2012-2013

There are but a few minutes of 2012 left and I find myself alone and working. Not that this brothers me any. In fact given how I spend a deal of my time it seems most suitable really.  I am back in Stoke and although Rebecca and Said and Aaron were here earlier they have gone now and mum and dad are in bed.  I have been working on my essays all day and have more or less finished the one for psalms. It is about 90% done.  I still have a single paragraph to right and I need to add a fourth appendix and then it is done.
I have been preparing for my essay on the Aleinu-essay. The third essay is in many ways both the most interesting and most difficult it is for history and on the subject of the Kararites.  I have been researching it today. Mainly by reading Kararites websites.  I was surprised a) that there are still Kararites and b) still so much opposition to Pharisaic-Judaism (even using that term says a lot).
Anyway as the fireworks have started I know that it is now 1st of January 2013.
I will probably head off to bed soon so as to be able to work better tomorrow.

Post-limmud

I am still buzzing with ideas and the general after effects of having been at Limmud, today I took it easy after a late night last night just chatting (this was really my first opportunity to do this as its just been one thing after the other).
Currently I am tidying my room really trying to get it nice so its a pleasant environment for to work (and sleep in). I am also thinking about my three up-coming essays and my presentation as well as getting ready for a quick trip back home to Newcastle tomorrow.
I am planning on writing something a little more substantial that grew out of one of my limmud sessions  in this blog shortly.
But for the time being I'd better get back to tidying my room and getting ready for my trip home.

limmud update

As I type I am still at Limmud and am having a truly amazing time. Attending sessions, many of which have been expectional. But I have also been meeting up with people, old and new, as well as networking.
I have enjoyed being part of the Limmud chevrota project, and I think that the first of my two sessions went well. My second session (which is on Tamar and Judah) is later on today. A couple of the sessions will really stay with me, I think that some of the materials I learnt in Yehoshua Engelman, will give me food for thought in the coming weeks and months.  I am certain that the session I attended on Tuesday by Levi Lauer will not only give me intellectual stimulus but will also provid me with the impetus to attactually get up and do stuff.
I am only sad that it is drawing to a close as I feel that I could do with a lot more limmud, but I still have the remainder of today and at least a part of tomorrow to look forward to. I am currently looking after the LBC stand in the 'market place'. And will go to a session by Naamah Kalman, shortly.
I hope that everyone to whom it is applicable had an amazing Christmass.

Limmud

I am currently at Limmud, I travelled up here this morning on the limmud coach with Emily. My room is really pleasant and it has been really good to meet up with limmud friends from years gone by. I have had a bit of a look though the program which looks great as always. I am starting to feel that limmud buzz, which I have really missed these past two limmudim. There are still a few people whom I want to catchup with but I am sure that the opportunity will present itself over the course of the next few days.

Back now to studying the program, thinking and socialising.

Hag limmud samche

A Review of the year

I am slowly getting ready for Limmud, printing off hand outs and thinking about what I'll need while there, packing and the like.  I am also cleaning my room a) because it really need it I have been run off my feet these past few weeks and months and also because b) its what I nearly always do when there is stuff on my mind.
Don't worry nothing heavy or dramatic is happening just all the normal pressures of the life of a rabbinical student.  But it did feel like now was a good time for a 'review of the year post'. Albeit that the beginning of the year feels so very long ago that I can barely remember it.  I do remember that I was very tired and rather fed up. But looking back I learnt a lot JCM was also a good experience and something of a highlight and then there were the ending of the year; with Kol Bo and the rush to do essays.
Then I had the all too brief summer with visits up north and family time.  Then there was the start of this academic year which of course starts with the High Holy Days.  This went so well this time around and the community was really welcoming it and made me feel like everything had gone well.
After this came the long never-ending fall semester.
Things learnt: Lots more Hebrew and text ability. (I was really surprised and pleased that I could read Radak unseen.) This certainly would not have been the case even at the end of the second year, and I know it was not the case last year.
I also think that because of practice; and my extra classes with CM my skills as a sermon giver have come on enormously.
I have also been out a couple of times, which for me is a lot. And I hope it continues next year. So hears hoping next year will also be a year of growth and change (almost certainly yes) and hopefully less stressful and more relaxing.

Half way point

Today I had my last classes of my fifth semester, which means that I am actually half way though.  I am not sure about wether to laugh or cry about this.  It feels as though it has taken so much just to reach this point in terms of energy/time/money/emotional resources just to reach this point.  And it also feels as though I have been doing it forever.

And I think that, wow, half what does the next half bring. But on the whole I'm pretty happy about it and am enjoying having reached this stage.

It is also exciting because I've grown and changed so much in these past two and half years.  And I think what will the next two and half years bring as I move more and more out of the classroom and into the real rabbinic world.

Today was the last day I visited the particular day care centre I have been working in it has been very interesting but the program still needs working on.  

