It turns out it's been here since 1926. It looks like other old European synagogues we've seen. It's pretty unassuming on the outside and blends in pretty well to the other old buildings on the street. The inside looks much like many other old synagogues we've seen in Europe. The stone walls are faded white and brass chandeliers hang from the two story high ceilings above wooden pews. Being an Orthodox place of worship, the men and women sit separately, so I sat with Jeff while Jenn sat on the other side of the separation screen. The roughly 25 men all had their own prayer books, which meant I was left to my thoughts for a couple of hours, since I didn't have one.
I often don't use a prayer book when attending a service, so this wasn't all that unusual for me. I like to use it as a time to think about things. In December, when at the Western Wall in Jerusalem with Jenn's family, I put a prayer in the wall asking for a Saints Super Bowl Championship. So, I figured I was good for a while on the prayer front and didn't need to be going back to the well. I spent the time thinking about my own life and what I can do to improve myself and the world around me. I don't want to go into more detail, but it really wasn't anything earth shattering. I'm a simple man.
As I watched the Orthodox men pray intently and passionately, I was intrigued. Faith is a really interesting thing and I'm fascinated by what people believe in and how they express and observe those beliefs.
I wish I would have had a notebook with me during the service because at the time, I had some really great thoughts I wanted to write about, but at 11pm on a Monday night, those thoughts have escaped me. It's too bad, because I am certain you really would have enjoyed reading it.
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