Hebrew Exam

Well I have now sat my Hebrew exam. I sat it at synagogue in a quite side room with various people making sure that it was conducted under exam condisions. I had forgotten how much I dislike doing exams. It was also made harder because I hardly ever write in long hand anymore, I nearly always type at a computer so just writting longhand has become a great strian. Basically the exam was in three parts one on comprehension (including a biblical componant), a grammar section (30%), and a writting composition (30%). Well good news first I think that Biblical text bit went well, and I guess that although the short story I wrote was OK, (although rather odd), I am not sure about the grammar part it should have really been my strong card, but the comprehension section was a bit of a nightmare (at least I feel it was in retrospect) I think there were seven passages and only one of them went really well, the other six were really hit and miss and I just hope I have done enough to pass the whole thing. I had unlimmited time in which to do it but had to leave somethings unanswered because I had been in there for ages (not sure how long but at least four and a half hours) and by the end had stopped making much sense in either Hebrew or in English.

My letter of acceptance and dates for Hebrew Union College has been sent to me from Jerusalem so when that gets here I will at long last be able to apply for my visa to go to Israel. So things are progressing along ok...Its just feel I didn't show myself off to my full potential in the exam and I even found the whole thing process of organising the exam rather stressful this is partly because I am finishing my thesis and organising going to Jerusalem stressful in and off itself. But in short I am glad, really very very glad that its about to be Shabbat, and that I have an amazing set of friends who have been amazingly supportative during my preparation for the Hebrew exam and afterwards.

Jerusalem

Hey things have changed and moved on again. I think that fingers crossed I have a place to stay in Jerusalem. Thanks to the amazing Emily :) if things work out how I hope they will and as things are planned at the moment, then there will be four of us sharing a really nice looking apartment in Jlem. So now all I have to do is get my visa, and plan tickets and of course pass my Hebrew exam.

Hebrew exam and J-lem

Well things are moving on at a pace at the moment. So I am revising away for my Hebrew exam which i sit in ten days time so there still is time (if not plenty of it), to do more revision. I have had one practice session over a past paper with Devorah (i think it went okay maybe even well) I am not worried about the grammar part of the exam as my Hebrew grammar is really pretty good. But some of the other parts are really very difficult.
I also may have found flatmates for when I am in J-lem they are really nice and i am hopeful it will all workout well. But even if it doesn't I am getting to know some of my future fellow students at HUC; and so far they're all really lovely and friendly. So I am starting to go from nervious to excited. :)
Apart from that I am working away on my thesis, which is really taking shape, although it is hard for me tell whether it is anygood or not (I think its okay-good but not great). There are still lots of little and not so little things to get sorted before I move to Israel and start on my rabbinic course but at the moment I am in a good place. Re-starting meditation as help there I think.

Changes

Well things have really changed and in a big way; the first thing is that I have found out that I was wrong when I thought that my course started in September in Jerusalem I have now found that it starts in July and early July at that. On the 12th but i really need there before-hand, I will probably get there on around the 6th of July. But anyway this means that I have to finish or nearly finish my thesis by then, since I found out I have been working like a mad thing...I also have a lot of things to sort out for when I am actually there; like accomodation and study books as well as tickets et al...the other thing I have to do is to take the HUC Hebrew exam. I have organised to sit it later in May around the middle. But lots and lots of things are happening and I don't know whether I am coming or going. But I have a lot on and a lot to get sorted.

Things change and things stay the same

Well as the title of this post suggest things are changing yet at the same time are staying the same. I am still plodding along with my thesis, but it is really a case of plodding but I think that the home straight is at least within sight. I am also still building on the skills I will need when training to be rabbi (and when I am actual a rabbi). So practicing readings and keeping a tally of my skills and what I am good at and what needs improvement. A big thing is my Modern Hebrew which I really need to work on a because of the exam in June (and it has now been a while since my last exam) but mainly because I will need it for my year in Israel.

What has really change and I know I have mentioned this before is how be interact with me. Firstly people are refer to my as a colleague but more disturbingly (and this is something I know I shall have to get used to) is that people have started to come to me for advice. Which is odd because I am not even on the rabbinic program yet, so in reality I am just a PhD student and we are not noted for the quality of our advice.

I get a brake this weekend because I am off to York with some friends.

Gaining skills.

So I can no longer say next year I start to study to be a rabbi because it will be this year. Well next year still in the Jewish calendar in any case in September. So while I am struggling to finish off my thesis I am also attempting to gain useful skills for when I start my rabbinic training and for when I am rabbi. (I am also attempting to keep a record of them)...So when I read from the Torah, or take part in a service. I have to keep things to a minimum though because of the time pressures of my thesis. But I have agree to run a session at Manchester Limmud,,,which I am working on already even though it is someway off yet. And I have gotten involved with the Jsoc of my old university (Keele) I tell myself its preparation but its really for fun. Anyhow I am working on a Purim poster for them...I am also going to have to come to some decision about the three faiths summer school, I would like to try and go but its dates are very near to my leaving for Israel and the end of my thesis so I dont know if it will be possible in the indeed I shall have to wait and see.

Limmud

So I have been at Limmud (see my other blog) which I love and what little real Jewish knowledge I have is mainly due to Limmud I have really grown up there not just as Jew but as a person also. I have been going for a long time not sure if a started in 90 or 91 don't think it was as recently as 92 but it may have been in that time I missed one year so even if it was 92 when I first went then this was my 17th Limmudim. And I guess that if you go to that many there is something almost inevitable about deciding to go ahead and become a rabbi. This post is about how going to Limmud is how it fits in with the start of my rabbinic training. It was as always wonderful that goes without saying. But there were some differences. One was there was an opportunity to meet with the people who are going to be my teachers and fellow students, this also applied to people from HUC Jerusalem. But also i went to more sessions on jewish leadership and more stuff for community workers than I think that I would have done normally. Also even though I don't know how they knew that I was going there people came up and asked me about the interview process because they were thinking of applying. Well now its back to the thesis writing.