Academic things are going very smoothly I am happy and although I still have three essays to write (Liturgy, Psalms and History) I am happy with what I am going to do for liturgy and psalms; which is to be based on the presentation I did on psalm 114. I am a little less happy with history albeit that I have selected my title.  The only other thing that is need is a presentation of prophets but that is not scheduled to take place until the 28th of January. 

Emily and I go to Limmud on Sunday, I am very excited about that. It has been too long since I have been able to go so it will be good to see my limmud friends.

I am rather tired. But am generally happy. 

The end of Hanukkah

Hanukkah is over (well very very nearly) and so is the semester.  Emily and I have done our presentation for Psalms (I was actually really pleased with how it went).  We have also had our last class on reflecting on our experiences with/at Jewish care. So the rest of the semester one week is really a bit of a drawing in especially as we have some cancelled classes next week.
There is of course the assessments for the first semester which remain: Three essays (One for liturgy, one for History and one for psalms [based off our presentations] and one of the mini-essays for Rabbinic literature.  I do of course have to prepare my limmud sessions, which start in a week. And there is one last visit with Jewish care to do but apart from that we're done.

I enjoyed Hanukhah although I only got to send one day of it back home.  Friday I went to FPS and their celebrations were really nice and on Saturday I went over to WCS I always enjoy the service there and the community is lovely and welcoming.

I did have a moment of intense nostalgia when in a newsagents I saw Snapple ice tea and more magazine about swimming than I thought there could possibly be these made me think of Tina and Laura and of course HUC and Jlem.

The trip over to WCS was interesting among other unusual things that happen was there there were parrots in the park (the local park to Emily and I).  Shortly I am off we some of my fellow LBC students to see the Hobbit which should be great fun.

Hanukkah and the midway point

I am taking the chance to make another visit home. This time I get to spend the first night of Hanukkah here. I am busy, I have lots of work to do. Both smaller bits for next week and some larger stuff for the weeks ahead. But with just two more weeks of the semester to go I have stared thinking about reaching the midway point. Because I have very nearly reached that particular milestone.
It feels odd really, really odd.
Looking back and thinking about the before Adam, sitting in the garden here in Newcastle-under-Lyme  madly reviewing Hebrew for his upcoming test. (This is way back in 2010) and then getting on that flight to Israel, I really feel like I am a different person. I have learnt a lot in the intervening 930 something days but am so painfully aware of how much there is still to learn (How much I really really really) must master in the coming 930 days.
Its also a little odd that a number of people who are now huge parts of my life weren't even in it just that short while ago.
I have also just reread my application to LBC (I need to refer to something in it) and although I still think its a good application (it cannot have been that bad i did get in) but i was reading it and thinking; I really said that? Again it feels like the words, ideas and emotions of a different person.
This all makes me ask if the first two and half years can produce this kind of change and alteration, what will these remaining two and half years bring?
I think (and hope I am growing) and will continue to grow. But there is still a long way to go. I am also a little worried.
Partly this is because it has cost so much to get to this point. In terms of money, time, emotional resources, and physical resources. That I really get a little perturbed when I think about where I will be find the strength necessary for my remaining time as a student rabbi. (And of course for when I actually am a rabbi).
But also because in a way the time has gone so quickly. So a big thank-you to my teachers and an even bigger one to my friends who have supported me to reach this point. To many to mention really but a particular thank-you to Emily, and Tina.
Now onto the normal business of work and study and preparation for Limmud and of course enjoying the festival.

One more week near the end of term

It has been another long week, albeit not an unpleasant one, Monday which feels like it was a very long time ago, was fairly uneventful. Just longer than usual with an extra-catch up class in it.  Tuesday was long also because I had a couple of extra-meetings.  Wednesday which is normally relatively peace was  fun but much longer than usual as some of us went out after school to eat (Mexican) and then to a movie: 'The master', which was great really really interesting.
Thursday involved a lot of running about, firstly off to where I am doing my Jewish care placement then back to college to have a meeting discussion about Zionism(s). Then back to the flat to let the washing machine man in (yes thats right it had broken again). Then in my case it was back in the direction of school to go to my weakly therapy session.
Today Friday I have been taking it easy. Went out to pick up a parcel from the post office. Am now lessing to Emily practicing her songs for the kabbalat-Shabbat service. Soon I will go with her to FPS for service then I am planning of skyping with the folks back home.
I have quite a lot of work to do this weekend. But not so much that it will be impossible to get it down.

We are getting to point when we have assessments, large and small to do for class so am busier than I would normally be which is in fact saying something.

So not much has really changed all that much since my last post. Shabbat shalom to one and all.

Long week

Somehow this past week has felt rather long, this might be because I went home last weekend which always means I start the week off rather on the back foot. Nevertheless I'm really shattered and ready for the most peaceful weekend/shabbat that I can get.  (Although as always I do have work, quite a lot of work to do actually.

Thursday started with my Pastoral placement: Which I am really starting to enjoy. This day I went in as normal and chatted with various people about different topics.  Latter rather than taking part in a discussion group I was involved with a spelling game. (Imagine how well that went? :) people seemed to enjoy correcting my spelling. And I have been at this particular game long enough for this not to brother me.

