Services

On Thursday, I led morning services at HUC. Not only was it my first time leading services at HUC, but it was my first time leading services ever! For several weeks, Amanda, the cantorial student who I led services with, and I had been planning a bit of a different service than our usual Thursday Shacharit services. We decided, in the spirit of Purim, that it would be fun to change things up a bit. The first half of the service was more self-guided in that we chose to reduce the centrality of the Bimah. We allowed for silent, private meditation and prayer, but still within the setting of our HUC community. After the Amidah, we decided to spice things up a bit and add in some fun purim tunes and began to pray communally.
I was fairly nervous and anxious about leading services. When I came home from school on Wednesday after a last minute rehearsal (and sushi date with some friends), my roommates had decorated my room with candy and sign of encouragement.
Not only did that help to relieve some of my worries, but, also, once the service began, everything seemed to just flow naturally and my worries went away. After our closing song, I turned to Amanda and said, "did we do everything?" It's amazing that you can prepare so much for something and in an hour and 15 minutes, it's all over.
I had a lot of fun working with Amanda on this service. We have a pretty unique connection in that we shared the same cantor. Growing up Cantor Cohn was a big influence in my Jewish life at North Shore Congregation Israel. Cantor Cohn moved to Texas, where Amanda is from, where he became an influence on Amanda's Jewish life as well.

Here are a few photos from services:

Tiyul

Last week our class traveled down south for four days to the desert. The trip was very relaxing and the weather was beautiful (even a little too hot). We visited Qumran and Masada on Wednesday, went on a hike on Thursday, and went to the beach in Eilat on Friday. We stayed at Kibbutz Yahel (which is where I spent my 21st birthday two years ago), one of the two Reform Kibbutzim in Israel. Some of the "Chailights" from the trip were:
-getting lost on Masada looking for a bathroom
-having two "tour crashers" on Masada (our teacher David Levine, led our tour, and two random people decided to join for the entire time)
-eating pomelos from the pomelo field at Kibbutz Yahel
-spontaneous Israeli Dancing on Friday night with classmates
-relaxing on the hammock on the Kibbutz
-seeing the cows
-getting to spend time with people who I don't usually hang out with
-an awesome text study with Yoshi at the end of the Tiyul
-Services on the Hike
-Songleading at the campfire on the first night

Women of the Wall

I woke up a bit earlier than usual this morning to go pray at the Kotel with my roommates, classmates, and an organization called Women of the Wall. On the first day of every Jewish month, this organization gathers together at the Western Wall to pray together as a community. For those of you who have never been to Israel or don't know much about the laws of the Kotel, basically there is no equality between men and women. Not only are the men and women separate, but the men have a huge space and the women side is tiny and crowded. Women are not allowed to wear tallitot or read from the Torah, and the list goes on.

A few months ago, a woman was arrested for wearing a tallit at the wall and carrying a Torah. Women of the wall agrees to follow the laws of the Kotel and therefore reads Torah at another location further down the wall.

Almost everyone was wearing a tallis today. On the men side, the ultra-orthodox, were screaming and yelling things to the women calling us "whores" and telling us that we were christian. Some even went as far as to call us "Nazis". On the women side the old orthodox women said similar things. As one of the women was yelling at us, her teeth fell out, ironic? I think not!

I'm still not quite sure how I feel about the kotel, as I've never really found a connection. I'm also not sure what I think about women of the wall and the pain I felt being yelled at by our own people. But what I am sure of, is this is not the way I want things to remain. And so, next Rosh Chodesh, I will be back at the Kotel once again as part of this push to show that I love Judaism as much as the Orthodox men do.

Jewish Cooking

I made Matzo Ball Soup tonight! Send more Jewish cooking recipes this way! Actually, it's so cold here, any soup recipes would be much appreciated (the easier the better of course!)

Quick update: I had a great weekend in Eilat visiting Brittany and meeting all of her friends. It's always nice to get out of Jerusalem and do something a little different every now and then. I'll be in Jerusalem this weekend, and then we are headed on our class trip to the Negev next Wednesday.

That's all for now...Enjoy the Superbowl (I don't even care who wins as I will be sleeping)!

Oh, and a special shout out to Zach-Congrats on the Job!!!!

The 3 P's (Purim, Passover, Packing)

A little out of order, but I'm going to start with PASSOVER.

During Passover, I will be traveling to the Former Soviet Union with 10 classmates to lead Passover Seders and other educational programs in Reform Jewish communities. In preparation for this project we have been spending time studying how to conduct a Passover Seder, and learning the history and culture of the Jewish communities we will be visiting. In all of the Soviet Union there has been continued Jewish development in the FSU, but there are currently ONLY SIX rabbis serving hundreds of Jewish communities.

This is where I am asking for your help. The project is made possible by fundraising. The donations pay for everything including travel expenses, educational materials, and supplies for all members of the communities we visit (ranging from toddlers to senior citizens), and a gift to show our continued support for these struggling Jewish communities.

PLEASE visit this website to find out more information about the project and to donate please click HERE.

Thank you in advance,
Amanda