There are so many days that I think about my need to write in this journal. It is simply amazing to me that it has been over two weeks since I have last written. I still have trouble believing that it is the third week of November already. I did not think that time could pass any faster than during my college days (I write that as if I have been out of college forever-it seems like it!). David and I have some exciting things coming up in the weeks to come, but I must review what has happened in the past week and a half. Two weekends ago (November 4/5) was spent preparing and practicing for my first rabbinical school service led by myself, my classmate Josh, and cantorial student, Jess. I was incredibly surprised about how much time and preparation we put into our service. After calculating that we spent over TEN hours practicing and after three nights of horrible nightmares about our service going wrong, I was completely ready for our service to begin and end. On Monday November 7 at 8:30 a.m. I helped lead my first morning service for about seventy five people. It was an intense process with about five rabbis writing notes as we led our peers in praying. I was definitely distracted and nervous but from the reactions of our peers, it seemed to go off pretty well. David was our guitar accompanist and he was so adorable while he played. Josh, Jess, and I had a fun time and all celebrated afterward.

The next day I began studying for my huge Hebrew test that was a couple of days later. After my test on Thursday (I ended up doing very well!) I headed over to Karen’s house where we made chicken soup to freeze for those that might get sick during the winter and during finals for our classmates. After some pizza, wine, and, gossip, I decided to head out with some friends to a bar in our neighborhood. It was nice to experience the night life of Jerusalem and to celebrate our academic freedom for twenty four hours.

We woke up early on Friday morning and David and I along with some other of my classmates joined a tour guide on a half day Christian holy site tour. It was a beautiful day (we have been having a lot of cold, and wet days here) and I enjoyed the tour so much. We spent a couple of hours experiencing and traveling on the Via Delarosa, “Jesus’ way of suffering.” We walked the path starting with the apprehension of Jesus by the Romans all the way to the place where Jesus was supposedly buried. We walked into many churches and walked around some of the Stations of the Cross. I learned so much and felt as if I was in a different country. The best part of the tour was where we ended the tour at the Church of Holy Sepulcher. I was fascinated watching the way of Christian worship with many people prostrating on the ground, crying, crossing their bodies in adoration. The mosaics, paintings, and other art mediums used to portray the life and teachings of Jesus were spectacular.

After the tour I was overwhelmed and exhausted. David and I spent time napping and preparing for Shabbat. We went to HUC for services since a friend of mine was giving the sermon. Then we headed to one of the only restaurants open in Jerusalem on Shabbat (because it is not kosher) called Foccacia. David and I had never been there but we had such great food. Saturday was relaxing and fun. I woke up very late after a week of not much sleep, David and I went to the park and threw around a football, I went for a nice Shabbat power walk, and we double dated with some friends of ours. My Shabbat was restful, relaxing, too short, but much needed.

The week has begun and I am working hard on my sermon and preparing for the weeks to come…