Then it was back to college for one of our meetings with MMC, who is holding this part of the program.  (This are always both useful, interesting but somewhat challenging).

After a short rest, although I did bump into Mini, it was time to go to my therapy session.

Then it was off to the Catcher in the Rye, to hung out with some friends. Emily was there, as well as Ben and Sarah, Adam (not me another Adam) and Leah and Banji. It was lost of fun. The food at the Catcher is really rather nice and I had a really nice strawberry and lime bear.

So that was a pleasant end to a long hard week.

Shabbat Shalom

Towards the end of the semester

The title of the post maybe a little premature, there is after all almost a whole month before the semester is actually over, but it feels like the end is coming. I find hard to believe that in a day and four weeks my fifth semester at rabbinical school will be over with.
Not all that much has happened since my last post, I have had lots of class of course, and have continued to work both in the academic and in the non-academic settings in which I find myself.
The classes are still going okay. No problems to report. And I am still enjoying/am finding what I am doing as part of my pastoral program.

I had my meeting with my rabbinic tutor yesterday which was probably the most positive of those that I have had. So all that is good.  The only downside is that we have reached that part of the year when I am tired nearly all the time from when I wake up until the point when I can go back to sleep again, and there is always so much that needs doing. Its stressful and tiring. The are few other things going on in the world/my life which are only adding to the stress levels-but I guess that this is the same for almost everyone at LBC and in all probability for my friends at other rabbinical institutions.

Then of course there has been the whole situation in Israel, which I have of course been following and worrying about, and thinking about all my friends out there. All taken together has made for a difficult few days, but ones if I reflect upon them calmly and rationally it becomes clear that not only are things okay but that everything is going well and all thing is kol b'sader.

-Today in comparative religions class we went to a Hindu temple, which was an interesting trip and the building itself is very beautiful every inch of it is carved, and as someone who used to do cravings I was very very impressed.

Well I had better get on with work

General update (November 2012)

Generally things are still going smoothly. My pastoral placement is still going well I am on the second of my practical placements which make up this module. At college the academic classes are still going okay I am really enjoying the rabbinic literature class and there are no classes that I actually don't like.  I have started to think about Limmud and seeing all my limmud friends after a cap of two years.
I am also working on my personal/spiritual/psychological development, which although a bit intense will be a beneficial experience in the long fun.
So all in all I am feeling rather upbeat and happy with how things are going both inside and outside of school.
Hakol, HaKol b'sader (as we used to say in Hebrew class).

I am a little concerned (read worried) for my friends in Israel and am reading the papers and lessening to the radio with more concern and concentration than normal.

All the rest has been taken up with the normal run of things that need attention and taking care of. I will post again soon.

l'hitraot

middle of the semester blues

The semester has reached that point where I'm in a trough. This is just because of the time of year the excitement of the start of the semester is now behind me as are my two visits for Shabbat Lech lecha. But Limmud is still a long way away (although thats good because I still have a lot to do on my sessions).  But at the moment it is just school work with the prospect of assessments coming up.

This Friday I went to Westminster synagogue to see Emily do her thing. And then we went to dinner at LJK's which was a lot of fun.

But now its sunday and the new school week re-starts.  But this trough isn't like as bad as the one in my first or second year.

Second Lech Lecha vist

I have just returned from my second lech lecha visit. This time it was to Herefordshire to a small Liberal Community based around the area in the Malven hills.  I wasn't feeling all that well so I found it rather difficult.
My sermon went well, there were challenging points but I was prepared to deal with any possible fallout so that was okay.  The community has a mini-scroll so it made reading rather hard. But all in all I am pleased with how things went.
I am currently very busy with things to do for Monday so will have to go and get on with them soon. I am reading Torah at school on Monday and have a mini-essay to write.

Last week I was very worried for my friends in New York and across the Eastern Seaboard. I have heard from the new and everyone was okay, Laura was safe in Virginia although she was stuck for a few days and unable to get home for a few days.

Now on with the rest of November.

Shabbat Lech Lecha

I have just returned from my first Shabbat Lech Lecha, this was my visit to the Community in Blackpool. They were very friendly and the community, although small is very active and welcoming.  I got to the station mid-afternoon on Friday and was met there by the couple who were going to be putting me up.
We had a chance to have a proper chat though the service. And I had rest then it was time to go to the synagogue.  I think the Friday night service when well.  I even did more singing than I would normally do.  I had been asked to speak a little about myself instead of a D'var Torah.
The service was followed by a chavua supper, the food was excellent and I spent my time going around from group to group introducing my self and saying hello.
After that there was a celebration of the sixth birthday of one of the friends of the community.

The next morning I led the shabbat service, read the Torah and gave a more formal sermon/D'var Torah.  I think that everything went well and I felt that I had been made welcome and carried a good impression of the college.

Before I headed home the community took me out for some fish and chips.  And then it was a long train journey home.  I was shattered when I got home and went to bed almost straight away and slept for about twelve hours.  I must have really need it.

