Sweet Honey in the Rock

last night i experienced the presence of an amazing group of women, Sweet Honey in the Rock. the music filled the auditorium, chills were sent running through my body countless times, and a peaceful, appreciative smile rarely left my face. there are still many stops on their tour…i highly recommend enjoying their company.

” One of the world’s premiere a cappella vocal ensembles, she comes singing songs that effortlessly and masterfully address life’s most critical human activities: education, economics, labor, love, spirituality, politics, and war; songs that articulate our most pressing issues: a clear voice for the oppressed, a clarion call for a depleted environment and eroding civil liberties; songs that preserve, extend and bridge the distance between the traditional calls, chants, shouts, work songs, spirituals, long meter hymns and gospels of her ancestors, and the blues, jazz, R & B, reggae, and hip-hop of today’s ever-changing world.”

final poem

our trip to israel is far from being a finished topic!

allow wonder-woman sarah kadis to paint a picture of our experience with the fly poem that she threw together on the last night…

“It started way back in NYC

When we didn’t know we were going to make Livnot history

We were greeted with pastry it was plain to see

That every blessed moment of this trip, food it would be

We started off with the Old City Jerusalem and a trip to the wall

Followed up by personal challenge we were provoked through the tunnels and caves we would crawl

We were shown the land, the people and the amazing past

As we drove over hills we were wondering how to make all this last

As the days continued on, tired and weary we drew

But the spirit, emotions and humor never went blue

At first we all thought a 4:00 am hike was insane

But as we climbed the mountain with the sunset on our backs, we all knew why we came

The memories that we made are never going to die

Like when Dan got locked in his room and was left out to dry

Hummus and Pita seem to be the theme of the trip

When you see Josh has invented the “Hummus Shake”, we all will know the kid has surely flipped

The north has shown us all a different side of Jewish life

Between the ancient synagogues, art, Kabbalah and the Jewish people’s strife

As this day nears end we can only look back and smile

Because we know that we will meet up again somewhere, somehow in a short while

Our days here in Israel will forever be engraved in our hearts

Thanks to our fearless leaders with their intuition, intelligence and smarts

We are leaving this trip with a greater sense of who we are

The memories, friends and connections we have made will never drift far

Remember what you have learned in this great land of pride

For that feeling of happiness, joy and love will never subside

Lets keep in touch for years to come

Thank you for 2 amazing weeks of thinking, soul, perseverance and most importantly fun!”

more on marianne

hey ash,

you know, marianne williamson is the person whose words i adapted for my wedding ceremony. here are some of her words i fell in love with and maybe changed just a little bit…

“So little is held sacred in this world anymore, yet one thing must remain sacred or the whole world disintegrates. That is an agreement between two people…I know that you feel that God has gifted you with this love and indeed he has. At the same time, I remind you that he gives no gift for you alone. Rather, he has brought you together that his purposes shall be accomplished within you. You are not here to escape the world with this love, but to serve it more fully. You have been delivered into each other’s arms and love in order to more fully become the people that you are capable of being. May this marriage deliver you to the fullest magnificence of your own expression that the world might be blessed thereby. And so we pray, may you be joined in the light at the core of your own being, and may you always see the love of God when you look in each other’s eyes.”

i had always been afraid of marriage, because i thought i would lose myself and my identity in the process. but now i know better… not all, but better. ;) marianne is so cool.