Weekend Update

I went biking on Friday morning- my first training ride for the Ride 4 Reform.

We started at 6:30. I got home at noon. We rode 16 miles. Apparently it wore me out.

I was asleep by 10pm on Friday night. I took a nap this afternoon. I'm still exhausted.

Shabbat was great- anti-social dinner at Rachel's, lunch at Ross and Rachael's and I got invited to a 2 year-old's birthday party for next weekend.

Tomorrow re-begins real life. We have full weeks straight through to finals. Papers, tests, divrei Torah and lots and lots of reading. Two words: bring it.

For now I'm working on my Israel seminar journal entry and my troupe for next Monday's Reform Liturgy Workshop.

I promise more London to come...lots of love...

Tough Day to be a Zionist

One article to share before I head off to school. Not very good if you're Jewish or love Israel or believe in a people's right to exist or are just a human being that believes in a peaceful and just world community for all.

put down the soap box karen, put it down.

It is from the President of Iran who is calling for Israel and Zionism's complete destruction. He's also organizing aninternational "Day Without Zionism." He sounds bothlike Ayatollah Khomeni - and sadly, much like thefar-left American anti-Zionists like Noam Chomsky (recently voted "World's Foremost Public Intellectual"). (From one of my classmates)
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/meast/10/26/ahmadinejad/index.html

Also, many of you may have heard about yesterday afternoon's suicide bombing in Hadera, a seaside town that is north of Netanya- maybe 2 1/2 hours here. I'm fine and everyone I know is fine.

It's been quiet here for so many months. Let's pray it stays this way. I'm off to class now- love to all who are reading...

Pictures from London!

While you're waiting for the London posts to begin, enjoy my pictures!

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8AaNWTlq2bOXMg

Posts to follow shortly...

London- Monday/Tuesday

I know you've been patiently waiting for the London updates to begin.

A few ground rules:
1. I'll do my best to say everything- but I'll try to be somewhat short.
2. I'll post selected relevant pictures in the post
3. I'll post the link to all (150 or so) pics in another post.
4. Enjoy!

Monday: Rena and I left for the airport at noon. Once we checked in we had a celebratory lunch at the Kosher McDonalds while waiting to board the plane. Interesting facts: flying on Erev Sukkot means that the only secular Israelis will be on your plane. Two, M&Ms have started selling a "mixed bag" of plain, peanut and crispy m&ms. Yummm. the flight was 5 hours and we arrived at Heathrow Airport in London around 10pm. After getting our backpacks and exchanging our money (going from 4.58 shekels to the USD to 1.88 USD to the pound- OUCH) we got on the tube and made our way to the hostel.

Tuesday- First full day in London:
Woke up early to take advantage of the "free hostel breakfast"- which consisted of white bread toast with butter and jelly or cornflakes with sugar and whole milk. Don't worry, there was coffee and tea too. All you could eat and drink. We started early because Rena had made reservations to take a DUCK tour of London. In short, the DUCK is a vehicle used in WWII that can drive on land and is a boat too!- DUCK is an acronym for something I don't remember. Anyway, the 75 minute tour of London took us all over the city and in the Thames River too! It was a great intro to the city and we did a lot of planning as we saw things from afar that we wanted to see up close (Westminster Abby, Big Ben etc). Interesting fact: London is COLD- we were wearing coats, gloves, hats, etc. Burrrrr.

After the tour we stood in line in Leicester Square to get cheap tickets for a West End Show (It's like Broadway in London). I really wanted to see Mary Poppins, and well, Rena indulged me. The tix ended up being not so "cheap", but they were good seats for a musical thats only been open for 10 months.

After getting the tickets we took the tube to Harrods. For those who don't know, Harrods is a department store/gourmet food store/mall- It's pretty unbelievable. First of all, it's HUGE- 6 floors or something, and sells everything you could ever want- assuming that you have the $$$. They sell major designers and super-high quality versions of everything- clothing, bedding, food, entertainment etc. They also have a pretty extensive Christmas section- which was pretty busy considering that it was only October 20th.

We were told over and over again that one of the "must dos" in London was to have a "proper English High Tea." So we did just that. For a mere 20 pounds, we indulged in finger sandwiches, fancy desserts, scones and jelly and lots and lots and lots of real British Tea. Good food, great tea and amazing atmosphere. We felt underdressed in our sneakers and jeans as we watched buisnessmen and women having tea in fancy suits and high heals. Oh Well. We finished tea in time to get back to Leicester Square for the show.

The show was wonderful- and Mary Poppins isn't an easy show to do. Between the flying nannies, animated penguins and dancing chimney sweeps- not to mention that it's become a movie classic- pretty tough to try and imitate on stage. But it was great- the actors who played Mary and Bert were especially fabulous. Some of the details were changed slightly, but it was the same classic story. For the rest of the week we were humming one of the new songs, "Practically Perfect" It's hard to be practically perfect, but we make it look easy. Right?