I have quite a few things to do today, before the school week starts again. And I have my second Lech lecha visit to look forward to.

Pastoral Placement

Thursday was the first actual day of my pastoral placement.  Until this point I had been either involved with talking about how it was going to work or working on adminastrive aspects of how it was going to work.
Having been in done a day I think that this placement is going to before challenging but that it will also provided opportunities for personal growth and of course experiences that will be very useful in my rabbinic career.
That said it was more an introduction to place where I'll be working to meet some of the people with whom I'll be working and to meet some of the residents of the home and to have overall discussions about how both I and the home can make the best use of my time.

I have taken the chance to head back to stoke for a weekend. Partly to celebrate dad's birthday. I also need the opportunity to get out of the bubble and de-compress.
Next week and the week after I am out about doing shabbat Lech Lacha.  And then we will be in the very middled of the semester in fact towards its close.
onwards and upwards as they say.

One long day

Today was very long.  It started with my studying Talmud Daf Yomi with my chevaruta partner.  Leah we got though a lot today a whole ammud.  Then there was the morning service and then my class on the Prophets with Charles. This was really interesting today a good article which both Emily and I had enjoyed.
After that came Rabbinic Literature intensive we are still working on the opening sections of Kiddushin but today we had LC teaching us so that was both good and challenging.  Then I had a brief informal meeting with Leah and Haim about the organisation of services followed by a more formal meeting about Shabbat Lech Lacha.
After that I had my class on Medieval Jewish History which interesting although we kind of got of topic.
Latter in the day I had one of my extra-homiltecis class.  But when I got home I was very tired.

Almost a whole week

I have almost had a full week at school, I know that tis is strange given that we are now in October but with the Holidays and some members of staff keeping two days of Hag. I have not had a full week of school as yet. (Next week is uninterrupted).
This might explain why I am feeling so unstressed. But mainly I think that this is because I am getting more used to this whole being at rabbi school thing. Just as well given how long i've been at it now.
Emily and I had our meeting with Norwood Jewish Care so I am more certain now about how my pastoral placement is going to work.  I am also feeling much more optimistic about the whole thing.
I have not been feeling that great of late, I'm fighting off the post High Holy Days bug, and as normal for me this is showing itself in toothache, which often keeps me from sleeping.  This means I am watching a lot of t.v shows on my laptop in the middle of the night.
Last Friday (so the day before yesterday) I went around to Danny's (he is a fellow rabbinical student) for a Friday Night Dinner.  It was a kind of 'grass-roots-jews' thing and I know a lot of the people who were there. Not that this is surprising because it was a 20-30s thing and most people were liberal-Orthodox, Masorti or conservative-Reform.
The Kabbalat-Shabbat was very Caravach so just my kind of thing. But I started feeling really lousy during it and then had to wait for an hour for the bus so by the time I got home I was feeling really really rubbish.  So basically yesterday I did nothing but lump about in bed and sleep in an attempt to get over it in just one day.  And although I am not feeling amazing today I am feeling much much better. So onward and upward into my first full week at school. Starting on Monday which has been the day heaviest hit by the holidays and an actual placement day on Thursday.

Birthday

Today is was my birthday and although more or it was a normal school day it was fun as well. My classmates brought me in a cake and card which was really nice. And all in all it was an easy enough day.
The cake was a very chocolaty one and the card was really nice so that was fun.

I don't have much work on at the moment so that is peaceful.  I have a few admin type things to do but not all that pressing so I just came home and ate some of the food that Rebecca and Mum sent me for my Bday.

Party and Friday night

Yesterday was great. We had a party here at the flat, in part this was a very belated housewarming Emily and I had intended to have one it just took us a little longer to get properly settled into the flat and it organised than we had thought it. So it was good to do that, but it was also an early birthday party for me. (Organised brilliantly by Emily.)
It was quite small (around 11 guests) but really really enjoyable there were a few people from school. Including some of the new first year students. Some people who Emily knows thought work and I know though Emily and Mandy who is one of my friends though Ammadown. It was really fun and exciting evening with lots of drink and snack type food.  One of my gifts was a really rather pleasant signle malt, so as i had some of that and a couple of Canadian bears I was a little merry but not too drunk.
That said I was too tipsy to attempt to cut the cake, (again a big thanks to Emily) with our flats knives which are huge. But luckily at least one guest was still up to cake cutting. So that was one good thing. I also got to have a lie-in and relatively restful day which is good because we are going to a Young Adults thing organised by LJ, which ought to be fun but I wouldn't have wanted to go very tired.
The other positive thing that has happened is in Daf Yomi we have finished Tractate Barachot, which feels like a big steep.
Nevertheless I found the first week back at school some what challenging. And there is already a lot on my plate. But feeling pretty happy after such a good and upbeat start to the weekend. And I think part of how hard I found the start of school was the lag of the High Holy Days which was really positive but also very tiring.

