Really the end of 4th year

I have now finally and fully done with the 4th year. Last week I had my final presentation at college it was on a community based use of a megilah, and if it did not go as well as it might have it did go and I am sure that it was good enough to pass.
I have also had my last rabbinic tutorial of the year. So I am basically done. There is still the matter of Kol Bo (weeks one and two) but this does not require me to do much other than turn up and pay attention, that is it is not assessed.
I also have one or two things left to do at my fourth year placement but this things are basically fun and I am looking forward to them.

Then in early July the current 5th students will be ordained and I will become a 5th year student myself.  looking back apart from year one (which of course was in Israel) i find that years two, three and four have kind of mixed together in my memory and if I really want to sort out when something happened then I have to go though this blog to work things out.

But looking back on the 4th I again feel that i have grown and changed but find myself uncertain as to when exactly this happened.

I am going to spend the summer working of my rabbinic thesis as far as possible as well as gaining community experience. I am looking forward to my 5th year placement (Watch this space).

And for now that about it.

Rounding off the 4th year.

One of the difficult things about the spring semester is how it drags on but with so many breaks. Currently I am waiting to do a presentation, which has been rescheduled but one that is ready to go save for some minor printing and a very little preparations. I am also waiting of Kol Bo. The summer study. But basically I am done with my 4th year. And I am really happy be so. A couple of days ago I was down in Kingston for Erev Shavuot, I led the evening service and led a Biblodrama study session. I think it went well, especially the study session part. I am also decompressing from the stress of exams. And have really started thinking about and planning my 5th year. Basically this means that I am starting to think about my 5th year placement although things are still rather range on that front. I am also starting to work on my Rabbinic dissertation I am actually beginning to get excited about this it should be an interesting project.

However this dose mean that the 4th and 5th year are going to run into each other with very little in-between. But I am feeling more and more nature in my role as rabbi-to-be, in a way that I haven't before. I have grown a lot during this past year and working with Charley and at KLS has been great.

One down side of things at the moment is that I do not feel that I have made enough progress with my work for Limmud as I would like although I am sure that it will get done and will be good in the end.

I am still training with my personal trainer but I do seem to have hurt my knee or rather re-injured my knee which is a bit of a drag.  As its really painful and its stopping me from training as hard as I would, like.

But all in all things are good.

Feels almost like summer

It feels almost like summer, the weather is hot and humid, which makes me less inclined to work, which is a shame has I still have plenty of work to do. One essay has been handed in, I am still hard at work on the second, then there is the presentation to think about. Plus finishing off my 4th year placement at KLS, the stuff of Limmud and already thinking about my 5th year, early I know but the 5th year is rather truncated so I need to get going.  I am also waiting to here where my 5th year placement will take-place. This is making me somewhat nervous as this will have a massive effect on what my whole 5th year will look like and how/where I can make the transition from student rabbi to out and out rabbi.

On a lighter note another of mile stones of the year has passed the annual college dinner. (See Photo) it really was a lot of fun and I am in a much better/happier place this year than I was last. But now its time to get back to work: I have essays to write, massive numbers of emails to send and meetings to go to.

I promise a more substantial and reflexive post soon.

LJ Biennal, Home and Assessments

I have returned home a few days, a short break (Thursday though Monday) but as always I have brought work home with me.  I have been and returned to and from LJ's Biennial, which was great fun. My session, on Jeremiah went well. I got about 15 people which was much more than I had expected for an early morning session.
Now I have one essay still due, although it is well under hand, and one presentation remaining before I am done with my fourth year.  I also have a presentation to get ready for for the MRJ Biennial. Apart from that there is the Kuafmann Dinner next week. (As well as a couple of meeting looking forward to my 5th year.)

Then there is Kol Bo, both weeks one and two. And although it is a case of counting my chickens I am thinking of my self as a 5th year.  (I am starting to wonder where my 5th year placement will take place as this is likely to set a major portion of the tone of my final year.

Last Day of the 4th Year

Today was my last class as a 4th. All I can say about this is wow. It feels like it has simultaneously happened very slowly and very fast. Today was quiet light after an informal morning service and pleasant chat with a few of my fellow students all we had was our last reflexive class. Yesterday however had been quiet tough double rabbinic literature and spirituality. In fact I am feeling really tired as this has proved to be a long hard semester.  Earlier in the week Emily and I had our presentations for Spirituality class, which I think went very well.

Also for once I do not feel overloaded with work and assessments although I am still busy. I have two essays to write one for rabbinic texts and one for spirituality. Additionally we have a presentation for Megilot Class and then that is is it.

Tomorrow I head off for LJ Bienniel and I am both looking forward to it because i think its going to be great fun but I am also dreading it. (Because I am very tired and the last thing I want to do is go off and be active for a weekend).  I am also going to be do a session at it.

After that we have the annual college dinner in about a fortnights time. As I've mentioned here in earlier  posts I am once again involved in the Limmud Chevaruta project (and I will need to start making some real traction there soon.)

Then there is the MRJ Biennial latter in the year and the two weeks of Kol Bo on either side of it. (So that is going to be one tough fortnight. Then its Ordination of the current 5th years and then that's the year fully over. So at the moment I feel I am in the slightly uncomfortable place of no longer an active 4th but certainly not a 5th year. (I will want to wait until it is confirmed that i have successfully pasted all my 4th year stuff before I will feel that.).

Anyway I felt like i owed you guys an update.  And now I had better get back on with packing for Biennial.

Article in Jewish News

All is well with me. Although as per-normal I am tired and stressed. I have, however, had a piece published in Jewish News.

Here is the link

Anyway. I am off shortly to do a Song of Songs themed Kabbalat Shabbat Service down in KLS. I have taken an Advil in the hopes of clearing a bit of my headache before I get there.

Shabbat Shalom.

Passover, Emily's Birthday and the Continuing 4th year.

So how I always forget how hard the second semester is, even in a year when it is not overloaded with classes. It seems to drag on and on and on.  At the moment I am back home in Stoke because its Passover, or will be the 1st night Sader is tonight. But the semester did go right up till the end. In fact we still have a week of classes left after the Peasch holidays. Plus some catch-up classes.  Fortunately the assessments this semester are relatively light. I have a fairly major essay for Rabbinic Texts, a major presentation of Megilot, a presentation (and I think a report) for spirituality and finally a report for Tikkun Olam.

Then there are both of Biennials to attended, one for LJ and one for the MRJ. Kol Bo in the summer and the LBC Day of Celebration and finally Ordination. And then my Fourth Year is over. It somehow seems like a lot and like a little simultaneously. And i have as always taken things for limmud, which somehow I also always manage to forget how much work they will actually be. Although I am sure I will enjoy them as well.

As busy as the year has been I have managed to see a few friends. Matthew and others and last week it was Emily's birthday, which is always a lot of fun.

My extra reading lesson continue, and I am pretty sure that they are making a difference which is great. I am also continuing to meet and train with my personal trainer and I am sure this is making a difference. Last week was the first time that we have been able to properly train out of doors. Because the weather was finally nice enough.

Oh I almost forgot that one marker on the year that is still left is the College Dinner.  Anyway this is just an update and really a very profound one at. Things are carrying on much as they have before. And as of today I have 447 days to go until ordination.