Come join me on my journey in Jerusalem!

I've come here for the year to study at the Conservative Yeshiva, and life is very exciting, especially since this is my first year in the "real world" (whatever that actually means). It's my first time renting an apartment, my first time having to buy groceries for myself, my first kosher kitchen, my first time finding the closest post office, the cheapest pharmacy, the best place to buy tupperware...and half of the time, I'm figuring these things out in Hebrew! I've made plenty of mistakes so far, but I'm managing, and feeling more and more settled every day.

This year is an exciting journey for other, less day-to-day reasons as well. I'm here studying at the Conservative Yeshiva, which means that for the first time in my life I am completely immersed in the study of Jewish texts, and surrounded by an active, passionate, observant Conservative community. I feel like this is my first serious step to becoming a rabbi, a far greater step than any I have taken so far. I feel at home in this community in ways I've never felt before. I never thought I would be making Talmud jokes over lunch and having discussions about halakha (Jewish law) in between classes. I am also learning an incredible amount, and I'm thinking about things I never really thought about before. But for each thing I learn, I come up with two more questions, and every time I feel a little more at home hear, I wonder how I will adjust to going back to your average Conservative Jewish community in the U.S.

In addition to all the Jewish learning I am doing, I have found my mind running wild with thoughts of how to create communities of coexistence, where people of different faiths make a genuine effort to understand each other. I have placed myself in a country and in a city where issues of interfaith understanding are incredibly prevalent, and incredibly problematic. Although the focus of my studies has little to do with interfaith dynamics, simply living here, hearing what people say, and seeing different parts of Jerusalem, has made me think about ways to build interfaith communities and the incredible amount of work ahead of me.

So come join me through my successes and failures of life on my own, without the ease of living in a residence hall; my adventures in Talmud, Jewish thought, halakhah, and all the other fascinating things I will be studying; and my realizations about the realities of living in a multi-faith world. Let the journey begin!


Sunday, August 23, 2009

An Apology

I'm afraid that I have to begin this blog with an apology. It's been two months since I arrived in Israel, and I am just now getting this blog started, despite the fact that I promised many people I would keep them updated on my life in Jerusalem. I'm sorry that I haven't been in touch more! So much has happened these past 8 weeks. I spent a wonderful day in Zurich (everything they say about Swiss chocolate is true!), studied in both summer sessions at the Conservative Yeshiva, hosted my first Shabbat dinner, moved into 2 different apartments, signed my first lease, reveled in the joys of cooking in my own kosher kitchen, got a job, got another job, went to the Tzfat Klezmer Festival, and...well, the list keeps going. Over the next week or two, I'll do my best to update you on everything that has happened so far, and to keep you posted about what continues to happen. For now, suffice it to say that life here has been incredible!
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1 comment:

  1. Rabbi Ed FriedmanAugust 24, 2009 at 8:35 AM

    As I read this I feel very nostalgic for the two years I spent as a student in Jerusalem, 40 years ago as a college student and again 36 years ago as a Seminary student living in the Seminary dorms at Neve Schechter. Though these experiences were so long ago, they are as vivid as yesterday and will always be a part of my life. Cherish this great opportunity to learn Torah and to be a part of Israel and enjoy every moment.

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