SUNDAY APRIL 5^TH AT 7:00PM AT MOTEK

54-3854 AKONI PULE HWY., KAPAAU

OPEN TO ALL

PLEASE JOIN US THIS SUNDAY, APRIL 5^TH FOR A TALK STORY WITH C.J. – A CETACEA RESEARCHER BASED ON THE BIG ISLAND WHO WILL SHARE HER INSIGHTS AND EXPERIENCES FROM 15 YEARS OF GETTING IN THE WATER WITH HAWAII’S MOST FAMOUS AND AWE-INSPIRING PART-TIME RESIDENTS.

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This is a big week for everyone as today marks Good Friday. Being Jewish, I am pretty unfamiliar with the traditions around this holiday. For example, why is it called “Good Friday” if in fact Jesus was crucified? What’s so good about that? A little research taught me that “Good” in old English is actually another term form “Holy” such as the Good Book. Another explanation is that it was Good because of the good news of salvation. Then there is the Last Supper which was essentially a Passover Seder. Having experienced by now many Passover Seders, I have to say that it sad to think that Jesus’s last meal may have included gefilte fish, dry matzah, some bitter herbs and possibly a tough piece of brisket.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is where Jesus was resurrected. It is a site claimed by 6 branches of Christianity. On the ledge above the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher there is a wooden ladder that has been there for more than 250 years. Way back in the 1700’s someone put out that ladder to access the roof. Any unilateral action by any one branch of those who claim ownership of the Holy Sepulcher insinuates a higher status of ownership relative to the other branches and therefore only a unanimous decision can make any changes…..and so it still stands there to this day.

But that’s not all. If a ladder has remained in place in order preserve a delicate balance between the different branches of Christianity, who gets to hold the keys to the Holy Sepulcher? The answer might surprise you – there are two Palestinian Muslim families who hold the keys – a representative of the Joudeh (Al-Husseini) family holds the 12-inch physical key and has been doing so for centuries. A representative of the Nuseibeh family is responsible for getting the key from the Joudeh family every morning and every night in order to unlock and lock the Holy Sepulcher each morning and every night

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It is said that this arrangement dates back to the time of Salah Al-Din after he took Jerusalem from the Crusaders. In any case, it is an often overlooked example of interfaith cooperation that has weathered centuries of wars, plagues, changes of rulers, etc.

Mahalo and Happy Easter

David and Yael

P.S. – A Joke: WARNING CLICK ON THIS LINK AT YOUR OWN PERIL https://www.oldjewstellingjokes.com/2022/01/12/sherwin-kepes-neil-armstrong-599-38/

April 1^st marks the first night of the Jewish holiday of Passover. Normally this is a great holiday for Jewish bakeries as you are not allowed to eat any bread or any other leavened anything. In fact, observant Jews are required to clean their homes and businesses of any bread, bread crumbs, flour – you name it, just about anything that has flour in it. For those who take it very seriously, they are expected to be so thoroughly cleaned that they must inspect all of the dark crevices with a candle and a feather – a candle so that they can see what they are cleaning and a feather so that they can sweep up even them most minute particle of a bread crumb. This is done in order to keep the holiday “Kosher for Passover” in recognition of the fact that ancient Hebrews had no time for their bread to rise while they were escaping Pharoah and his army in their exodus from Egypt. No worries, we will remain open even during Passover and have no intention of doing the candle and feather thing. We will of course have a family Seder – the Passover meal that recounts the story of the Exodus. “Seder” literally means “order” as in the order of things. That is because for millennia Jewish people have been conducting the very same meal the same way, carefully retelling the story by following a Haggadah – a small book that is pretty much like a paint-by-number of what to do and what to say.

There is one part of the Seder where you open the door and invite in Elijah the Prophet to come and drink some wine. As children it was our favorite part as we would all stand around the table, keeping a keen eye on the special cup filled to the brim for Elijah. Someone would open the door to let the prophet in while an uncle or cousin would surreptitiously shake the table, causing the wine glass to jiggle as if Elijah had just taken a swig. It never occurred to us that Elijah would need to be drinking from a lot of cups that night and would likely fall over in a drunken stupor. More than anything, Passover is about freedom. While it is true that it focuses on the story of how the Hebrews were liberated from their bondage in Egypt, the key theme is to see it a celebration of our being unfettered and free – physically, spiritually, mentally…free.

Happy Passover – David and Yael

P.S. – A Funny Related Clip – it is somewhat irreverent so click on this at your own risk:

P.P.S. Shakshuka = tomatoes (lots), onions, garlic, olive oil, spices all slow cooked overnight. When you order it, we crack an egg or 2 (your choice) in it, pop it in the oven where the egg cooks in the shakshuka and then serve it with a fluffy roll baked fresh to mop it all up.

Speaking of weather – this Kona low 2.0 is definitely the talk of the town and with good reason. It is hard to watch the havoc on Oahu – the power of nature that is once again so humbling. As long as there is electricity Motek will be open. We will postpone the planned Infrequent Talk Story Sunday with C. J. to talk about whales and re-schedule when we have more hospitable weather. The weather will actually help to clean up around the hitching post. Nothing puts a bigger smile on our face than to find a big pile of horses…t, evidence of another rider…now we just need to leave them a note with our hours so that they come when we’re open.

Mahalo – David and Yael

P.S. A Joke: Warning, click on this link at your own peril https://www.oldjewstellingjokes.com/2022/01/12/malcom-mason-oral-sex-practice-599-4/

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