Praying with the Pope

My plan this summer was to finally take my very own euro trip! On my way to Israel I would stop somewhere I hadn't been before. So with my bags packed I flew on my own to Italy.
What's so incredible about being Jewish and being connected to all jews, is that you know people or at least people who know people everywhere. Jewish geography is incredible!
I arrived in Rome all alone and was lucky enough to have a friend of a friend meet me at the airport and show me around before dropping me at the train for my trip to Florence.
Florence and Rome; two magnificent cities. One can easily be overwhelmed by the sites and the beautiful details. Florence's Duomo or Cathedral, The Fountains of Rome, The 2000 year old Pantheon, and Vatican City. It was a treat to visit the Great Synagogue of Florence. In 1872 David Levi, donated enough money to build a synagogue "worthy of Florence".The design of the synagogue recalls the Muslim art of Moorish Spain. All the internal walls were decorated between 1882 and 1890 by a local painter: Giovanni Panti, who made use of gold-plating to highlight the Moorish designs. And in Rome it was exciting to attend a wedding at the Great Synagogue built from 1901 to 1904 on the banks of the Tiber, overlooking the former ghetto. It is said that the eclectic style of the building makes it stand out even in a city known for notable buildings and structures. This attention-grabbing design was a deliberate choice made by the community at the time who wanted the building to be a visible celebration of their freedom and to be seen from many vantage points in the city. Within the walls of both of these structures, I immediately felt at home. But beyond the few Jewish sites, it seems that everywhere one turns in these cities, one is staring at a church. Although I would have loved to see the interior of Brunelleschi's Dome in Florence and the interior of the Sistine Chapel in Rome with the famous ceiling painted by Michelangelo, I tended to limit my views to the exteriors avoiding the inside of the churches. Sitting outside the Vatican at the end of St Peter’s square and watching the throngs of people who flocked to visit the chapels, seeing the countless priests and nuns moving in every direction I was struck by a thought. I was speaking about my visit with my father who recalled that when he walked through Rome he would recount the Midrash Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi was visited by the Prophet Eliyahu. "When will the Mashiach come?" Ask him, replied the Prophet. The Mashiach is at the gates of Rome, sitting among the poor, the sick and wretched. Then Rebi Yehoshua went to Rome and met the Mashiach and asked "When will you be coming?" and was told "Today!" Yehoshua went back to Eliyahu and said that the Messiah had not told him the truth, because he had promised to come today but had not. Eliyahu explained "This is what he said to you, To-day, if you will hear his voice", a reference to Tehilim 95:7, making his coming conditional, yet the condition has not been fulfilled. As the three weeks begin and we mourn the loss of the Bet HaMikdash, sitting here by the Vatican of all places gives me an inkling of what we are missing. Why don't we have a home base? Where is our own magnificent Bet Hamikdash? Hashem promised us that when we built the Mishkan, Hashem’s Glory would dwell within us. When the Bet HaMikdash stood, Hashem’s presence was palpable. We had no doubts. Every one was religious – even though many wished to throw off the responsibility of being observant – no one could deny the truth in his heart of hearts Where is our Bet Hamidash today? It s not right! The Vatican – which cannot even compare - is there standing tall for all to see. We need our center, our place!!! In my mind’s eye I see what we could be if; if only we had our own holy house. Tomorrow I will be in Jerusalem. Tomorrow I will be by the Kotel. Tomorrow I will join our brothers and sister who pour their hearts out in front of this ancient wall; in front of this last vestige of our Temple. Now imagine if we had more then a wall! More then the outside wall!! Imagine how grand it would be. Imagine the pilgrimages we would make.This year I can mourn a little more our loss. Before I leave, I’ll walk the streets here in Rome. I’ll be searching for the Mashiach. I’ll apologize for his wounds. I’ll apologize for the delay. I know he can come today, but its all up to us and us starts with each of us. Us always begins with me! My shemonah esreh this week will have a bit more kavanah, especially the parts from Hashibenu through Boneh Yerushaayim. I’ve glimpsed the Mashiach. I’ve glimpsed at a fraction of what can be. Please Hashem, allow us to be deserving of seeing your splendor with our own eyes! Please release the Mashiach from his chains. May this Tisha BeAv be one where we go from sadness to joy. My we be zocheh to see the Mashiach on his throne and may the Temple be speedily built, Bimhera beyamenu, amen!