think about your most meaningful memories. where were you? would they have been as powerful if they had occurred somewhere else?
on Saturday night, i attended a matisyahu concert in Jerusalem. i still struggle for words to describe how incredible the experience was.. but here goes.
when we heard matisyahu was coming to jerusalem, our first thought was of the security situation. the violence that began last shabbat has persisted throughout this week, resulting in the deaths of both jews and palestinians and spurring violent protests in the West Bank and Gaza. the majority of these attacks have occurred in the Old City.. and the concert venue happened to be just outside these walls. we consulted our program director, Tamara, for advice. she was kind and understanding, and encouraged us to choose what we were comfortable with. but in the end, she offered us the most typically israeli advice of all: in the midst of terror, life goes on... and we should live it as we like.
we were, of course, extremely cautious. we got a private ride to and from the venue to avoid walking the streets at night, and we stayed in our large group throughout the evening. security was intense at the event, with soldiers lining every path. i found it sadly ironic that, at an event of an artist so fervently committed to peace, that there should be such a significant military presence. such is the reality of this moment.
once the show started, though, the anxiety and tension of the past week seemed to dissipate, collecting in a cloud above our heads that was still very much present, but somehow less threatening. it was as if all the negative energy that had surrounded us was now concentrated into a force that radiated hope and peace and love. it was matisyahu's world, and we were happy to join it for a few short hours.
in the day since the concert, i have reflected on why this experience was so powerful. i have attended concerts before, and the artists have been talented and the crowds passionate. in the words of the passover hagadah... what was so special about this night?
i found my answer while looking back through my phone at the photos and video i captured last night. i had recorded a short clip of "Jerusalem", a beautiful song about Jewish tradition and pride. as i scanned the crowd, an israeli flag waved proudly above our heads while the music echoed off the ancient walls of the Old City. it seems obvious now: my experience was shaped by the power of place. it was the unique combination of circumstance and environment that built not only a big moment, but an entire world that was nothing short of extraordinary.
and all i felt in that moment was gratitude. i was thankful for the music, the crowd, israel's beautiful present, and even the strife of its past. i felt that everything, good and bad, had combined to create this moment, and it would never happen again.
it is so easy to get caught up in fear in jerusalem, where controversy is everywhere you turn. but, with its unmatched history and beauty, this city also offers opportunity for appreciation of place that one would be hard-pressed to find anywhere else in the world. the power of place is why conflict in jerusalem seems so scary...but also why memories here are still so very, staggeringly special.