NYC Marathon Craziness....

I don't know why I am still surprised by it, but it is always IMPOSSIBLE to get around Manhattan on the day of the NYC Marathon. I wish I could just stay at home in Queens and relax for the day, but I had to come in to the synagogue to teach our Confirmation Class (10th graders). I don't know how many will fight their way through the crowd in order to come to class, so we shall see how many will show up.

My curriculum in the Confirmation Class is to teach modern applications of the Ten Commandments. Today, we are up to the 4th Commandment, which tells us to keep and remember the Sabbath. We are going to study the two versions of the Ten Commandments which appear in the Torah (the two iterations, one in Exodus and one in Deuteronomy, are not identical and have some important differences), and discuss Shabbat in our lives.

With these NYC kids, especially, I really find it important to teach them that it is okay to take breaks. They are SO OVERWORKED, and so stressed out, and they aren't often given permission to take a deep breath and rest. If I get nothing else across to them this year, I want them to understand how integral self-care is to a meaningful and successful life.

Next week, we will continue a focus on Shabbat, and I will lead a guided Jewish meditation for them. Yay!