We were exausted by the time we returned to the hostel and tried to get some sleep despite our new roommate- an Australian guy whose snoring kept us awake into the morning hours!

All for now...More to Come...Love to all who are reading!

There's No Place Like Home

Back from London. It was beyond fabulous. More than I could have expected.

We left London at 10:30pm, got in at 4:30am and were back in Jerusalem by 6am. Slept until noon. Ate lunch with Rachel.

I've been uploading my pictures and unpacking before Simchat Torah begins tonight at sundown. School starts on Wednesday.

I'm also working on journaling about my trip and getting the pictures in some sort of order, so I can share them with all of YOU.

Really, there's no place like home. And its nice to come home.

Moadim L'Simcha- and lots of love to everyone reading!

V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N

I'm on vacation. Fall Break. Chofshi Sukkot. Sukkot Break. Friday, October 14- Tuesday, October 25. Life is Sweet.

Rena and I leave for London on Monday afternoon- we'll be there through the morning of the 24th. On the itinerary so far:
*London Eye
*Double Decker Bus Tour
*High Tea at Herrods
*Piccadilly Circus
*London Bridge
* Dinner and Show at the Comedy Store Players
* British Museum
*Dali Museum
*Notting Hill
*Riding the Tube- and Minding the Gap :)
*And of course lots of time at Heathrow- terminal 4!

I don't think I'll be able to update while I'm away, so have fun catching up on old posts and get excited for several long posts and tons of new pictures!

Lots of Love to all who are reading!

Weightlifting

Yesterday I participated in my first Reform Liturgy Workshop at school. My role was hagbah, or lifting the Torah scroll after it's been read.

Don't be fooled by the picture, hagbah is no easy task when the scroll is perfectly balanced between the two rollers. However, as we are nearing the completion of this year's reading, the Torah was almost totally balancing on the right side.

After three shaky practices, I walked up to the front of the room hoping and praying that I wouldn't drop it. The punishment for dropping a Torah scroll is a 40- day fast. Eeek.

But much to my surprise, I lifted it high enough for everyone to see and even showed the required three colunms of writing. It wasn't scary, or impossibly difficult, just took some practice and determination.

Mid-lift I couldn't think about the "weight" of Torah. The physical weight of lifting it high before my classmates. The academic weight of studying it and it's many commentaries. The spiritual weight of knowing that this text is somehow more mine than it was just three months ago. The weight of knowing that this is my future, and no matter how heavy it is, it is mine to carry.

It may sound depressing (and terriably cheesy), but it's encouraging really (and very true) . I already know I can lift it. It just takes practice and determination.

G'mar Chatima Tovah- may you be sealed for a good, healthy and happy new year. Love to all who are reading!

Timing is Everything

For your information as readers of this blog:

From today, Sunday, October 9, 2005, until whenever Bush lets you turn your clocks back, the time change is as follows:

6 hours ahead of the East Coast
7 hours ahead of Central
8 ahead of Mountain
9 ahead of the West Coast.

In other news, I thoroughly enjoyed my extra hour of sleep this morning. G-d Bless falling back.

Love to all who are reading...

Jay Shir Quotations, Part 1

Jay Shir is my voice teacher. Which is ironic because "shir" in Hebrew is song. He also directs the volunteer choir that I sing in on Tuesday nights. He is wonderful.

Jay uses metaphors to help me understand music. They entertain me so much every week that I thought I should share. Be on the lookout for more Jay Shir Quotations every Sunday.

Here are today's quotes:

"Karen, your grandmother was a hippo."
Translation: "Karen, we both know that you can take a deeper breath than that."

"Karen, please say the city you live near in the states in their originial dialect." "Bawlmore."
Translation: "I'm going to make you say stupid things for my own entertainment."

"I don't want you to throw it up there. Just get it there, but I don't want to know how."
Translation: "When singing a high note, don't spend too much time getting it there."

"Karen, there is a marked difference in your singing from the first time we met."
Translation: I think that one's self- explanatory :)

More quotes next week...love to all who are reading!

My New Baby

The Pack/ Perolman Family is happy

to announce our newest addition:

Billy Bike Perolman

יעקוב אל'הו פרולמן

Adopted on October 6, 2005

in Jerusalem, Israel

To Proud Mom Karen Perolman

Proud Aunt Lauren B. Pack

12 pounds, 12 ounces

Brit Milah and Naming Ceremony TBA.

Isn't he the cutest? Obviously we'll be going for our first ride very soon...love to all who are reading!

Sukkasss in London

"Sunday all the lights of London, shining

sky is fading red to blue

I'm kicking through the Autumn leaves

And wondering where it is you might be going to..."

-David Gray

Just wanted to share my newest excting news. Last Wednesday night Rena informed me that she would be meeting her sister Sharon in London over Sukkot break. She also informed me that she would like me to join her, if I was able to. Several days of arguing later, I finally talked to my Mom and Dad who gave me the go ahead.

So last night we booked the tickets and will be in London from October 17 through the 24th. We'll be there for all of Sukkot and will be back in time to celebrate Simchat Torah in Jerusalem. It's the best of both worlds.

