Leil Shimurim - A sleepless night of sacred music, study meditation and prayer

Together with the group from “Abraham’s Path” we enjoyed a sleepless night of sacred music, study, meditation and prayer. “Abraham’s Path” is a group of religious and non religious Muslims and Jews who celebrate and study together both Muslim and the Jewish traditions. In their practice, they demonstrate the possibility for Jews and Muslims to share spiritual practices and learn together and from one another.

Performances by two excellent musicians added to the magic of the evening. Jewish musician Yair Dalal played from his repertoire of traditional and original compositions of sacred Jewish and Arab music for oud and violin. Mukhi Elbaghdadi, also an oud player, treated us to spirited performances of traditional Arabic music.

As the night progressed, we heard two lectures: one about ma’arag the ascension of the soul in the Islamic and Sufi traditions, by Ghassan Manasra, and one upon the same subject in Judaism, by Dr Avi Elkayam from Bar Ilan University. We also experienced “looking within”, a guided meditation by Prof. Oded Maimon, and a silent meditative walk under the stars, guided by Rabbi Roberto Arbiv.