Pillars & Foundations

The Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel The Pillars & Foundations blog has documented exploration of my surrounding communities as well as travels abroad, with a topic focused on the spiritual centers I've had the opportunity to visit. Recently I completed a trip to Israel and my goal is to document several of the notable sites during my exploration. The Western Wall , considered the holiest sight in Judaism, is one of the remaining segments of a retaining wall that made the foundation of the Second Jewish Temple constructed by Herod the Great. The wall is made of enormous limestone blocks and it dates as early as 19 BCE. The Romans demolished the Second Temple , and this segment of the wall was one of the only portions that survived. I first saw the wall as part of a tour of the old city when we were in the Jewish Quarter. One stop on this journey provided a great view of the area. To get close to the wall one must go through a security check. Once through the chec...

Temple Shir Tikvah, Winchester, Massachusetts In Pillars & Foundations I intend to share my exploration and experiences of many different organizations of faith, predominantly near where I live in Massachusetts. These institutions are important, often overlooked and even misjudged centers of our communities that seek to make a positive impact on their participants as well as others through their generosity and public service. It is possible that through this activity I may eventually consider a long term relationship with one of these pillars and foundations of the community, however I am eager to do a lot of exploring first. I was honored to be approached by fellow Wakefield residents Caroline and Dan Lieber, who had expressed appreciation of these blog posts. They extended an invitation to attend Shabbat with them at their Temple in nearby Winchester. This was the first experience attending a Jewish service for my wife and I and this entry is written with that context. As a...