Ziegler Class of 2018!
My sixth and final year of rabbinical school has arrived and there is no time like the present. With school having started just two weeks ago, and the High Holidays upon us, I am in full-speed! Despite the work load, the amount of different entities that are requiring something from me is quite expansive. I just keep telling myself that the most important thing I can do is stay focused and on task. However, one of the biggest problems I have is knowing which thing I should be working on when, and for how long. Also, I primarily enjoy relaxing and taking it slow, so I am having to wake up a part of me that has been dormant for a while. Oh the thrills of summer break! But, I’ve been here before, and I know the hardest is yet to come (Lord that’s real helpful!) – but so is the best!
I accepted a pulpit for HH this year – my first time ever to lead the entire high holiday service experience! I’ve been working on the tefilah (liturgy) for months, and now its time to prep the sermons.
Fortunately for me, my homiletics course requires me to write several 20 minute sermons through the year. So, like a crazy person I signed up to go first so that I could have at least one well-worked sermon for high holidays!
And beautifully enough – the topic for the sermon must be on prayer – which is also the same topic as my senior philosophy capstone. It is so nice to see all these pieces rolling around together! My studies for my capstone will help me better understand the intent of prayer which will be a launching ground for my homiletics sermon, which I will use for (most likely) Yom Kippur!
That means now, I will engross myself in learning and PRAY to come out the other side prepared!
The journey only gets more dynamic as we go! Thank you for sharing it with me!
With prayer, peace and hope!
Aviva
Becoming ✡ Rabbi 
And it has been such a joy to be along in this roller-coaster ride! Mom