The magic of the moshav music

Posted in 2011 - 2012, Participant Stories, Shabbat on 09. Feb, 2012

בס”ד

by Ariella Daniels, Toronto, Canada

This past Shabbat, Shalem had the opportunity to stay at the home of Rabbi Trugman and his wife at Moshav Mevo Modiin.  Our stay was an incredible experience, full of song, prayer and unity.  When entering the Moshav it was very evident that the people of Mevo Modiin are very unique, warm, spiritual, and family oriented.

Rabbi Trugman shared his very strong ideology on life with us through song and words.  He and his community have a very optimistic look on life through what they view as existential experiences.  They value every given moment in life and live it in the most spiritual way possible; through song.  When told we would be spending Shabbat at the moshav of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, it was expected that everyone would be singing happily.  But this community’s musical prowess is beyond past the norm, taking us through time and space to worlds one can only imagine.  It is no coincidence that we spent Shabbat Shira at such a place!

For me personally, my parents connect me to Judaism through song and dance.  I will always remember my father singing Z’mirot Shabbat and my mother trying to get me to dance with her.  Shabbat in Israel has been a challenging time for me as I am constantly measuring my Shabbat experience to my Shabbat experience back in Toronto, of my father’s voice teaching me the tunes to every song in the bencher.  Our stay at Rabbi Trugman’s house was the Shabbat I was looking for to feel truly at home.

Moshav Mevo Modiin is filled with nature and the love of an open community.  Their doors are clearly open to all.  Everyone should learn from them and their knowledge on life and their relationship with G-d.  It was truly one of my favourite Shabbatot B’yachad so far!