If You Travel Over Winter Break, Plan to Check Out a Shul 

By Rabbi Alex Freedman.

Who’s ready for Winter Break? Who’s not ready for Winter Break?

So many of us are ready for some time off from school and work, for things to slow down for a few days, and maybe for a well-earned vacation.

As you make your plans, make a plan to visit a synagogue wherever you go. The farther away from home, the better.

Many years ago my family visited Venice, Italy, over Winter Break. I have fond memories of delicious food, gondolas, more food, spectacular glass artwork, and going to shul. And no, I wasn’t a rabbi yet.

On a Friday my family toured the Venice ghetto, the first in Europe, and we walked through a 500-year-old synagogue whose architecture was something I had never seen. It looked like an antique – beautiful, fragile, and impractical for use today. At the end, the tour guide mentioned this shul was in use on Shabbat morning, and we decided to return the next day.

As we entered the towering sanctuary on Shabbat morning, the place came alive. It was full of people, full of singing, and full of energy. I didn’t know a word of Italian, they didn’t speak English, yet I felt at home. I sang along because I knew the tunes from the Siddur. I followed along with the Torah reading because I could read Hebrew (I learned a few Italian names that day: Abramo, Isacco, Giacobbi, Giuseppe). I had never experienced this before. I was in a new place and knew nobody, but I felt at home. The universality of the Siddur made this possible, making me feel that the people around me were not total strangers but just cousins I hadn’t yet met.  

The home is obviously where one’s Jewish foundation is set. But there are some things one can understand only by leaving home.

I know I’m not the only one to experience this. If you are traveling abroad, going to synagogue on Shabbat will be something unforgettable the family can do together. No tickets, lines, or gift shops necessary. And if you’re stateside, you can probably find a service nearby too. If not, write to me and I’ll help with this.

In one sense, the place makes the people. Our shul makes people feel inspired, connected, spiritual. But the place also brings the people. The Hebrew for synagogue is Beit Knesset, which means “house of gathering.”  It’s a place to meet others with the same traditions and values.  Mostly, though, the people make the place.  

The Shma prayer instructs us to speak of Torah and Jewish traditions “BShivt’ha Bveitecha Uvlecht’ha Vaderech – at home and on the road.”  I usually think of this as pushing us to be proud Jews both in private (at home) and in public (on the road). But I also read this verse as instructing us to be active Jews when we’re going about our routine (at home) and when we travel (on the road).  

An empty synagogue, like the gorgeous one in Venice, is a deserted museum. But when people fill it up, it becomes a vibrant hub for Jewish life. Anywhere at all.