Israeli Folk Dance Reminds Me of Krishna's Rasa Dance

Some acquaintances of mine recently told me aboutthis and we all know that he would look at this from
how wonderful it was to go to what is known as thea pure Krsna conscious point of view. Fortunately, I
"Israeli folk dance" at the local synagogue wherecould also. Of course, there were no deities. While
people of all ages get involved with this style ofthe concept of bringing men and women together
dancing. Since I was always shy and not really afor such a social event may seem pleasing, it is
dancer and also because I am not Jewish, I wasprimarily self-centered, in other words, it excluded the
reluctant to attend. They told me anyone could go.center of attraction, Lord Sri Krsna as the supreme
So I finally decided to take a peek one Sundayenjoyer.
evening (after the local ISKCON temple program,I then wondered what ISKCON would have been like
ironically) to see what it was all about, just as aif Srila Prabhupada introduced this kind of temple
casual observer. While both locations were religious orworship where, rather than having men and women
spiritual institutions, each had their own uniquesegregated as opposed to dancing together, would
atmosphere that were gulfs apart in terms of intentthe movement have been more popular? Maybe it
and ideology. I'm glad I went because while drivingwould because it would not have seemed like a
back home I had these incredible realizations that I"strict" religious movement. That is, popular in terms
would like to share with devotees.of a place where one can congregate without feeling
I entered the synagogue and to my surprise therealienated by institutional constraints.
were as many as 100 or more men and women ofI then said to myself, no, this was not in keeping
varying ages all participating in a folk dance that forwith the Vedic conclusions and Krsna consciousness in
the most part was very lyrical. The choreographygeneral and besides, men and women in the temple
and music was very refreshing and something I hadwere eventually meeting and marrying anyway,
never seen before. There were people from manydancing together or not. This would have gone
walks of life and faiths. I thought to myself, howagainst the original nature of the temple environment
interesting. Interesting that this many people canSrila Prabhupada established in keeping with the
come together and enjoy the social function of justdictates for practicing pure Krsna consciousness.
dancing. My mind of course went to Krsna.Krsna always had to be in the center, else, ISKCON
I sat down and spent an hour or so just watchingwould have degenerated into just another fad,
the different people dance and suddenly I thought ofanother mundane religion. In fact, what makes Krsna
the "rasa dance" wherein Lord Krsna expands Himselfconsciousness so unique is that, to my knowledge it
into millions of duplicate forms and dances withis the only spiritual movement that incorporates
millions of gopis and of course, His eternal belovedsankirtana, congregational dancing into their temple
consort, Srimati Radharani. Everything began to makeworship, whereas other religions tend to concentrate
sense. This is what people need. Dance is the eternalon singing hymns and listening to sermons. If there is
function of the soul in every culture throughout thedancing and food, it is usually a separate social
entire planet since the beginning of time. But thisfunction for fund-raising etc.
type of dancing was material, temporary, perhaps anStill, I enjoyed watching everyone dance and drove
ancient memory of the REAL, eternal dance,home feeling a sense of sadness for these souls
transcendental in nature.caught up, as I sometimes am, in the modes of
Israeli dance to me is a strange blend of Greek,passion when their eternal rasa is to dance eternally
traditional Israeli and even Russian dance steps thatwith Krsna in Goloka, Vrndavana in the spiritual sky,
have a very elegant quality to it. Sometimes it's fasttheir only real home. I also sensed that these dancers
and modern, sometimes slow and classical. Whereaswere very lonely.
in modern dance, such as disco, country-western etKrsna consciousness is not easy. But just as we
al the main focus is sense gratification and sex desire,became Krsna conscious, we must, as Srila
that is, men and women coming together to meetPrabhupada often said, "Hope against hope," pray
and mate, Israeli dance is somewhat different in thatthat one day they will also come to grips with the
the dancers sometimes form circles and clap andconclusions of the Vedas and join the progressive
have very unique dance steps. It's not overtly lusty.march back to Godhead to dance forever in their
I wondered what Srila Prabhupada would make of alleternal rasa with Lord Sri Krsna.