Since coming to Temple Beth Sholom in 1998, I have been privileged to be a part of each of your lives, both collectively and individually in times of simcha and sorrow, celebrations and milestones in each of your lives. And now, in my 13^th year, my Bat Mitzvah year, I am thankful to my congregational family for giving me my first Sabbatical since coming to TBS and my rabbinic career.

This sabbatical gave me the opportunity to do things that during my regular schedule I was not able to do. My summer sabbatical provided me with time to learn with colleagues, personal study and most importantly, reconnect with my family.

The first few weeks at home allowed me to participate in the daily lives of Dahvi and Yoni, something that I don’t regularly get to do. I was able to take them both to school each morning and be there for them in the afternoon. I volunteered in the end of year school activities and celebrated with Dahvi as she graduated from elementary school.

Our family spent a majority of our summer in Israel. During our time there, each of us took the opportunity to experience Israel in a very personal way. While it is always amazing to tour Israel and experience her beauty with groups of individuals visiting for the first time or the fifth, this summer we were able have to experience of living in Israel.

Both kids attended Israeli camps. Yoni attended Ramah Day Camp in Jerusalem while Dahvi spent two weeks at an overnight camp, Camp Kimama, north of Netanya, on the Mediterranean coast. Both of them made new friends from all over the world and thanks to the internet, they will be able to stay in touch with friends from Israel to France, Canada, and even Japan.

Matt took the opportunity to explore Jerusalem with friends also in the country and experience the Israel weekly life rhythm.

I spent time studying with colleagues from not only the Reform movement, but rabbis from every movement and country. From 8:30 in the morning to 10:00 at night, I studied at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. Mornings began with the teacher of the day presenting us with a topic and a packet of texts. For two hours I joined in chevruta, small group study with colleagues, deciphering and challenging what the text said in light of the day’s topic. The teacher returned and unraveled the two hours we just spent wrestling with the text and wove it into a new perspective for us to consider and challenge yet again.

The afternoon was filled with more learning, dinner at home and then evening programs discussing the current state of affairs in Israel.

I came home each night from my classes excited about what I would share with the TBS community. And these High Holy Days, I look forward to sharing some of these thoughts with you and beginning the conversation that will take us into this next year.

This summer in Israel was not only in the text that I studied, but also in the text of the land and the people. We traveled throughout the entire country not only to see the places, but to connect with the people and communities. My goal was successfully achieved in creating connections in Israel that I will in turn share with the TBS and Orange County community. At every opportunity, I asked Israelis their opinions about peace, land, and the world. While I was hoping to find more defined answers that would help us understand the issues of the Middle East, I found that it is even more complicated than we can imagine, let alone solve. Yet, the discussion is extremely important and vital, even for us on the other side of the sea.

I also spent time meeting with Da’at Travel, our Israel travel coordinators, in creating a unique and exciting TBS Israel adult tour itinerary for this coming January.

These final weeks of my summer Sabbatical were spent preparing our family for reentry into our year activities: Dahvi going to a new school and preparing for her Bat Mitzvah this coming April. Yoni practicing his reading and gearing up for 2^nd grade and his Tae Kwon Do Black Belt test this November. Matt getting ready to juggle the busy Cohen calendar. And me, I have already begun preparing for my High Holy Day sermons as well as looking forward to reconnecting with everyone at my TBS home.

Thank you for this summer. Thank you for these 13 years together. And thank you for the many years we have ahead of us.

As soon as Sabbatical began I was ready to jump into my to-do list. We had two and a half weeks before leaving for Israel so I thought, ‘great, while the kids are in school, I can run around taking care of errands, cook the family fabulous dinners, and be able to drop off and pick up the kids every day.  Oh yes, and I was going to be able to keep the house clean!’

Ah, delusions of grandeur! First off, the last two weeks of school are filled with class parties, softball games against the teachers and other classes, as well as promotion and Girl Scout outings. And of course, not usually being available for any of these activities during the year, I wanted to do them all.

