Happy 2008!

Happy New Year everyone! I hope 2008 brings us all wonderful things, good health, and lots of happiness.

My New Years Eve started as any other Monday, with our morning t'fillah. But this Monday, for me at least, was very different. This Monday, for the first time since my Bat Mitzvah 12 years ago, I was called to read from the Torah. It was a big moment for me; not only did I read from the Torah for only the 2nd time in my life, but I also taught myself the text, translation, and trope (the melody used to chant the verses.) While it was only 4 verses, it was a huge culmination of the hard work I've put into the semester. AND, I managed to only make 1 mistake, forgetting to sing the word "el", meaning "to" in English, in one spot. At the service review a few hours later, I recieved great comments about my "performance" and am very encouraged and excited to read again.

The rest of my New Years Eve sadly went downhill from there. I won't go into all of my ba'ayot (problems), but it's been a traumatic week (many of you will surely hear about it NEXT WEEK when I get home.) I had plans to go to Tel Aviv with Stephanie to visit our friends and spend New Year's Eve with them, but since I've been suffering from horrible headaches and nausea all week, which is supposedly from a "viral infection" (this is what the doctor at the clinic called it, after spending 10 minutes Monday night trying to convince me to take a pregnancy test, even though I repeatedly told him it was impossible that I could be pregnant.) So, I opted out of Tel Aviv, to visit the clinic and get to bed early. I'm really sad now that I didn't go, and I do feel a little pathetic, but there will be other New Years', and I needed all the rest I could get to cope with the craziness that is Hebrew Union College the week before finals.

BTW, Temple Israel people...there was a note in the January Bulletin about Paul Lipzt, the scholar-in-residence at the end of January. GO HEAR HIM SPEAK. He is my Israel Seminar professor at HUC, and not only is he an amazing professor and speaker (with absolutely fabulous stories) but he's also one of the nicest people you'll ever have the chance to meet. You will not be disappointed, I promise.

Anyways, just a quick update during my lunch break to wish y'all a Happy New Year. Home is so close I can (almost) touch it, and I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I get to see Noah in 9 days! I hope he remembers who I am...

Much love from Eretz Yisrael.