High Holy Days Two

I am now back in the flat after leading services at MLJC for Yom Kippur.  I am pretty pleased with how things went. Although it was, as always very tiring and by the end I was so shattared that my shofar blast at the end was not either all that long or all that loud.
On the bright side, my service leading was better than it had been last year and I was really pleased with how both my sermons went.
The next day I had a look around Manchester Cathedral, which is surprissingly not something I have done before. It has had a very interesting history.
Then it was home by train.
All in all happy with how things went. Now on to the 3rd year proper.

High Holy Days

I'm currently very busy, which given that its nearly Yom Kippur is not at all surprising.  This year my High Holy Day Community is MPJC Rosh Hashanah went very well. People liked my shofar blowing which was probably the best I've ever done.
I was also pleased with how my sermons went.  I am home (Newcastle-under-Lyme) at the moment partly just for a rest but also for Rebecca's Bday.
Working on my Yom Kippur sermons and Torah readings. Okay but still a bit stress making.  Today I went to Menorah partly to say Hi to Haim Shalom. It was fun to be back in Menorah if only for a morning.
I have a lot do still, but so far I'm enjoying the third year.

First day back at school

Today was my first day back at school. Really more orientation than school proper, we were introduced to the new school program and to the new first year.  Tomorrow we have some classes, which are make up class for sessions which we are going to miss latter in the year because of High Holy Days. I am slowly reading my way though the new handbooks.
I think I have finally completed the work required for the project I am doing for limmud.  But should go to bed now as I have to be up at 7am tomorrow to go and study Talmud.

Wait!, when did that happen.

I am home again on a flying visit, in Newcastle-under-Lyme, and thought it was time again to make a posting here in this blog. So Hi people over here.  I am a third year now. Which is scary, I mean very scary.  Looking back over year two it does feel as if I learnt a lot. Although at times during the year itself it didn't really feel as though I was leaning all that much. But somehow in the end I did.  For example as I was writing my essay for parshanut (classical commentaries on the Biblical text). I found that yes I could read Rashi, and Rashbam, and Radak, Ibn Ezra was a little tougher but even so it was doable.
Also looking forward to the High Holy Days although its still a massive amount of work but it feels so much more realistic than it did last year. Also in myself I feel more assertive and confident. However, I still don't feel as fully formed (rabbinically speaking) as feel I should be/hoped to be by this point. But its probably a exponential process.
I have also been to NewPort and had my assessment, the lady doing it said she had never quite seen a profile like mine (which is at least in part unsurprising but a bit wired nevertheless).  So this is the still before the storm (Yomim norm) and then the 3rd year. The new AGrad.dip and working more in the community.
I have had a chance to catch up with friends. Went out with Matthew and Mandy. We ended up at the same pub where Emily and I ended up at during our not all that successful trip to IKIA.

Back home for a bit.

As the title of this post suggests I am back home for a bit.  But first I went to Manchester to have a meeting with my community for the High Holy Days. I am feeling pretty confident about how this is going to go (much more than I was last year).  But Manchester had changed much more than I would have thought. (Although it has been more than two years ago so I guess I shouldn't be surprised).  I then headed back to Stoke where I am now.
Apart from starting the process of getting ready for the HHDs, I got my results for the second year, which I passed. Overall I was pretty happy with my results. Although it was a somewhat mixed bag.  I am also finding time to do a bit a light reading which is fun and something a really don't get much time for during term time.
I knew that this is a short post but its really only something of an updating one.

Newcastle holiday

I have just returned from a short family holiday, really no more than a long weekend. But getting any brake at all was great. I took the train up from Kings Cross and got to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, not the normal one I go too.  That Friday we just had a standard Friday night meal Helen and Andrew and rebecca baby and Said and of course Mum and Dad and me. On Saturday we went to the Baltic art gallery which was really interesting and had some exciting exhibitions. I especially liked Luca (which was a mountain inside a mountain hut.) On Sunday we went to the beach it was sunny, how I missed sunshine.  I made two beach sculpture. I have tried to post photos of them.  Monday we had basically the whole day in town so we went to a really nice art gallery (mre classical this time).  Then it was time to come home I separated from the others at the station, they were going to Stoke and I of course was coming back to London. Today I taught my Bar-mitzvah kid at FPS and then went into school. I got a couple of educational posters. 

This first one is called rainbow stones, not a very imaginative title.

This one doesn't really have a title.

Last time uploading these didn't work that well lets hope that it works this time. :)

On Holiday

I am now enjoying what counts as my summer holidays, a long weekend up in the Northeast with my staying at my sister Helen's house. Mum and Dad are here too, along with Rebecca, Said and Aaron. The train journey up was very long, starting at Kings Cross and going up the East Coast Mainline.  About 5.5 hours due to delays.  

Before I left Emily and I had dementia training at Jewish care, this is in part preparation for our pastoral course next year.  I am still working away on the Limmud Chrvaruta booklet, which even though its hard work I am enjoying. 

Generally things are good and I am relaxedish (not thinking about results or work too much) we are probably going to an art gallery latter and I may even play some tennis. 