At the end of the day, dinner was thrown on the table from what was in the freezer or left over from the night before (or if Matsui hit a homerun the day before, Salmon lovers sushi), the house was not as clean as I was hoping and I fell into bed each night exhausted! How does he do it?

I always knew that my husband is amazing, but after these last two weeks, I can truly say, he is that much more amazing! I fall in love with him more and more.

Thank you Matt for all you do, not only for me, but our kids and every life you touch. I love you!

Last year, when Anakin passed, the wonderful family gave him a dignified burial at sea.  But this year, for Rexi, JediYeled wanted to make sure that he could bury him in the backyard – next to DovLev’s fishes that we killed…I mean died while she was at camp.

After retrieving Rexi from the wonderful family’s freezer (right next to the Chanukah candles), we brought him home and immediately found Rexi’s final resting spot – next to the rubber tree plant and JediYeled’s orange tree.  JediYeled started to dig a hole in the shape of a fish and even let DovLev dig part as well since she did not get to bury her fish last year.

We then gently shook…I mean placed Rexi into the earth and JediYeled covered him up.  Then we stood together being grateful that JediYeled had such a wonderful fish for this past year.  JediYeled then looked up to me and said, “Ima, we have to say kaddish.”

What do you say? Yes, of course. So, together we said kaddish, after all, we are grateful that God created such wonderful creatures to fill our world.  And I am grateful I have two children who care so much about the world and all those who live in it.

DovLev: “Why is it that the one time that we don’t turn around because we forgot something, we forgot something and it’s my stuff!!!”

Yep, we made it out of the house and out of the neighborhood without actually turning around. And now, in the middle of the desert, DovLev is sitting on the side of the road VERY upset that she does not have her ipod.

The lesson which fortunately we followed: Make sure to always load up every other ipod with children’s mp3 music. So now, while she may have to use the Grandpa ipod, at least she has her music! And as we are back in the car heading north once again, she sings out: obla-di, obla-da, life goes on, bra, la, la, la, la life goes on! Whew!

That Woodpecker Might Have to Go!

Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah’s Ark…

• One: Don’t miss the boat.
• Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat.
• Three: Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the Ark.
• Four: Stay fit. When you’re 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.
• Five: Don’t listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.
• Six: Build your future on high ground.
• Seven: For safety’s sake, travel in pairs.
• Eight: Speed isn’t always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.
• Nine: When you’re stressed, float a while.
• Ten: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.
• Eleven: No matter the storm, when you are with God, there’s always a rainbow waiting.

~Author Unknown

The weekend has ended and it was awesome! Shabbat was beautiful. Purim was a kick – both for the adults and the children. And we even managed to have dinner with friends.  Now here it is the middle of the week and I feel like I am stalled!

Jennifer im’d me and asked how it was going and I said, I felt like I was in a holding pattern. That’s when she told me of days without a pace car. So true! Today, just feels like a day without a pace car.

There is much to do, but honestly, I can’t get my head wrapped around it. Is this so bad? No not really. Just a little frustrating because when we are racing with the pace car, there is that momentum that we have to keep. But without it, it feels a little sluggish.

Maybe instead of trying to find the pace car right now, I should try to enjoy the more mellow moments.  After all, they are far and few between.

Pace car, come back when you’re fueled up – for now, I’m going to enjoy the meadow.

There are so many times that I read something, do something, experience something that I want to share it with others.  I’ve already immersed myself greatly into the social networking world of Facebook and Twitter that this just seemed like the next perfect step.

I’m inspired by blogs such as Imabima and Or Am I.  And just recently, we started a TBS blog that will be written by not only myself and the incredible TBS staff, but also by TBS congregants and other guest bloggers.

So here it goes, diving into the blogging world.  I can’t say that I will post as often as some bloggers, but I’m hoping to use this space as a way to share more about what I’m thinking and experiencing.  Who knows, maybe it will even inspire.