Jewish Stuff
So for those who haven't heard from Facebook or through various other channels, I got into Rabbinical School. I'm going to JTS.
But that's not what I want to talk about.
I just attended a wedding. It was the third wedding I'd attended in Israel. This one was held in the Wohl Lecture Hall/ Wohl Auditorium/ Wohl Sports Arena/ Wohluseum/ Oded Room of the Fuchsberg Center for Conservative Judaism. This morning during Talmud Chevruta time, Rabbi Barry Schlesinger of Kehilat Moreshet Avraham came into our Beit Midrash and offered us the opportunity to do a big mitzvah. "There is a couple in their eighties" he said "and they are going to be married here at 12:40 pm and we need a minyan. If you can make it, please raise your hand."
There was no way I was going to miss that.
After shiur, I scarfed down some lunch and drank some tea. My friend Jason (new to the Yeshiva, studied for 2 months in Monsey NY, then came to his senses and joined us at The Conservative Yeshiva... he has great stories) came by and I asked him if he wanted to come to a wedding. We came into the Oded room and my friends Rami, Ilana, Lauren and... one other... I'll edit it to include the 4th later... were holding the chuppa, and under the chuppa were the Kallah and Chatan... they were just glowing, they were so happy. Rabbi Schlesinger asked for us Yeshiva students, as members of the Chatan and Kallah's extended family in Israel to step forward and recite the sheva brachot one by one. Afterwards Jason ran out and got some bread and honey. "We're not going to let these people leave without a wedding zimun." We sat around the table with the Chatan and Kallah and ate bread and honey, and then I was asked to lead bentching. Having never lead a wedding zimun, it was slow and a little awkward, but the joyfulness made up for it.
I have decided that I love Jewish weddings. After Melissa and Yoram's wedding, and now this... it's hard to explain, but my learning has strongly influenced the way I relate to Jewish ritual, Jewish lifecycle events holidays... it all fits into a bigger picture in a way it didn't before.
Jewish life requires community. Family. That is what a minyan is. When I get a chance to participate, to make a minyan for people who need to create a community to mark an event in their lives as Jews... the sense of connection is... Oh, it's practically intoxicating!
Have I mentioned lately that I love being Jewish?
...
Oh My God.
I get to do this for a living.
:D
But that's not what I want to talk about.
I just attended a wedding. It was the third wedding I'd attended in Israel. This one was held in the Wohl Lecture Hall/ Wohl Auditorium/ Wohl Sports Arena/ Wohluseum/ Oded Room of the Fuchsberg Center for Conservative Judaism. This morning during Talmud Chevruta time, Rabbi Barry Schlesinger of Kehilat Moreshet Avraham came into our Beit Midrash and offered us the opportunity to do a big mitzvah. "There is a couple in their eighties" he said "and they are going to be married here at 12:40 pm and we need a minyan. If you can make it, please raise your hand."
There was no way I was going to miss that.
After shiur, I scarfed down some lunch and drank some tea. My friend Jason (new to the Yeshiva, studied for 2 months in Monsey NY, then came to his senses and joined us at The Conservative Yeshiva... he has great stories) came by and I asked him if he wanted to come to a wedding. We came into the Oded room and my friends Rami, Ilana, Lauren and... one other... I'll edit it to include the 4th later... were holding the chuppa, and under the chuppa were the Kallah and Chatan... they were just glowing, they were so happy. Rabbi Schlesinger asked for us Yeshiva students, as members of the Chatan and Kallah's extended family in Israel to step forward and recite the sheva brachot one by one. Afterwards Jason ran out and got some bread and honey. "We're not going to let these people leave without a wedding zimun." We sat around the table with the Chatan and Kallah and ate bread and honey, and then I was asked to lead bentching. Having never lead a wedding zimun, it was slow and a little awkward, but the joyfulness made up for it.
I have decided that I love Jewish weddings. After Melissa and Yoram's wedding, and now this... it's hard to explain, but my learning has strongly influenced the way I relate to Jewish ritual, Jewish lifecycle events holidays... it all fits into a bigger picture in a way it didn't before.
Jewish life requires community. Family. That is what a minyan is. When I get a chance to participate, to make a minyan for people who need to create a community to mark an event in their lives as Jews... the sense of connection is... Oh, it's practically intoxicating!
Have I mentioned lately that I love being Jewish?
...
Oh My God.
I get to do this for a living.
:D