Feeling "In-Between..." - Jonah

Good Morning America,

It is strange to be the only person in this group living outside the States. Though, we are quite a diverse web spread across a number of cities, time zones and climates - something about being in an entirely different country where an entirely different language is spoken - elicits a very February emotion for me: "In-Betweenness"

Having started this month in New York and completing it in Jerusalem only adds to the sense of in-betweenness...

I invite you to listen to this old diddy by Jack Johnson, "In Between Dreams" when reading the rest of this post.
One of the funny things about living "in between" is that the old and the new are constantly dancing with one another. For example, I haven't listened to Jack Johnson since my semi-Emo high school days in New York, but now that I'm dating someone who grew up here in Jerusalem whose high school Emo playlist was different than mine, his surfer melodies have re-entered my orbit.

With regard to the dance between the old and the new, check out this video of the oldest recorded flashmob in the world (people between the ages of 65 and 97 dancing in New Zealand to "promote the need for more adaptable and accessible housing.")

Entering february for me this year was particularly strange as a I celebrated my Grandmother's 104th birthday on the last day of January right before entering the month wherein I mourn a dear friend's life was ended too early.
As my grandmother continues her post-centential life singing, Younger than Springtime,  I prepare for my February soundtrack headlined by a song played at Avi's Funeral four years ago מה אברך לו במה יבורך ("What shall we bless him, how shall he blessed?").

And here I find myself, sitting on the roof of my Jerusalem apartment, shirtlessly bathing in the 70 degree sun, having just flown out of freezing city of New York as snow was piling on-to the wings of the airplane...feeling in-between.

So I want to make a non-traditional proposal to this community:
For so many of us, our ties were built around Shabbat - I think I met the majority of you sitting in the beit midrash of Brown's Hillel, for Chavura's Kabbalat Shabbat. And as we approach shabbat, a variety of cities - I want to invite you to help me actualize a four-year old vision. Since Avi's death, I've wanted to put the tune of "Mah Avarech" to Lecha Dodi and sing it with all of you - but it never came to be. Wherever you find yourself this friday evening, whether at services in a communal environment, singing to yourself on the street, or anything in between - I want to invite you to try this tune for Lecha Dodi - and see if we can bring the music of this online community into our own personal shabbat experience.

Much love,

Jonah