chanted an extended passage from the Book of Numbers. It was a much longer section than a young person normally attempts, and she did it with confidence and verve. The text she read was without vowels - what is called an "unpointed" text- so she had to learn the pronunciation orally and also master the chant tones. She did it very well!
She seems pleased:
In the service, Miriam gave a commentary on the Torah passage which she had read - a little sermon called devar Torah - which was very passionate. The passage from Numbers dealt with the sending of spies into the land of Canaan to scope it out. They came back with a report that while the fruit was huge and abundant, the people were also giants. The people became very discouraged and began to complain. This made God very angry, and he decided to wipe out his people. At this Moses intervened and "talked God down" to a calmer place. Miriam made a great deal of the fact that Moses argued with God and that God could make a mistake in judgment. "Nobody is perfect, not even God." Her language and her delivery were very vivid.
There were two highlights in the service for us. Ellen had made a tallith - a prayer shawl - for Miriam to her specifications. Not the usual white wool with blue bands. This was purple silk with colorful bands. It was perfect for Miriam. I never had a chance to take a picture of it, but I'll get one eventually. Ellen presented the tallith to Miriam at the beginning of the service.
The second thing was that Katie Tolles (voice and guitar), Ellen, Jim (on fiddle) and I sang a beautiful song of healing called Mi shebeirach by Debbie Friedman. We got a lot of very appreciative comments afterward.
One of the most moving parts of the service is the blessing given the child by her parents. Julie and Jerry's words of blessing had everyone in tears, including themselves!
After the ceremony there was a wonderful lunch and then we got some time off before an evening party. Ellen, Wallace, myself, Jim and Mary all spent part of that time in the Smith College botanical gardens, which are next door to where the party is being held. Here are some scenes:
Wallace and Ellen investigate a rock garden at Smith College
The gardens are organized into beds of plants with similar genetic make-up
A heron sculpture in the lily pond
Sweet peas
Mary, Jim and Ellen at the gate
In a few minutes the party will begin!
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