Wow.

So much has happened since I last posted..

I came back from Israel, went camp and was a Yahadut Teacher, and most recently came to LA to start Rabbinical School.

I wake up everyday thinking: "I get to be in Rabbinical School!" and the gratitude and excitement flourishes from there on.

We all have so much to be thankful for. Each and everyone of us. I am still struggling financially but I know, I believe, that things will work out. I just have to continue to cultivate a positive and grateful attitude.

Ashira, Ashira, Ashira...

I'm in love.

And becoming more and more confident in this relationship.

I'm getting ready to be on my way...sorta.

Sarah Otto will be at the gate waiting for me when I return from Israel along with my Mom and Jim. I'm SO grateful and I am looking forward to seeing Sarah and part of my family.

Yay!!!! <3

It's official. I am enraptured with/by love.

SO EXCITING!

I just received my class list for Zeigler in the fall! As of right now, there are a total of 15 students (including myself) who will be starting at Zeigler this August/September.

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And for your learning pleasure:

Tannit 7:
Rav Nachman the son of Yitzchak says: Why are the words of Torah compared to a tree, as it is said: It (the Torah) is a tree of life for those who cling to it? To teach you just as a small wood ignites a large one-so with Torah scholars. The younger ones sharpen the older ones (with constant questioning).
And this is said by Rabbi Chanina:-I have learned much from my teachers,-and from my colleagues more than from my teachers, -but from my students more than from them all.


Isaiah 12:2
אבטח ולא אפחד
and
1 Kings 19:11-12

Passover in Jerusalem!

I am celebrating the holiday of Passover (Pesach בעברית) tonight. I am celebrating Pesach in the Free Land.
Pesach is a celebration from the Jews transforming from a people of slavery, to a people of freedom. Of Egyptian slavery, to a free people wandering in the desert, who eventually experience revelation at Har Sinai.
But for me Pesach is not just a holiday to reflect on my people's history, per se. I also try to look at this holiday as a opportunity to come to terms with what I am personally enslaved with and how I can walk the path to freedom. Also, I try to meditate on people around the world who are still enslaved. Whether that be true slavery, human trafficking, captured soilders, or refugees around the world.

For all of you Southern Jews who read this and know how hard it is to find Kosher LPesach food in the grocery stores. MAN I almost had a culture shock going shopping for food for Passover. So on the States (at least from my experience in the South) when you go shopping for Pesach food, your only option is about 2 shelves of kosher l'Pesach food. You know when you walk into the store, that your food options will be sectioned off from all other foods. It makes it quite easy to find what you are looking for. NOT so much when you are in Jerusalem..When I went shopping, there was no section of the grocery store sectioned off specifically for Kosher L'Pesach food. The Kosher L'Pesach food was just mixed in with all of the other regular food. There existed no specific shelf of proper food. This means that it takes 2ce as long to find what you are looking for, because you have to check to make sure what you pick up has a label that says Kosher LPesach (כשר לפסח).
I'm really excited to continue keeping Kashrut when I return to the States. I have mixed feelings about going back to the States. This has been one incredible year. Wow. Words cannot even begin to express my thoughts. I'm really, really, really going to miss Israel (ארץ ישראל)...
Chag Sameach LKulam! חג שמח לכולם!
אני אוהבת לכם. שלום והצלכה מירושלים.

See, when you forgive your imperfections
And you've auctioned all your clothes
And you look to see your true reflection
You will be the one who loves you the most
You will be the one who loves you the most
You will be the one who loves you the most

-Brett Dennen/The One Who Loves You the Most

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQles_6lhuo&feature=related

:-) Wow....

http://www.stumbleupon.com/toolbar/#topic=Poetry&url=http%253A%252F%252Ftodoke.net%252Finvitation%252F

please read this.

these days...

I have decided to live in the happiness of the moment and leave the worrying for later. Life, right now, is just too amazing. ♥

Beauty.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/22/us/22batmitzvah.html?_r=1&em

How inspiring is this?

hm

i ask you: What if....we realize how powerful we are and crown ourselves?

I have once again, found I am loved and in a loving relationship with God.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4-BCagHSz0&feature=related

rabbinical school, weddings, wow!

Bzrat Hashem.

I got into rabbinical school. The school is AJU (american jewish university) formerly known as UJ (university of judaism). The rabbinical school is called Zeigler. You can look it up at: www.ajula.edu and look under rabbinical school or zeigler.

I still am in partial disbelief..I am just so overwhelmed with gratitude, joy, happiness, nervousness and excitement.

I was a part of a random Conservative Jewish wedding the other morning!! Talmud class had just gotten out and people in the beit midrash-where we study (literally house of explanation) were talking about a wedding in a park. I perked up and said, "what? wedding? where?" It turns out, there was a couple both in there 80's who were both widowed who came to Israel to get married and then were going back to the states. They needed a minyan (a quorum of 10 people) for the rabbi to be able to preform the wedding. So, a handful of my fellow yeshiva colleagues and i went upstairs (it was too cold outside for the couple) and we took part in their wedding! I held one of the poles for the chuppah and saw the wedding taking place literally right before me. Other yeshiva students also held the 3 other poles for the chuppah and said the shevah brachot (the 7 blessings). It was incredible. AND since we are learning about divorce in talmud, we also had to learn a bit about marriage. SO, I was able to apply what I have learned here in yeshiva to my life! It was AWESOME. The couple were so thankful and happy we (yeshiva students) were able to participate because if not, they would not have been able to get married. It was beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

You know what I LOVE about being here? (One of the many things of course) I get to see Israeli friends of mine I have not seen in ages! AHH :) It's GREAT!!

Wow.

I love when hard work pays off...fingers magen david for the second round ;o)


Ahhhh!! Yay!!!

Progression.