Late

It’s been awhile. I know. And I’ve clearly broke the promise I made to you and myself for this semester. Excuses? I have plenty, but I won’t exhaust my entry by giving you excuses – but I will tell you what I’ve been up to.

This semester has gone by extremely quick. We already are about to celebrate Passover. I’ll be flying to Belarus next week to lead seders in struggling communities. It’s bound to be a once in a lifetime experience to view “life” from a different lens.

Backtrack a little over a month ago…Our last big trip was to the Negev, where we spent nearly four days in the desert. Strange things happen in the desert. At night, I spent some time looking up to the clear sky – stars were everywhere, and all you could hear was the noise of silence. Our trip was less activity intensive, and I was able to develop a greater appreciation for Israel by going to the desert. In Jerusalem, one hears the noise of cars throughout the night, feels the tension of the Arab-Israeli conflict every day, and the holiness of such a beautiful country seems to fade away. Yet, the stress and anxiety of the week always diminishes come Friday. I will definitely miss the amazing “Shabbat smell.” The feeling of pre-Shabbat in Israel is irreplaceable. Everyone is a little nicer, a little happier, and in some sense, you feel freer. I am fortunate enough to have Fridays off throughout the rest of my schooling, and while it will be filled with errands, traveling to my student pulpit, and homework, I know that I can end the day with a Shabbat that I connect with most.

Shabbat – its one of those things I have struggled with throughout the year. I love the opportunity to explore different observances in Israel, but I feel that I am always boxed in to a particular “Shabbat genre” in Jerusalem. Everything is closed, everything is silent, and it is a day of prayer. Ironically, I am looking for a balance of both the silence of Shabbat with the freedom to do what I want to do. I’m looking forward to going to services, then out to lunch with friends, and spend my Saturdays doing things I can’t do during the rest of the week. Whether it be at my synagogue where I will be teaching, or going to the movies, I feel that I will be able to express my Judaism more when I return back home.

Purim was a blast – it definitely is the Halloween of Israel, but extended throughout all of the country: Purim music, Purim food and sweets, Purim parties, and EVERYONE is in a costume. I had the pleasure of being part of the committee that put together the Purim service and shpiel for HUC. Our service was in the theme of Motown, and I have come to the conclusion that I make one ugly woman – PJ “Tina Turner” Schwartz made one appearance and one appearance only. Nevertheless, between my debut as a female and my impressions of teachers, I definitely got some laughs from my classmates.

On the home front, I’ve been slowly preparing for next school year. I have begun to buy books to expand my never ending library, and while some of these books are only “suggestions” and others are “required,” I always get excited when I buy books. Yes, they are expensive. Yes, I’m going to eventually have thousands of books that I will have read. I’m a teacher – I need my sources to teach. I need my sources to learn. They are my teachers that help me explore my own beliefs.

In the next few weeks, I will find out where I will have a student pulpit next year as well as what grade of Religious School I am teaching. I’m really looking forward to this opportunity – it will be my reminder of why I am becoming a rabbi. It will be part of my detachment from the HUC bubble, which will be smaller next year (and less influential upon my life). I am hoping that I will teach at the Jewish high school, and I am really hoping I get to teach courses on Evil and Suffering in Judaism, Comparative Religious Ethics, Jewish Prayer, Views of God, or Biblical Criticism (all of my personal interests – and the high school is Elective course driven to!).

I’m basically at the homestretch, arriving back in the states on May 23. I’ll be in Greenville for two weeks, and then I will be going to Atlanta for a three week mentorship at The Temple, Atlanta’s largest Reform Jewish Synagogue. I have to give Michelle some credit for this opportunity, as she suggested I contact this congregation (this is where she grew up Jewishly). I’ll be shadowing the rabbis, working on curriculum, possibly participating in Shabbat services, and having some experience in pastoral care. I’m really excited about this – it is a great preparation for my pulpit come Fall!

During July, Michelle and I will drive up to Cincinnati to look for apartments, visit a friend in Knoxville, and then I will return to Greenville for 2 weeks before I move up to Ohio for good.

I began this blog entry about 3 days ago, and am finally posting it. You'll be pleased to find out that shortly after I post this one, I will be posting a sermon I did today. It went WONDERFULLY. I recieved many compliments - someone even asked for my email address so they could provide me with information to send my sermon to individuals that couldn't come! It was a great feeling of accomplishment, and it's a message that is important for me to learn and share.

Hope all is well stateside,

PJ