A very rainy summer

The title says it all really, I have never known a summer like it. Rain, rain, and rain. continually.  Its not too bad though because I have been mostly catching up on sleep and boy did I need to do that.  I am still working on something for the Limmud Booklet although that is all coming to an end, I am also working on the stuff for Daf Ba Yomi. Apart from that not much has been happening Emily and I have been making some early stage movement on the more practical elements of next years course, and I have started thinking about the up-coming High Holy Days. But peaceful really not too much happening but certainly no opportunity to feel bored or anything.
I go on a family holiday at the end of this week although its really nothing more than an extended weekend. But I am looking forward to it.

End of second

The Second year has ended. The last week was our summer programming (Kol Bo) which this year was about Israel. Interesting but very intense especially after such a long year. I would get home after each day and just collapse.
Yesterday there was a really nice service at college. The three five-years (who will be ordained on Sunday) led it and were presented with tallitot by Charles and Deborah. So now all I have to do are two things related to my practical rabbinics course. (very little indeed really). And then its just a question of waiting on results. Not that I am all that concerned all I want is pass, which is an unusual thing for me to say but a pass is a pass is a pass. And as our teacher Laura keeps telling us thats all that really matters none will care what we got in our second year midrash class for example. Tomorrow I am reading Torah and preaching at WCS and then that really is it for the second year.
I am trying not to think about the 3rd year to much, i have to pass the second year for one thing and secondly its really just to far away to be concerned with.
last Weekend I went to Chaggigah the British Reform Biennial which was great. Really enjoyable but so tiring and when added to exams and assessments which came before and Kol Bo that came after I'm shattered and am not feeling well. Although I am pretty sure that its nothing more than being overly tired and warn out.
Apart from that I am feeling okay, upbeat even. Time, shortly to take a few deep breaths and relax.

Last Assessment update (I hope)

Hey again people on this blog. Time for another update and very close to my last one.  I am still busy but I am really starting to feel that the end is kind of in sight.  All I have left to do is one smallish bit of work for college, at least from the academic standpoint. I then have one service to lead, a Torah reading and sermon, write a report and finish my placement journal. That sounds like a lot, and it is, but its so much less than it was earlier that I am almost feeling happy. I am looking forward going to Chaggiah (British Reform Biennial). And then the second year is over.  I am looking forward to next year it sounds like it is going to be amazing, but I would imagine even more work than this one was.

Apart from that not all that much has happened. Well, there isn't really time for it too happen.  I work at college and I work in the community and then I hang out with Emily. Such is my life at the moment.

Yet more on assessments and the never-ending second year

I don't know who is still reading this blog but someone is. So its about time to make a new posting, not much has changed since my last update I am still working hard and there are still things outstanding although a lot less than there were. I should all be done and dusted by June 30th, although there is a hell of a lot of stuff between then and now, about 10ish things on the list to still do. But I'm hopefully that all of them will get down in the end or at lest all the ones that really matter will.  The only other thing is the complete disappearances of the British summer, you really wouldn't know it was summer at all.  Anyway I need to go and do some preliminary briefing type stuff for some upcoming events. I will try and post here before to long. Who knows I may be a third year by then.

A Wedding in Cambridge and lots of work

I have just returned from Rachel's and Jack's wedding which took place in Cambridge. I had a great time although Cam., was freezing even though its May.  The night before the wedding there was a dance in a barn/village hall in a village near Cambridge.  It was a fun party and I even danced a little even though I am not a great fan of dancing. I didn't really know that many people there. Only Rachel, whose guest I was and Beth (from Keele) and Gereld (from Newcastle).
The wedding itself was fun and interesting (Ester led it) it was mixture of Jewish/scifi and victorian. Then we went back to Rachel's parents house to have a lunch in the garden (lovely but rather cold). It was a lovely occasion and it was nice to meet Bobby Siliverman again., also catching up with Ester out of college. I also liked meeting Rachel's family and friends.
Apart from that I have almost finished at LBC for the year (I still have a few over flow class next week.) But I am very busy I have a lot of assessments coming up.

Personal Theology a 2500 word easy style sermon
Parshanut Essay 3000 words
Midrash Essay 3000 words
An essay For (Progressive Jewish thought a British perspective)
Talmudic Oral exam
A persentation for Megilot
An on-going journal for Rabbinic placement
More chanting (its a difficult passage)
I am also working on something for Limmud. So all in all I am very busy.
I may also be thinking about writing something for Narrative Theology.

So all in all I am feeling rather stressed. But generally happy or at least happier than I have been of late.

