Long-Winded Post Anniversary
Yes folks it has been a year in the Jewish calendar since last year's Long-Winded Post in honor of Tisha B'Av, one of two full (over 24 hour) fast days on the Jewish calendar and the only one where I'm permitted to use the Internet (versus Yom Kippur where such things are prohibited).
Thus, since I am just over an hour away from being able to end my fast and I am starting to get delirious from the lack of food, liquid, and not having taken a shower or brushed my teeth today, I shall attempt to update y'all on the goings on in my busy life that hasn't left much time for blogging.
My seven-week intensive Modern Hebrew class came to an end yesterday with a wonderful morning of going to a Hebrew bookstore and an Israeli grocery store here in L.A. and then we went out to lunch at a kosher pizza place but unfortunately, no one there spoke Hebrew so I got to hear our teacher speak English for the first time! It was quite the revelation!
The class was really wonderful and I'm so glad that I took it. I not only improved my speaking and writing abilities (thanks to a daily one-page written diary requirement) but I also learned so much about grammar and that was my weakest area until now. In a week I begin a two week Biblical Hebrew class to help me better translate the Torah once classes get started.
I've been doing quite a lot of "shul shopping" which means to visit various synagogues in the region in the hopes of finding some that fit. Jen and I were at the "Very Large Urban Synagogue" one Saturday morning and were really put off by our welcome there. Right after we took our seats, an usher rushed over and handed me a tallit and told me that it was their policy that men wear them. I showed him my tallit bag but he left the loaner in front of me and said "Just in case." Huh? I just showed him my tallit but he left me another one? Plus I was just getting started in my preparatory prayers before putting on a tallit. I was annoyed. Then, once I did put on my tallit, another gentleman came over and told us that our seats, which were somewhere near the 20th row back were reserved!
Apparently, putting a prayerbook on the end seat on the row "reserves" it at the Very Large Urban Synagogue! Then I noticed that many, many rows in front of us were "reserved" in this manner. Eventually, all of these rows were filled up and I don't know if those who filled the seats where the ones who had "reserved" the seats or not. When did they reserve the seats? On Friday night Shabbat services? Sometime during the week? If you want good seats, just show up earlier!
My first batch of books arrived from Israel at my grandmother's house. I bought two boxes of books at a Jerusalem book store and those book were scheduled to ship near the end of May. The box that arrived is marked 2 of 2 but 1 of 2 is nowhere to be found and it's been over a week since 2 of 2 arrived. They both were scheduled to come by boat so maybe 1 of 2 hasn't come out of its container yet. I think I'll give it another week or so before I contact the bookstore. I'm sure this will be an easy situation to clear up!
While last year for Tisha B'Av I was among a huge community at the Western Wall, sitting on the ancient stones near Robinson's Arch, last night I was at Very Large Valley Synagogue and while there were about 200 in attendance, not too many engaged in the practice of sitting on the ground during the reading of the book of Lamentations. But, even though I was sitting in an air conditioned room and on a plush carpet, it was a very moving experience as most of the congregation joining in unison to the chanting of Lamentations in Hebrew. It was nice to be able to participate and read most of the words at the speed that the reader and everyone else were moving along at.
Other than that, I'm really just looking forward to rabbinical school starting. We have an intensive orientation week scheduled that has us programmed with activities from 7 am to as late as 10 pm some nights, including dinners with faculty, deans, and other rabbinical students. There's also a Shabbaton scheduled - which could be an entire Friday afternoon through Saturday night experience. I don't know if it's overnight or not.
A half hour to go for the fast. I'm going to go read Harry Potter before the ending is leaked to me by no-gooders.
Thus, since I am just over an hour away from being able to end my fast and I am starting to get delirious from the lack of food, liquid, and not having taken a shower or brushed my teeth today, I shall attempt to update y'all on the goings on in my busy life that hasn't left much time for blogging.
My seven-week intensive Modern Hebrew class came to an end yesterday with a wonderful morning of going to a Hebrew bookstore and an Israeli grocery store here in L.A. and then we went out to lunch at a kosher pizza place but unfortunately, no one there spoke Hebrew so I got to hear our teacher speak English for the first time! It was quite the revelation!
The class was really wonderful and I'm so glad that I took it. I not only improved my speaking and writing abilities (thanks to a daily one-page written diary requirement) but I also learned so much about grammar and that was my weakest area until now. In a week I begin a two week Biblical Hebrew class to help me better translate the Torah once classes get started.
I've been doing quite a lot of "shul shopping" which means to visit various synagogues in the region in the hopes of finding some that fit. Jen and I were at the "Very Large Urban Synagogue" one Saturday morning and were really put off by our welcome there. Right after we took our seats, an usher rushed over and handed me a tallit and told me that it was their policy that men wear them. I showed him my tallit bag but he left the loaner in front of me and said "Just in case." Huh? I just showed him my tallit but he left me another one? Plus I was just getting started in my preparatory prayers before putting on a tallit. I was annoyed. Then, once I did put on my tallit, another gentleman came over and told us that our seats, which were somewhere near the 20th row back were reserved!
Apparently, putting a prayerbook on the end seat on the row "reserves" it at the Very Large Urban Synagogue! Then I noticed that many, many rows in front of us were "reserved" in this manner. Eventually, all of these rows were filled up and I don't know if those who filled the seats where the ones who had "reserved" the seats or not. When did they reserve the seats? On Friday night Shabbat services? Sometime during the week? If you want good seats, just show up earlier!
My first batch of books arrived from Israel at my grandmother's house. I bought two boxes of books at a Jerusalem book store and those book were scheduled to ship near the end of May. The box that arrived is marked 2 of 2 but 1 of 2 is nowhere to be found and it's been over a week since 2 of 2 arrived. They both were scheduled to come by boat so maybe 1 of 2 hasn't come out of its container yet. I think I'll give it another week or so before I contact the bookstore. I'm sure this will be an easy situation to clear up!
While last year for Tisha B'Av I was among a huge community at the Western Wall, sitting on the ancient stones near Robinson's Arch, last night I was at Very Large Valley Synagogue and while there were about 200 in attendance, not too many engaged in the practice of sitting on the ground during the reading of the book of Lamentations. But, even though I was sitting in an air conditioned room and on a plush carpet, it was a very moving experience as most of the congregation joining in unison to the chanting of Lamentations in Hebrew. It was nice to be able to participate and read most of the words at the speed that the reader and everyone else were moving along at.
Other than that, I'm really just looking forward to rabbinical school starting. We have an intensive orientation week scheduled that has us programmed with activities from 7 am to as late as 10 pm some nights, including dinners with faculty, deans, and other rabbinical students. There's also a Shabbaton scheduled - which could be an entire Friday afternoon through Saturday night experience. I don't know if it's overnight or not.
A half hour to go for the fast. I'm going to go read Harry Potter before the ending is leaked to me by no-gooders.
Labels: Ulpan
posted by Matt | 7:21 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home