Onwards and Upwards?

So first things first a bit of an apology in not posting sooner but things have been very very busy.  This is mainly because Emily and I are moving flats! More on that latter.  But there are other things to update about first.

Academics

I got my makes back for the essays, and I have passed them all. And as for some of them the essay was 100% of the mark this means I have passed the 3rd year and am now a 4th year rabbinic student which feels insane. How has it happened so quickly.  My marks were far from stella, but I find that I am increasingly unconcerned with what grade a particular essay, or indeed model receives. A pass is a pass is pass. And I am much much more concerned about actually learning practical skills of the rabbinate.  I know that I have been saying this for sometime and that because of the shear number of assessments I had I had taken the decision that all I got do is pass the essays, nevertheless in times gone by I would have been sad (although only a little and not for long) about my marks. This time I was completely satisfied to have passed.
As always the comments were nicer than the marks might have suggested that they were going to be.
Basically I had three groups some in the low 50s, and another in the mid/high 50s and then one out lier at 67%. (50% was the passmark).

This brings me to practical stuff.  I have made contact with Eastbourne (where I am doing my High Holy Days) and things are progressing okay there.  They seem like a really nice community and I am confident that all will go well there, although there is of course still much work to be done.

I am also really looking forward to my 4th year placement which is going to take place Kingston Liberal Synagogue.  I think that this is going to be a great experience, and one which I hope will benefit both me and the community.

The project for Limmud is still progressing and I think is actually going to be really good when its done. As its on prayer when I get to see a final copy I may well send it to Shelly as I think it will interest him. But it needs to be finished before that, there is still a lot to do but I am happy with it and with how things are going.

I still don't know all that much about the shape of my fourth year but as my move and the HHDs are between me and it I am not overly concerned. And any way Que Sera, Sera.

Now the move. Currently almost all my and Emily's stuff is in boxes, oh so many boxes. We have found a lovely flat much nearer the college, near our favourite pub, the tube, the shops. Everywhere really.  Moving is stressful we are doing okay but there is so much more to do. Will post more about flats and moving in future posts. But happy about it. :)

Emily and I have continued our eat well and exercise  campaign and I am feeling a lot better/healthier for it. I have also been taking the chance to catch up with friends.

About all that is happening apart from that is I have started working with a Rabbi/speach therapist on my Hebrew reading, about which I am hopeful.

So I think that this must count as the last post of my third year. Upshot things are changing (largely for the better) and I am now a 4th year.

So what do I want from the 4th year? Learn as much as I can from my placement and HHDs. Go to Limmud (I am still thinking about what to do there), try and go to the Liberal and Reform bianneals. Improve my Hebrew and all round skills/knowledge.

692 days to go and counting.

Catching up

So I am spending my summer catching up on stuff. Fun. Although I did find time for a week back home in Stoke. At the start of the summer my list of things too catch up on had about 20 things on it. But now its down to just a handful. And most of them are looking forward so meeting with my community for next year, getting ready for the High Holy Days. That kind of thing.

Today I had a review meeting about Jewish Care which I think was productive. And with it I think I have completed the last formal activity of my third year although I still don't know for sure that I've passed all my assessments.

The day before I had my meeting with Richard my rabbinic tutor, I am pretty happy with how it went and with the progress that could be seen at it.

I am also working away on the project for Limmud. But that is also going well.

I have taken the opportunity of catching up with some of my friends, whom I had been rather neglecting over the past few weeks.

All in all things are good. (Bring on the 4th year [assuming I've passed all my assessments that is])

End of Kol Bo.

Kol Bo has ended and with it my third year, so although not yet a four year I am no longer a third year. But am rather in that wired between space.  Kol Bo was interesting largely on Illistrated Haggadot (The Golden, the Birds Head, and the Rylands).  But we were really looking more generally at what can be learnt about art and the world(s) from which it came simply by looking.
Very interesting but I was very tired during it, just because it comes at the end of a very very long semester.
I have been making good progress with the Limmud Project, although there is still quite a bit to do.  And on Saturday I am off to WCS to lead services, read Torah and to preach. (I always like going to WCLS they are such a lovely community.)

