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.