Next year in... oh wait!

Tonight, my Bible Study decided that we should have a traditional Passover meal, since we're in Israel and Passover week starts very soon. We sat down, ate the traditional foods (in the correct order) and said the traditional prayers in Hebrew. Each thing we ate had a theme, such as the tears of the Israelites that were shed during slavery, or the egg of rebirth and the new life that awaited them as they left Egypt for the Holy Land. We talked about what the Passover meant and why we eat it. We remembered how God came to save His people from enslavement and His leading them to a land flowing with milk and honey. We took time to say all of the plagues, to remember God's awesome power and His wrath that He poured out against the Egyptians who refused to release His people. We sang songs, ate unleavened bread, opened the door to see if Elijah was there, and hid the piece of unleavened bread and then went and looked for it (as tradition calls for). In the middle of the ceremony, since everyone present was a Christian, we suspended tradition and looked up the Last Supper passage in the New Testament. We then held communion, as Jesus Himself did during the Passover meal not very far from where we sat. We remembered His sacrifice, and how it was more perfect than any animal sacrifice that was necessary before He died. We then went back to the original Jewish tradition and finished the prayers and the sayings (In Hebrew of course). We had a big debate over whether or not to say the traditional "Next year in Jerusalem" concluding pronouncement, since we're already here. We ultimately decided to say it, arguing that we could be sitting down to this meal next year in the New Jerusalem. Once the "traditional" meal, was over, we broke out the rest of the food that we brought and had a very gentile-like dinner, with coca cola, soup, and ice cream. It was awesome to be able to say that I participated in the Passover meal while staying in Jerusalem, as the Hebrews in Egypt were eating the meal while in captivity in anticipation of reaching the Holy Land. My friends and I talked about our Passover break plans (most of us are going hiking in the north of the country for the weekend), and reminisced about the great memories we've already created over the past two months. I'm truly blessed to be surrounded by such great people, and I'm so happy that we've got another three months here together.