The year continues

I seem to be really really bad at up-dating this blog. Ah well better late than never I guess. Things are still much the same although after going really slowly at first this year has started to speed up, not sure if thats a good thing or a bad. I have settled into my second Semister nicely (I am enjoying Rabbinic Texts) its relatively striaght forward at the moment. Hebrew Modern is still progressing (i think it is getting better but ask me again tomorrow after my next mini-exam), Late Antiquity is really interesting and goes well with Rab. Texts...I am also really enjoying 'Jewish identity in Contemporary Israel' which is one of my elective course. It is very phiolosphical which really suits me.
I still think that one, if not the high-light of the year is Israel Seminar which is great and gives us access to a whole range of Israeli society that it would be very hard if not impossible for me to access on my own.
Bible is wonderful I think that Yossi is among the best and most interesting teachers I have every had.

Its not all work work work tho., a lot of it is. I do get sometime to socalise as well. Yesterday I went for Shabbat dinner at Joel's house (Joel is a friend from back home and a Masorti Rabbi).

It has also started raining here, which is great as we really really really needed the rain. I am busy working on my next drash (due on the 26th) and on my Traruma project(s) so there is plenty to keep me going. The next big thing that is coming up is the Southern Tiyal. I am quite excited for that as I haven't been to the south of Israel as yet and it looks really really beautiful. Well I had better go. Hebrew to learn and books to read.

Home and my Drash

Hey there. Quite a bit has happened since I last posted. Firstly i went home back to the UK for a short brake it was really nice to see family and friends and little Aaron who has grown so much. The only real problem was that it was too short atime to spend there before I had to come back to Israel (although Jlem really does feel like home now-I guess I am luck to have two place that feel that way) anyhow school has restarted and I am busy again. I still have modern Hebrew which I think may actually be getting a little easier, I also stil have grammar, and liturgy. The new subjects are Rabbinic texts and and Late Antiquity both of which I think will be really interesting.
I have given my first sermon (or Drash) i was more nervous than I was expecting altough I think it went quite well. Apart from that not that much has been happening.

More exams and back home.

Hi its been ages and ages since I last posted sorry about that. So long in fact that I have taken all my end of term exams. I think that they went well with the exception of Modern Hebrew, which didn't go great but was not as awful as it might have been. But I shall have to wait until I get the results back to know for sure. So far the only exam that i have had back was Second Temple Period History. I got 95%. So I am quite happy.
At the moment I am back home in the UK although only for a few days. I am still working on Modern Hebrew although at the present my main priorities are my up coming drash and writing the booklet on Fast for NIffty. Any how its good to be home however briefly and to have gotten though the whole first semester. Yeah only nine left to go. :)

No voice and exams

Hey well in the end I was with out voice completly for ten days and had hardly any for more. I can now speek again although making a lot of noice is still someway off. I am in the middle (well near the end now) of mid-terms and frankly feel completly examed out.

I still have Biblical History to do, Hebrew seems to be a continus flow of examinations. I haven't had any back yet so really really don't know how they have gone. I also have a number of essays (and sigh) reflections to write but that must all wait until motizi Shobbos.

Friday night service

Well I have now led my Friday night service along with Nancy my Cantor, she was amazing and i think that the service was really beautiful (more her than me really). I ended with a priestly blessing which is something that I have missed since getting here (other people have also missed it). And with Nancy's help I introduced some British Reform tunes.

But on Saturday and even more so on Sunday i had no voice at all. Now quite late on Sunday night (I am about to go to bed ahead off another school day) I cannot even wishper. Sigh I feel fine thought so its not that bad.

News

Again I have left it ages without posting and a lot has happened and time is short. We had our Northern Tiyal up to the Galil to the Kenarit (Thats lake Tiberus to those not in the know). We went to Kiryat Shamona, and Tel Hei (both the momument and college). Right up to the boarder with Lebanon to a Moshav, and my group went way up into the Golan to very near the boarder with Syria. We also went on a 'night safari' where we saw owls, and Israeli swomp cats (and no thats not a joke), large birds and smallier birds.
We also got one, rather short chance to swim in the Keneret. Of course we went to Tel Dan and saw the archelogical reamains there, which I have to say are really very impressive also Tel is very beautiful. However it was so hot especial given where we were and how late in the year it is.
By the time I got back I was feeling pretty horried and flet rubbish on Friday but did all the useal Friday things but basically took things easy...on Saturaday I headed off to the Conservative Synagogue on Argon Street. I really enjoyed the service and the sermon it was great. Afterwar i went for lunch with a couple of other HUC stendents...We had Sunday off but by then I felt dreadful really really ill. So I headed off to the health centre, with the help of the amazing and wonderful Emily and they took one look at me and put me on a drip. So i felt much better but not great. I went in the next day but didn't go on our next Tiyal. At the moment I am getting ready for my service tomorrow.

TW3

Hey boy am I glad that this week is over, it was not a fun one. Started with getting my Hebrew exam result (On my birthday) and it was the worst mark I have ever recieved in any subject for any exam at any level ever! So that was a fabtastic start to the day. Then I had the its my birthday but I am miles away from home, thing going on. I am also finding October to be a stressful month, I knew that it was going to be, because of various things al happening at once but it doesn't help to know. We have also had two tiyilim this week: One was a walking trip around a distict of Jlem called Rahava, up near George the 5th street. And the next day as part of Biblical History to Tel Aviv to Tel Gerzer and a musem. So I am very tired indeed. I had a nice quite party for my birthday as befits a 32 year old but it was fun and a bright spot in an otherwise pretty horrid week. I am going to do some cleaning and Hebrew homework (now there is a surprise) before heading over to Laura's for shabbat. Hopefully next week will be a bit better. fingers crossed. BTW TW3=that was the week that was.