I was in Dublin and considered going to Friday night services at this reform congregation, thinking…read moreit might be an interesting cultural experience, in addition to being good for the soul. I called ahead to find out what time services were to be held, and was told that it changes regularly, and that night they'd be at 8:15 pm (even though sundown was at about 6:30 pm that day). But then the call got a little weird. The woman on the phone told me that they didn't normally allow strangers to just drop in for services; instead, they preferred to have people phone in advance (I thought I was doing that????) and make "arrangements". Then she said they'd make an exception this one time, but that I should bring my passport and photo ID. I said that was no problem, but just out of curiosity, why? She seemed really taken aback by my question, scoffed, and informed me crossly that people are in the habit of blowing up synagogues in Europe, so they have to be extra careful. I told her that where I live in the States, this didn't seem to be as much of a problem. She grumbled some more, and then we hung up.
I felt off-put by this and not very welcome, so I opted not to go. I guess I was hoping that because we're both Jewish, she would at least be kind to me and let me know that visiting Jews are indeed welcome, even if they should undergo some scrutiny before just showing up unannounced. I didn't get that feeling.
In retrospect, perhaps I judged too harshly: a few days later, a gunman shot and killed four Jews (a rabbi and three children) at a Jewish school in Toulouse, France. This reminded me that Knesset Orach Chayim's vigilance is in fact vital, and the woman on the phone's hesitance to just let me show up was well-placed. That makes me very sad, because I wish we lived in a world where people of all religions were able to congregate and pray together freely without the fear of violence.
I discussed this experience further with my sister, who is a journalist for a Jewish newspaper and lives in Europe, and she said that synagogues in Europe are "under siege" right now, in constant fear of terrorist attacks. Apparently these fears are well-founded.
I am mostly writing this review to let other Jews traveling to Dublin that while there IS a reform congregation here, if you want to visit and take in Friday night services, you should make contact well in advance of your trip and be prepared for them to be a bit wary of you as a stranger. I honestly had no idea how many stars to give Knesset Orach Chayim, because my only experience with them was via phone, which is why I put three stars. I encourage others who have had more experiences with this congregation to also review them and give more information.