D'var Torah

So here is the D'var Torah that I gave at LBC today. I think its pretty good and I was happy with my delivery. As an aside there are a number of things that I have learnt about giving sermons. 1) Make sure that your kipper/tallit and tefillin are in go order and aren't going to fall done during the sermon. 2) Don't staple your sheets together 3)Use a clear font and large letters and DOUBLE SPACEing. 4) As I learnt today pause before starting. Bechukkotai The Bible is sometimes known in popular parlance as the ‘Good Book’ in a sense that I think is meant to imply wholesomeness. I must say I have never been comfortable with this name. The Bible and its stories are many things but wholesome is not the first word that springs to mind! They are challenging, life-changing, and fascinating to be sure but good? Sometimes, however, the challenging nature of the Bible is obscured to us or we simply fail to or do not want to see it. In order to understand this it may, sometimes, be necessary to try and hear the stories as if for the first time. When I first decided that I was going to apply to the Leo Baeck College to train to be a rabbi I threw myself into the life of my synagogue in order to learn as much about the day-to-day life of a busy community rabbi as possible. One day I was given the task of entertaining a young girl while her parents and older sister discussed Bat-mitzvah plans. We went to the synagogue's library and selected a suitable book and I started reading Bible stories (as adapted for children) needless to say this week's Sidra Bechukkotai was not included. All went well, we read story after story and enjoyed looking at the pictures until we reached the story of the Judgment of Solomon. When she suddenly burst into tears, I was somewhat taken aback, it was after all a children’s book and the story had a happy ending. But on reflection I feel prompted to ask why do we tend to think that such stories as the Judgment of Solomon are suitable for children? Why have they lost their power to shock? One answer is that we know them too well, we have read or have heard them so many times, that we know before they even start that, in the end, the baby won't be cut in half or when reading about the Akedah, we know that Isaac will not, in the end, be sacrificed. But when they are new to us, or when we let them, the stories in the Tanakh have a real and deep ability to shock. One thing that can safely be said of this week's Sidra Bechukkotai is that it is profoundly disturbing. It is not a part of Torah that we are likely to allow to flow over us without really taking on its message. I first encountered it fully last year while studying in Israel when I experienced something of the same shock as that young girl when she first heard the story of the Judgment of Solomon. We were studying a midrash when a few words I could read jumped out of the Hebrew at me, as it turned out they from Bechukotai: 'You shall eat the flesh of your sons and of your daughters. (Leviticus 26:27)' At first I hoped I had misread or misunderstood it. When that proved not to be the case I went to read the verse in its original context. Sadly, this did little to help. Bechukkotai starts with a short section of all the good things that will happen if the Israelites follow God's commandments. This is followed by a much longer list of curses which will befall them if they fail to follow them. Putting the quotation, that so shocked me, in its Biblical context did little to help. It was still awful and overall Bechukkotai was very theologically troubling. But this raises a larger, practical question. What can be done with sections of the Torah, and for that matter liturgy, that we find theologically disturbing and even shocking as well? One approach might be simply to ignore it. To pretend that it isn't there. In this case it would mean not reading this section of the Torah. Indeed both the Liberal and Reform lectionaries give options for Torah-readings that do not cover the more shocking and difficult verses. In fact in the past, in some Progressive congregations, whole sections of the Book of Leviticus were simply not read. Alternative readings were substituted in their place. In a similar way in some Progressive Siddurim to this day the Second Paragraph of the Shema is omitted because of theological objections. The early Reformers objected to the ideas of reward and punishment expressed in the Shema's second paragraph but even though both Bechukkotai and the Second Paragraph of the Shema deal with reward and punishment, the Shema does not have the shocking quality of the curses in Bechukkotai. Even in Traditional circles a similar technique is, sometimes, used to effectively pass over the more difficult parts in this week’s Sidra. All the curses are read within one aliyah and verses which are not curses are read before and after them, which not only means that reading them is completed as quickly as possible but also that the curses themselves are not blessed. This is a similar strategy that is used when reading of the execution of the Ten sons of Haman (their names are read in a single breath), or at the end of Grace after meals when the lines 'I have been young and have grown old but I have never seen a righteous man go hungry or his children begging for food', which if they are said at all are recited very quickly. In these cases it is almost as if the person speaking does not want to hear what they are saying. Although I cannot offer a strategy which would make the more difficult parts of the Torah easier to cope with, I do not think that trying to pretend that hard parts aren't there is the way to go. In fact I think that we should be pleased that even in the Book of Leviticus there are passages that not only grab our attention but are so shocking that they demand it. In other news I passed PCCS with flying colours even if I do say so myself. Today was the last official day of s although we do have a few catch up classes next week

New post

I haven't posted to this blog in a very long time so it feels as though I ought to post again. Recently I pasted the 33% stage in my rabbinical training which is both encouraging and scary. I am currently doing my apprenticeship at Finchely Reform Synagogue which is proving an interesting and very positive experience. I have quite a lot of course working hanging over me but I am not too worried about it there is a lot to do but generally speaking everything is going okay.
Passover was fun I went back home and had a pleasent family celebration.

Admission week

Last week was admissions week. We had five candidates in the college all of whom seem nice and quick just the kind of people one would like to study with. I remember from my time being interviewed at the college how tough and how exhausting it can be so i tried my hardest to be friendly and welcoming.
The boring services were really good a good turn out from the students and because we had extra-canidates in college it felt fully and lively which is really nice. Most of my classes were interesting. I especially enjoyed Talmud class we are tattling some hardish texts now. I am also looking into getting some extra-Talmud classes which should be interesting.
On Thursday Rabbi Fuchus from the world Union came to speak with the student society which was most enlightening. All in all a good week.

