DAVID DANCED

DAVID DANCED

- Joy Krauthammer

David was a first timer today at Lev Eisha – Heart of a Woman congregation. He had his adult Bar Mitzvah two weeks ago at VBS, I was informed. His VBS Jewish ‘mothers (and my four spiritual sisters), Carol, Shirley, Sydell, and Shirley were present with him today. David, when introduced to me, clearly explained his presence to me (the shul percussionist), that although it was a women’s shul, men were invited.

I explained to David that this is an experiential participatory service and he needs to get his feet dancing and his voice singing. When the women made snake lines of aisle dancing (while I drummed), from the musician's pit, I looked at David in the second row, and directed him that he needed to get up and join. (I know what it feels like to want to do something, but at first don't have the courage, until encouraged.) David listened. I saw that the zillion dancers were already a distance away circling the chapel's interior, and decided he would join them on their next circle around. It was perfect. David rose from his seat.

As the dancers came toward the front again, I encouraged David to join all the women and one man, and he did. At that point he jumped into the snake line and immediately became the FRONT DANCER with a timbrel high in his hand, leading all the women around the aisles, and HE LOVED IT, smiling with very good dancing feet.  This Persian male Jew knew how to fit right in to this Ashkenazi camp of dancing women.  And they circled around. David’s joyous expression is embedded in my mind and heart of a woman. Maybe David will return and he’ll be a second timer.

May 7, 2011

Today is the Kabbalistic Sephirotic Counting of the Omer day #18. 
18 = Chai = Choosing Life


In the TREE OF LIFE, today is Netzach sh'b Tiferet.  This third week is TIFERET; compassion, truth and harmony, and today the 4th day of the week is NETZACH; endurance and stepping forth (like a warrior), in beauty and joy.

The 'warrior', fully empowered, conquers him/her self, knows how to face truth with strength, and stand and dance his/her walk.
This is what David did (in the story above), transformed, dancing (in a foreign land). He was inspired.
This is also how I encouraged and supported David, no longer a 'first-timer'.

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