B"H
Greetings From Nowhere
We arrived in the middle of nowhere during summer when this winter wonderland is devoid of skiers. We planned on enjoying reading a book and luxuriating in the peace and quiet of solitude. The beauty was breathtaking with mountainous peaks that rise into the heavens. Summertime ice and snow challenge the need for air conditioning. Engelberg Switzerland was never on our radar, and had it not been that our names are similar we probably would not have opted to go there.
Yet as the saying goes “menchen tracht, un Gott lacht” - people imagine and God laughs. In other words what one usually imagines rarely comes to fruition. On our first day walking and perusing the sights, who do we see but Chassidic Jews also enjoying the sights in the middle of nowhere. We figured they also came for a bit of respite so we decided to give them their space and allow them to enjoy their tranquility. However, the next day was Friday and while sipping coffee (no Starbucks here) we saw multiple groups of chasidim walking. Our interest had been piqued.
Speaking in ‘momma loshon,’ or what others call Yiddish, I asked if there is a shul hereby. Lo and behold, even though not on any websites, they told me that for three weeks every year Jews descend on the town of Engelberg and set up a makeshift shul. Now it’s a far cry from luxurious, and the building should probably be condemned, but nonetheless a minyan is held three times a day. A mix of chassidic Jews from Zurich and Monsey plus a mixture of Israelis create a cacophony of pleasurable sounds and a myriad of different tunes. It was like heaven and earth deciding to meet midway on the mountains in Switzerland. Sadly, there was no kiddush after services which would have been the icing on the cake.
Actually, there is much to learn from the local demographic. Of course there is a local population but for the most part they are unseen. There are some serious exercise gurus who ride bikes on 80 mile trails or the slightly less dedicated who hike the mountains with their trekking sticks, but my eyes were focused on two unique demographics who elsewhere in the world are unlikely to coexist. In addition to the Chassidic Jews who were dressed in their distinctive attire, there were an abundance of hijab wearing Muslims also enjoying the environs. And everybody walked the streets free of fear or trepidation.
The shul is located steps from the main train station (less than 20 feet from the actual train tracks) and the prayers can be heard wafting through the open windows. The shul has no air conditioning or security and the doors are kept open. People from different faiths walk by, perhaps pausing upon hearing strange sounds emanating from the building, but no one lingers or mocks. The hijab covered women walk hand in hand with their husbands and play in the park with their children. It’s as if two undeniable foes are only able to find solace and commonality away from their home turf.
A few days after learning of the latest tragedy in Israel, the senseless shooting of eight innocent civilians, my wife spoke to her mother (who resides in Israel) about the incident. She told her, sadly we are used to these incidents occurring and we learn to ignore reality and get on with our daily life. How sad it is that in the remoteness of a small town in Switzerland mankind proves its ability and willingness to accept diversity but all is forgotten when people arrive home.
I don’t have a solution, nor do I believe a solution is actually required. I think deep down people want to live and let live. I believe that Isaiah’s prophecy for tomorrow, “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard lies down with the kid,” has actually already started. I believe the veneer of hostility that has been fomented over millennia is slowly starting to peel. Who would have ever contemplated a few years ago that Israel would forge an actual peace accord with sworn enemies? We all know Theodore Herzl's famous quote “im tirzu ein zo hagaddah” - if you truly desire it, it is no dream. The only difficulty we have is believing it. Well, sometimes you have to travel to nowhere to actually arrive somewhere.
Rabbi Jack Engel
