meshiksa hasidic roots: Lag B'omer 5775

The only ones who are able to organize big Lag B'omer in Paris are the Lubavitch.
I checked it on one of their website and i found something interesting to do.
The place was great and i knew it before.
I used to take a bus crossing their area when i was living in Paris to go the physiotherapist.
I was intrigued by that school and i looked at them each time, fascinating as usual: what was going on behind those walls?
There i was inside.
But not alone that time.

The rabbi who served us vodka, Paris 18ème, May 2015, ©emmarubinstein

I invited an atheist friend.
I met him in Brooklyn, in my work place.
He was there for vacation.
He is a friend of one of my neighbors of my ex work place.
A friendly alchemy was immediate. We talked about our life like old friend.
He is spontaneous, and an impromptu party occurred.

A couple eating hamburger, pizza and French fries, Paris 18ème, May 2015, ©emmarubinstein

Let's dance, Paris 18ème, May 2015, ©emmarubinstein

Then, we stayed in touch through social network.
He doesn't live in Paris, but he comes sometimes and more often lately.

We are on the same page: no expectations from anyone, we live our life, we travel, we are very sensitive…
He was married during many years till a misunderstanding made him find out that he was gay… He has three children.
We don't like losers or people who don't assume who they are. We love our freedom.
We don't judge each other… We don't care about what people think of what we are, how we dress…

Fire-eater, Paris 18ème, May 2015, ©emmarubinstein

I only told him that if my Jewish people ask questions, to tell them that he has Jews in his family.
We were not going to this place to tell our life.

He is from Madagascar and he has been adopted with two other children from other countries, by a white French family.
He only likes white men. His friends told him that he is racist. "How can i be racist when i have a black skin?". No comment! :-)

Bonfire, Paris 18ème, May 2015, ©emmarubinstein

Anyway, i thought that he could be a great friend to come with me to a Lag B'omer.
To arrive to a place and to see soldiers still scares me. And to see so many children, and to think that a crazy guy can come and shoot all of us gave me goose bumps.

He enjoyed the place and the "party". He knows nothing about Judaism, and it was nice to explain things to him.
He asked me for a long time to come in Israel with me.
He was surprised to see families with so many kids.
He was the exotic person, and i was something strange because i was having words in his ears.
I felt the looks but i didn't pay attention. My joy was huge to have a bath of black hats.
One Lubavitch man said hello and asked me "how are you?". I didn't know this man but i replied to him. Weird! :-)

Compares to the bonfires in Brooklyn, in Kyrias Joel or Mea She'arim, the Parisian bonfire seems very small. But to see men dancing and be happy with a pious grace makes me feel happy. I didn't ask for more.
My friend was very comfortable. We ate there. He didn't want to dance with the men, still bashful.
We bought candles to fire in homage of the rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai. I helped a Lubavitch man to fire his candles. That was a windy night.
We stayed for a while.

Then, we went to the bus station where we met an old Jew, a cutie.
He talked to my friend: "I saw you in the school."
My friend: "I had Jews in my family."
I was laughing to see them talking like old wise men.
The man added: "Do you know the tribe of Shem?"
My friend: "Yes!"
The old man: "There were black people from that tribe."
My friend told me later that he had understood nothing about the old man was talking about. So funny!
We all took the bus. My friend helped the old man with his shopping trolley.
He said that he will stop one stop before us but finally went down at the same stop.
My friend helped him again with his shopping trolley.
We talked with him a little. And the cutest moment was when he offered me to give me eggs. I was surprised, and i refused. We left him and he was talking to himself: "I know that i am kind."

meshiksa hasidic roots

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Lag B'omer 5775

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