Sermon at Leo Baeck college

This is the text of the sermon I gave at LBC a couple of weeks back. Hope you all like it. I am leading services next week so am busy planning/working on that but now its time to go think about getting ready for shabbat and being peaceful for a little while. Shabbat Shalom.

And when Israel saw the mighty power which the Eternal had wielded in Egypt, the people feared the Eternal and they had faith in the Eternal and in His servant Moses. (Exodus 14:31)

The Children of Israel are no longer slaves in Egypt. They have just crossed the Reed Sea, which had miraculously parted for them. They have seen Pharaoh and his armies drowned in it. Now they believe in God and in Moses. In fact they are about to overtaken by prophetic ecstasy and will burst into song; known to us as the Song of Sea.

But how quickly things can change. In the very next chapter the Israelites will complain about Moses. And even before the giving of the Torah has been completed, while Moses is still on Mt. Sinai, they will build and worship the golden calf. The same people who had been saved from slavery and had seen all the miracles, which went along with the redemption, will commit idolatry.

Idolatry and its consequences became a theme of Israelite history. Over and over again the Israelites rebelled against God and worshiped idols: both during the forty years that they spent in the wilderness and when they settled in the Land of Israel, in the period of the Judges and then the Monarchy.

In the Book of Judges every time the Israelites turned away from the Eternal and worshiped idols they would be attacked by the neighbouring nations and according to the Babylonian Talmud one of the main reasons for the destruction of the First Temple and the Babylonian exile that followed it was idolatry.

This phenomenon continued and presented the Sages with a difficult question. How could people who had witnessed the presence of God or had heard the words of the prophets or were very wise possibly have committed idolatry?

The not especially earth-shattering answer they reached was that past generations had an inclination to worship idols.

The power of this desire, to worship idols, is related in a story in Tractate Sanhedrin. A Rabbi was lecturing about King Manasseh, a King of Judah famous for his wisdom and infamous for his idol-worship; during the lecture the rabbi referred to Manasseh in a disparaging way. That night the king appeared to the rabbi in a dream and asked him a difficult halakhic question.

The rabbi was unable to answer and after Manasseh had answered his own question the rabbi asked. 'If you were so wise how did you come to worship idols?' To which Manasseh retorted, 'Had you been there you would have rushed to serve them!'

How could this have happened? The answer is given in one of my favourite talmudic narratives, which can be found in Tractate Sanhedrin.

When the Men of the Great Assembly were building Judaism after the return from exile they were concerned that further idolatry might result in more hardship. So they prayed for their people to be relieved from the inclination to idolatry. Their prayers were successful and they were able to capture and subdue the inclination to idolatry.

Although the inclination to idolatry may no longer be with us, the Yetzer Hara, the inclination to evil very much is. But this might not be such a bad thing, for unlike the doctrine of original sin the Yetzer Hara is not an inherently bad thing.

This idea is powerfully expressed in the continuation of the Talmudic story about the Men of Great of the Assembly and the inclination to idolatry. When they had succeeded in subduing this inclination they prayed to be able to do the same to the Yetzer Hara: at which point the Yetzer Hara appeared in the form of a cat. While attempting to capture it a single hair was pulled from its coat, at which it let out a roar so loud that it shook the building. The Men of the Great Assembly decided that it would be wiser not to try and slay the Yetzer Hara so they sealed it up in a box instead.

And what was the result of a world without the Yetzer Hara?

Basically everything stopped.

The Sages concluded that without the Yetzer Hara people would not learn a trade, study, build a house, or raise a family. According to the story when the Yetzer Hara was imprisoned even chickens stopped laying eggs. Faced with the realisation that the Yetzer Hara was necessary the Men of the Great Assembly released it.

Although the Yetzer Hara is not entirely evil it is essential to balance it with the Yetzer Hatov, the good inclination. Because of the prompting of the Yetzer Hara we work and study hard and go about the business of life. And through the struggle required in balancing the Yetzer Hara and Yetzer Hatov, personal growth becomes a real possibility.

Adam Frankenberg
February 2012

Start of the fourth semester

This is the last weekend before the fourth semester states, wow this is a scary thought. In the end I got all my assessments in. I think that Megilot went well (well it really should have), I also think education went okay (not really sure what was wanted so I wrote what I wanted, which may or may not pay off), then there was History I'm really not sure how well this one went (although I am more or less certain that I passed both the essay and the course), then there is the wild card 'rabbinic philosophy' my essay for this was frankly wired; and it was either brilliant or awful and until I get my marks back I will not know how my tutor felt about it.

I am enjoying my Bar Mitzvah tutoring, but it is a learning process both for my student and for me. I am also enjoying my Sunday school teaching Job-teaching about God; which means writing my own syllabus and of course actually preparing the lessons. I am looking forward, kind of, to the term restarting although considering that the Semester hasn't started yet I am already behind the curve: How is that possible?