My opinions, updates on my life, all sorts of "randomness"...

I know I haven't posted in awhile--sorry. I started writing this essay (yes, an actual essay--I guess I miss school slash writing for the JN) but I haven't had a chance to finish it. I'm now in Pittsburgh for Rosh Hashana, and I'll be back in Chi-town Thursday morning. The whole Chicago thing has actually been going pretty well... After my first miserable week of sitting home alone every night and wishing I was back "home" (yet at the same time not sure what counted as home anymore), I had my first Shabbas there, and met some great people. The shul I've been going to (I haven't officially joined yet, but I will) is Anshei Shalom, is this cute little Modern Orthodox shul with a great community. Everyone has been super friendly, which definitely makes the adjustment easier. I'm actually getting excited about this year!

So I had the best wake up call ever this morning. My friend Ezra, back in Yerushalyim after three months traveling in Southeast Asia, called to say Shana Tova. He has ben sending these amazing updates on his life, and his thoughts on what he's been experiencing. So here;'s some of his words, from one of his e-mails to the "holy chevra," written on his last day traveling:

Now comes the real challenge. Here in India there is
much darkness, so the light naturally jumps straight
up at you- but what about in yerushalayim, mammish the
city of fire?! Reflecting generally on these past few
months, it has of course dawned on me that all is not
light in yerushalayim, or anywhere in Israel for that
matter. I dont refer simply to the hitnatkut, i refer
to the face of Torah in Israel-- for all its beauty,
it has managed to accumulate so much dirt and is
desperately crying out for cleansing, for a new energy
and shine so that all who need it may be warmed. There
is so much work, so much tikkun to be done- it is
almost impossible to believe that Torah, something so
completely beautiful to truly be beyond all words
(though we do try- i was in a yeshiva for five years!)
has been so justifiably darkened in the eyes of the
world, and even worse in the eyes of so many fellow
Jews i've been traveling and talking to these past few
months.

What gives me hope is that i feel blessed to be part
of a chevra that is mammish starting to turn things
around, to embrace a Torah of light, of openness, of
love, of respect-- and in what i feel to be a really
really real way. Leaving this journey behind is in
many ways painful, and the transitions of the coming
weeks and months are scary indeed, but with your
support and presence i see so much excitement ahead. I
also have some small plans of my own for the future
betterment of our community, and i cant wait to share
them with you in the very near future. A new life, a
new light, and could there be a better time than elul
and rosh hashana- hamelekh basadeh!!!!!

...namaste and so so much love-
shavua tov-
                     ezra

Amazing... Such an incredible kid. So while I'm sharing other people's Rosh Hashana thoughts with you, here's one more. This is from Yehoshua Coren, Shalem Recruiter for YJ.

A quick thought based on a teaching of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, zt"l.  The Midrash (our ancient Rabbinic tradition) says that before God created the world, He prayed.  After that, when the world was created, Hashem introduced the notion of brachot, blessings.  Our Sages teach us that the first letter of the Torah, 'BET', was chosen to begin the creation of the world because the word b'reishit, the first word in the Torah and the first statement of Creation, alludes to bracha, blessing.

What's the difference between prayer, tefillah, and blessing, bracha?    When I pray, I'm praying that God will do everything.  When I give a blessing, this is saying that I have the power to bless.  We believe that every person has the power to bless. 

The first thing that we do on Rosh HaShana night is to bless each other.  We bless each other that we should be written and sealed in the Book of Life.  When we do this it's like saying, "Listen.  If I'm going to merit to be written into the Book of Life, I only want to be written there if I'm written with you.  I'm saying before God that I only want to be written in the Book of Life if it's with you."  On Rosh HaShana, we're all so connected.

In Young Judaea our anthem is "Ani v'Ata Neshaneh et HaOlam."  "You and I will change the world."   But the truth is, on Rosh HaShana our connection to each other is so much deeper.  We are connected to each other on a level that is so deep, above and beyond the level of separateness of "You and I"  Rather, instead of "You and I" we are on the level of "WE"

So this is my bracha, my blessing, to all of Young Judaea: "Anachnu Neshaneh et HaOlam," that "We Will Change the World."

Ketiva v'chatima tova.  May we be written and sealed together for a good, sweet year.

B'avaha mirushalayim,

Yehoshua

Everyone is so spiritual these days--I love it. So to al of you who made it to the end of this uber-long post, Shana Tova! The best of luck with all of your endeavors, both new (like a new teaching job or moving to DC) and existing. And remember, whenever you're in Chicago, you have a place to stay!