I'll post again when I have more details to share! Love to all who are reading!

New Pictures!

I'll soon be posting some new pictures to my photo website and will then figure out how to let everyone else view them too...I'm slightly technologically challenged... But in the mean time, here are some newly uploaded pictures from the beginning of Rachel's birthday at TOGO. Hopefully the captions will show up near the right pictures and you can meet some of my new 4th year friends.


Rachel and David Segal
Rena and Deb (An awesome 4th yr)

Jen, Rachel and Howie (Jen and Howie are two
cool 4th yrs who are getting married next year)
Me, Rach and Rena

Love to all who are reading!

Thoughts on a New Year

You don't realize it.
It seems to come out of nowhere.
You don't feel ready.
You have to rush.
Ironing, cooking, mailing cards, calling family.
It's the same every year.

Once again, I feel totally unprepared for Rosh HaShanah (literally the "head of the year"- the begining of the new Jewish year) which starts on Monday night. Despite my active participation on the Kesher High Holy Day committee and planning a Rosh HaShanah song session, I still feel unprepared.

In some ways I feel as if I should feel more prepared since I live in Jerusalem, a city in which it's impossible to ignore the Jewish calander. For the last 30 days I've heard the sound of the shofar every morning. I've sung psalm 27 every time I've been at shul. I attended two selichot services. And I've made one "experimental" apple cake that got rave reviews from my friends. I sent Rosh HaShanah cards, picked out my outfits for the various services at meals I'll be attending and am looking forward to the three days off from school.

And yet, I don't feel "ready" to start a new year- I know that this new year will bring many challenges as I continue my first year of Rabbinical School, finish my year-in-Israel, move to New York, find a summer job, find a year-long job and re-adjust back into my life in the states. Next year at this time, I'll be preparing to lead HHD services, I'll be someone's student Rabbi and I'll have to help others feel ready for the most awe-some days of the Jewish year, knowing that I too don't feel ready.

On Thursday night over the aformentioned applecake, Rachel mentioned that she felt that HUC hadn't done a good enough job of preparing us for these days- that the month of Elul should have included more spiritual preparation. And I will tend to agree with her- where else should pre-Rosh HaShanah prepparation be greater and more complete than a Rabbinic Seminary?

I'm not sure there's more that can be done at this point except to bake the applecakes, get my living room ready for my guest and just go. Start the new year without over thinking it too much.

To my family and friends and readers all over the country, may you have a happy, healthy and wonderful year full of all the good things you want! L'Shanah Tovah U'Mitukah!

A Week's Update

Hi Everyone,

Sorry for my serious lack of posts this week, maybe you can tell that it's been an insanely busy week...but I'll do my best to update on this week...Here we go!

Sunday...Hebrew, Bible, Liturgy, voice lesson after going to bed at 2am (not so hot), homework and dinner with Julia, home to crash.

Monday...Services, Hebrew, Bible, Rosh HaShanah meeting, gym, Rabbinic Forum, study until late at the Coffee Bean with the girls.

Tuesday...Rabbinic Literature, Hebrew, History, Kesher meeting, Zmirot, Choir, crash.

Wednesday...Israel seminar in Tel Aviv all day, dinner with Elana about volunteering.

Thursday...Hebrew, Biblical Grammar, gym, learning with David, quick trip to the shuk, dinner at Rena's with Deb, Edie and Michael, meeting, Hurricaine Bingo Night, post-bingo hang out with the girls, crash crash crash.

Friday...Woke up early, volunteered (more on that later), cooked chicken for Shabbat dinner, got myself and my apartment ready for Shabbat, went to the HUC "meet and greet" at Har El Synagogue, services at Har El, dinner at my place with Rachel, Robyn, Rena, Michael, Lauren, Alon, Deb, Edie, David W and his friend Brent until late. Cleaned up, went to sleep.

Today...services at HUC with an amazing d'var Torah by Rabbi Marmur, lunch and napping, dinner and studying at Coffee Bean...blogging...

The highlight of my week was definitly starting my volunteer work. I'm going to be teaching music at Tali Bayit V'Gan, one of the Progressive ("Reform") elementary schools in Jerusalem. Elana and I met with Ana, the volunteer coordinator on Friday morning and then taught for a couple of hours. We'll mostly be supplementing what the students are learning in class by teaching fun, new, "NFTY" melodies and reviewing liturgical songs. I'm so excited!

This past Friday we taught three first grade classes, two third grade classes and a second grade class. The kids are adorable, mostly well behaved and best of all, LOVE to sing! Since I spent the last year teaching Jewish music in a synagogue, I'm not used to kids who like to sing and who will actually sing with having to pull teeth. Elana and I will be switching off every week and hopefully one of us will be there every week. It's one of those volunteer projects that will really make a difference and I'll feel really good about.

I'm going to let my coffee buzz wear off and then get some sleep...it's going to be a big week here! Love to all who are reading!