OK...so I have to write about this freakishly weird coincidence that happened to us today.
We're in Chania, a town on Crete that seems to be a favorite place of almost every Greek person we've met so far. And it IS quaint and cute from what we've seen today - narrow, cobblestone streets, lined with outdoor cafes selling cappuccino and trendy, arty stores selling crafty, Cretan wares for the tourists who throng here during the season. The harbor is lined with colorfully painted hotels and restaurants while small, picturesque boats float in the water. (But now it's INCREDIBLY slow - we are pretty much the only tourists in the whole town in seems...we have the entire hotel to ourselves right now.)
I had read about the only synagogue on Crete being in Chania. The incredibly long and rich (there is evidence of 2000 years of Jewish life on Crete) and sometimes devastatingly sad history of the Jews of Crete made me want to find the synagogue. This small Jewish community and the building were destroyed by the Nazis in 1944 (see the story here) so I wanted to see how it was recently rebuilt and beautifully restored by a small but dedicated group. We found the synagogue this afternoon and, inside, a small group of American men seemed to be having a quick tour of the synagogue and a little "Judiasm 101" class. We joined the group and listened for a while, asking a man at the back of the group where they were from, etc.
Now, this is where it gets really weird...the group of men were with the American military, on their way to Djibouti in Africa for a one-year tour. The man leading their "tour" of the synagogue was their chaplain, and a rabbi from our own Bucks County in PA. Rabbi Cutler leads his own community in the Bucks County area and we have, actually, attended one of his services before and one of our very good friends is a regular musician for his community's services. Very strange, small world. We were all overcome by the coincidence...
Right there, on the spot, Rabbi Cutler offered to lead an evening service for the entire group. It was what we call bashert in Yiddish (fate) that we found ourselves half-way across the world, in a tiny synagogue, on a random Thursday afternoon, so we could have a special, little service together. Thank you, Rabbi Cutler. It meant a lot to me. (Dara)
From Eli ----
ReplyDeleteI am not sure how this works, but I will try, because this story about bumping into the rabbi from PA strikes a chord.
I was trying to explain to Ellie -- when we were in Israel a few days before the bar mitzvah -- the 'concept' (game?) called Jewish Geography. We were somewhere and we overheard a couple of people -- strangers to each other -- who discovered that they had a mutual acquaintance. I told her that this was one point in Jewish Geography.
Bumping into someone from home, such as this rabbi, ought to be worth 2 points. His rabbinical status is worth one more point. And the fact that you had once met him -- you guys are over the top!!!
Wow, that is really amazing. The y talk about everyone being connected through six degrees of separation. In the jewish world I swear it is only two!! I am really getting vicarious pleasure hearing about your travels. Keep on writing!! (I'm in here as Stan, but any post you see is really from Melody)
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