Shabbat Shalom

When you start your day off with working out at a health club you never know what to expect. You do on Friday, however. A lot of the guys I work out with are Jews and so a couple of them, usually Israeli immigrants, start it off.

“Shabbat Shalom!!”
“Shabbat Shalom!”
“Shabbat Shalom!”

This goes back and forth with many different guys. Some observant; some haven’t set foot in a house of worship, even for high holy days, for years. Then the singing starts, and everybody knows the songs. A bunch of Jewish guys singing in the showers, steam room and Jacuzzi. Then there is one comedian in the group, Mr. Dark Humor himself, Phil, also a Jew, and he will sing “Deutchland, Deutchland uber alles,” and it starts getting pretty nuts.

The one thing that this teaches me is no matter what your involvement in faith life, people are connected. In our Christian tradition, we have so many song styles and preferences that we don’t really have a repertoire like the songs of Shabbat. I will break into Amazing Grace once in awhile to get everyone going, and sure enough someone usually joins me. Phil sings along to that one, too!

“Shabbat Shalom, you guys!”