Class - Holocaust

This last class was over the Holocaust. We covered the expanded timeline (as compared to what we were taught in high school), and how it was not just death camps, there was a very strong financial component, as well. Some of how Germany was in just the right condition when it started to happen was also covered.

Separately, I went to Temple Sinai this Shabbat. I went to Friday night services, and then a "Mincha" service on Saturday afternoon. It was pretty interesting - most of the core group of people from Sinai were traveling in Israel, so it was just a few of us. We discussed the first sentence of the first chapter of Pirkei Avot. Observant readers will recall that this is what Rabbi Lutman had me studying - so I was able to lend a little insight of my own to the discussion. :)

I'm liking Temple Sinai, but I want to see how well my family takes to the place, and also how I get along with the core group of people. I like some of the people over at Bnei Havurah, but Temple Sinai probably has more to offer a family. I'm not sure I see much of a difference between Reform and Reconstructionist Judaism, but I'm sure to a Rabbi there's more difference than what I see.

Two weeks worth of posting

Ok, so I forgot to make my weekly posting last week, which means I have to do both now. So, last week the class had Rabbi Jay TelRav. AWESOME RABBI. Energetic, organized but his method of organizing the class is to include plenty of time for questions, he didn't keep us late (bonus points!), and we learned a lot about the different parts of prayer, why, etc.. He wanted everyone to know they could always ask him a question, and to "collect rabbis, like trading cards, and I'm willing to be one of your rabbis you collect." Very approachable, and open-minded. Apparently I need to re-evaluate Temple Sinai, and being that it's closer to home than any other shul it would be cool if I could fit in there (although I recently discovered that Shauna from my Micah days is Membership chair at Bnai Havurah, yay!).

Ok, now to Rabbi Black. I feel like having him here, and with Rabbi Foster now semi-retired, it's like new blood can come in. Rabbi Foster is a great rabbi, don't get me wrong, but sometimes you have to shake things up, and breaking the switch to the ark (so it can't close) is a great way to start. :) Just kidding, but he did do that. I really look forward to seeing how he changes things at Emanuel. This class was about finishing up prayer, some of the when and where. We did a synagogue tour, but I've been at this long enough there wasn't too much I didn't know, EXCEPT that Emanuel uses a CANDLE for their Ner Tamid! I was astonished when I saw that. Apparently it's a 7-day candle. Awesome.

Mar. 6th, 2011

Okay, had a class on Talmud Thursday. The Rabbi who was teaching it was EXCELLENT. He managed the class well, even when disruptive people tried to interject (which is just human nature once a group gets big enough). He used analogies that any modern person could understand. One such good one was speeding 39 on a 35 MPH street. American "oral law" says it's ok to speed a little over the speed limit, but it's not written down. He expounded on many "oral laws" that we have in American society, and also handled one person's objections to the analogies really well.

He's a Conservative Rabbi who isn't running a shul - he runs a camp that moved to Denver awhile back. Pretty cool.

We also discussed the assignment a little bit - to write ourselves into Jewish history somewhere. Since it's a little light on requirements, I chose to write a version of myself into 1948 in Israel. Looked up all sorts of info: cars available in Israel at the time, immigration patterns, google maps of Tel Aviv area, etc. I just finished the first draft of it, actually. Now I'll let it stew a little.

We didn't do much of a Shabbat this weekend, maybe next weekend.

Pirkei Avot

Wow, ok, so catch up time. My Rabbi told me I really should keep a journal at least for as long as I'm in the conversion class. It should help me with my final paper - I'm thinking it's something to the effect of "compare how you were at the beginning and end", or "how have you changed as a result of the class"? Anyways, so I'm now Director of Technology at The mGive Foundation - an exciting change for me. I get to create a new, clean system from scratch - not something I get to do at most jobs (most jobs meaning I come in and have to maintain something already in existence). My diet never got too far. We've replaced most of our kitchen applicances now - the oven and the fridge both within the last month. About the only thing I haven't replaced in there is our washer *knock on wood*.

So, as far as the conversion class, I've attended an intro class, Jewish History 1 and 2, ADL and a class on the 4 major branches of Judaism. Jewish History 1 and 2 were fun - sadly we only got to about 200 CE (AD for you Christian types) and so my Rabbi has assigned me some light reading to get me caught up on Jewish history until around 1800 or so (when the reform movement and the orthodox movement started to split from each other in a more formal way). I also have an assignment to write myself into Jewish history, somewhere, as a Jew. I'm excited about it, but it's hard to decide when and where. I think I might try 1950's Israel, or perhaps New York. I'm unsure. Gotta decide soon, I only have 3 weeks left.

I was meeting with the Rabbi today and I happened to mention Pirkei Avot - silly me! Now I'm reading about a chapter a week, which along with commentaries is bound to make anyone's head get a little muddled. Just the first chapter (along with all the commentary I can find online) is a huge amount of reading for me. Well at least tomorrow night's class is on Talmud - should be interesting!