Shalom, friends!
It's been a busy year, as I am sure you can tell by my less-than-frequent blogging. I would love to be blogging more, but free time has been minimal.
Rabbi-life: I am loving my first year as the rabbi at a wonderful congregation in Wantagh, New York. The congregants are terrific, the area is lovely, and the job is fulfilling. I feel supported by family and friends, and I am blessed by a strong, competent lay leadership at the temple. I've learned so much so far about leading a congregation. There have been plenty of challenges (oy!), but also plenty of successes. I love it there!
Jenny Craig: Those of you who were following my Jenny Craig posts may want an update in that area. I stopped doing Jenny Craig last summer when I began my new job. My psyche is such that I can only handle (as I am sure is true for many of you) so many stressors at once. I just didn't have the brain power to continue at that time, and I was feeling burnt out after 8 months of participation. I have high hopes of continuing again soon.
Wantagh: The weaning process is nearly complete - I will be officially living the confines of NYC in one month. I am finally moving out to Long Island. I have found an amazing townhouse (with an outdoor pool, fitness center, tennis courts) and I can't wait to begin this new chapter. Packing over the next month will be CRAZY, but there are good things on the other end. I will be walking distance from the temple, so I hope to walk often!
Karaoke: I have the coolest congregants! Many of them LOVE karaoke, so we have lots of fun singing together. I just have to explore the karaoke joints in and around Wantagh. If you know of one, let me know! There is much singing to be done!
Cats: Lindsay and I adopted a new baby kitten!! He is so cute, and you must check out this video of him when he was still a stray at the vet.
He was named "Magellan" then, but now we have decided to call him "Snickerdoodle." That being said, we call him "Baby Boy" more than anything else. :) Precious and Caramel are adjusting to their new friend.
Well, I hope you have good things in your lives, and that you are happy and healthy.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
National Day of Unplugging
Shalom!
Join me in a National Day of Unplugging, brought to you by Sabbath Manifesto. This is a noble, important effort at encouraging us to unplug from technology, and turn, instead, back to our families, friends, and selves. It starts tonight at sundown, and ends tomorrow night at sundown.
There are TEN PRINCIPLES to follow:
- Avoid Technology
- Connect with Loved Ones
- Nurture Your Health
- Get Outside
- Avoid Commerce
- Light Candles
- Drink Wine
- Eat Bread
- Find Silence
- Give Back
Shabbat Shalom!!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Tweet the Exodus!!!
In honor of the beginning the Hebrew month in which we celebrate the wonderful holiday of Pesach, something AMAZING is happening on Twitter. For the first time ever, a group of rabbis and educators from all over the country (including moi!) will be tweeting the story of the Israelites' Exodus from Egypt.
This will be a huge multimedia experience, and I strongly encourage you to check it out.
To join in the fun, please visit TweettheExodus on Twitter!!
Friday, January 22, 2010
The Actor's Nightmare - Rabbi Style
Are you familiar with the phenomenon of the "Actor's Nightmare?" It is a dream that many, many people in the performing arts have at some point, in some way, shape or form. Typically, in this dream, you find yourself about to go on stage for a performance for which you are completely unprepared. There is a deep sense of anxiety that corresponds with this dream, a lack of control, and a general "sucky" feeling.
I have had a variation of this dream, on and off, for my entire life.
Well, folks, I had a RABBI version of the dream a few nights ago!
I dreamt that was almost ready to go out onto the bimah (the "stage" in a sanctuary) when I realized, in a total panic, that I had forgotten to prepare for both a baby naming and a wedding blessing. I didn't have the materials with me, I hadn't created the requisite certificates, and I didn't even know their names!
I told the cantor to go ahead and start without me, while I scrambled up and down stairs, down long hallways, and through my files, looking for all the info. Of course, at some point, I lost my glasses, so I couldn't see while having to do all of this.
I made it back to the bimah, with all the paperwork, only to find that I had missed the entire service. The cantor was finishing up, and everyone was on their way out.
I found the baby naming family in the lobby, apologized profusely, tried to fudge my way through something resembling a blessing, and gave them a hastily prepared certificate. Bleh!
You can only guess how I felt as I woke up....
Have you ever had one of these?!??!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Working my way through the Oscar Films....
Based on various lists published by Entertainment Weekly, my friend, Mike's, movie review site, and others, I have been trying to see as many Oscar-worthy movies as possible.
So, most recently, I've seen (500) Days of Summer; Star Trek; District 9; The Hangover, and, Inglourious Basterds. All four were just as amazing as everyone said.
(500) Days of Summer totally broke my heart while totally uplifting my spirit. The movie, which covers, in non-chronological order, the 500 days of a relationship between the two main characters, is an emotional roller coaster.... but not in a bad way. I was in physical distress towards the end of the movie, but also ready to go out and fall in love.
As a pretty big fan of the various incarnations of "Star Trek," I really loved the new Star Trek movie. The action was exciting, the nods to the original series and its beloved cliches were adorable, and the ending was moving. Loved it!
District 9 was... gosh, how to even put it? So creative, so ground-breaking, so surprising. A profound statement about racism, apartheid, and bigotry, all in the guise of a sci-fi alien flick. Brilliant all around.
The Hangover was absolutely hilarious, and was all the more fun because I left for Las Vegas a few days later! Great writing, terrific acting, and mind-bending plot points.
Inglourious Basterds, a perfect addition to Quentin Tarantino's oeuvre, has been described as a "revenge fantasy." It made me want to scream out in victory as the Jewish characters slaughtered the nazis, but also made me want to cry over the fact that it was all mere fiction. Boy, did I wish this one was a documentary!
Did you see these? What did you think?
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