Jobs left over from the 3rd. A) Meeting about JC-Norwood (should get on that one soon), B) Contact RHF (also better sooner rather than latter), C) contact and set up a meeting with RJ (nothing serious so no real pressure there).

Looking forward I need to sort out what is happening with the High Holy Days in more detail and be more pressing on my 4th year placement.

Next week there is the HHD practicum at LBC not sure how much of it I'll be going to although as gabi I'll be going in for services (and will probably go and work in the library there after).  And then that really is it.

I will be very glad to get a brake from college as I really feel that I need it.

And Exhale

I have finally finished my assessments, yeah and in reasonably good time as I had until tomorrow at 5pm, all that remains is to get the very last of them bound and then hand it in.  So that was seven essays completed, five oral presentations, and a piece of reflexive writing. I had a bit of panic yesterday when I thought that I had lost my nearly nearly finished essay and the earlier draft.  Luckily although the, better, later version was not recoverable I was able to reconstruct it more or less from an earlier draft. I then had to spend sometime correcting what had gone wrong with the software. But, hey all is well that ends well as they say.
And on the assumption that I pass, I have almost completed my third year as a rabbinical student. All that remains is Kol Bo, not a big deal really and one last reflexive class with Indigo, also nothing to stress over.  (At some point Emily and I need to have a meet with Charles and Debora and the people from JC NW and have a discussion about the third year placement.)
So I can turn my attention to other matters, which I have been neglecting badly Limmud stuff (Today and tomorrow's jobs) and the sermons I need to write. Although I have done (in draft at least) the one for the 24th and have ideas for the one for the 29th. (Good Job-Adam).
Currently I am sitting and blogging from a coffee shop. Enjoying looking at sunshine, which has been in very short supply this spring/summer so far. This is a nod to being on holiday. So reflections on the third year. Again looking back over the course of the year I feel as if I have learnt a lot. (In fact I think I have) but once again I find it impossible to say for certain when this learning and growth took place.  I also think that its interesting how my interests have changed since I started the program.  I would not have thought that when I started that my mine interests would be: Homiletics, Liturgy, and Pastoral care. (In that order). Don't get me wrong I am still really drawn towards Talmud (I am still pressing on though Daf Yomi) and Bible. I think its just that while my level in interest there has remained more or less static or increased only a little little bit, my interest in those three subjects has come up in leaps.

So apart from my family holiday in Devon, and my working myself to death over essays not that much has been happening. Expect for boiler related fun and games. Emily and I now have a new boiler so hot showers yeah! I did read old men at midnight. By Chaim Potok. I may even post a review of it latter. But for now. I'm off to do some shopping (not fun shopping household stuff). Although I need to do some clothes shopping soon. I am really getting low on wearable clothes.

An earlier than expected update.

I should not be blogging, I should be working but hey there is nothing like procrastination.  Also it does feel as if, my third year has ended not absolutely true I have one more full day of school left, Monday. But not that many classes. As I have two presentations. One class will be almost entirely presentations by the students. The other class although we have presentations there will also probably be time for a closing of the semester (liturgy). The after lunch the very last academic class of the year (midrash).

Then I have one mini-written piece to do, albeit that it is assessed.  A couple of days to do the preparation on the education essay, and of course Shavout. Before going on study leave/family holiday.  

During which I need to write my Education essay. Then when I get back back I need to finish the Rabbinic literature essay and re-work the one for midrash. So thats where I stand with work.

Since my last posting I have had what is more or less my last posting at Jewish Care.  And have had a couple of meetings about my fourth year. More details about that in latter postings. And of course there was the Kaufmann dinner. That made for one very tiring Thursday.

This is a photo of me and Emily at the end of the dinner. 

Looking further ahead. I have Kol Bo, and the MRJ music conference and then I really am totally done with the third. Albeit that I shouldn't count my chickens until they are hatched.  I also need to fit work in on the thing I doing with Limmud, for which I have meeting tomorrow. And of course fit in a meeting with my rabbinic tutor. So even when I am less busy I will still be very busy.