A Day in the Life of a Rabbinical Student

Class (ki-tah) כִּתָּה
Lesson (Shi-ur) שִׁעוּר


This will be a quick update since we just got back from a trip to the North for the weekend. I have officially completed my first week of my fall semester of my Year in Israel program at HUC-JIR (could they have come up with longer name?) Here are a few highlights from the week:


1.) We have a new Hebrew teacher, Rivki. She seems really great so far and is having us speak a lot more in class, which is really nice since many of us have noticed that one thing that we really need to improve upon is our spoken Hebrew.


2.) My Bible teacher, Sima, is an incredibly entertaining woman. She is a chain smoker (who smokes so much that she teaches class with an unlit cigarette in her hand at all times) and actually Hebrew incredibly properly (including pronouncing all of the letters differently which in today's rhetoric most Israelis do not do). 


3.) My Israel Seminar class and History of Zionism classes are being taught by two Brits, Dave and Jeremy. They are both incredibly interesting and entertaining people to talk to, and I can't wait to learn from them throughout the year.


4.) Even though we are all graduate students we still like to have fun. This past week during one of our lunch breaks our "Sportazia Committee- That's Hebrew for Sports" (that is the full name of the committee) set up a four-square court and we had a riveting game of four-square! 


In case anyone was wondering what classes I am taking this semester, here is a list:
Modern Hebrew
Biblical Grammar
Bible
Second Temple History
Rabbinical Electives (the first 6 weeks is a course called "Why Am I A Reform Jew")
Liturgy
History of Zionism
Israel Seminar 


We also have other various programs that are required through the semester. Basically this means that I am in class every day from 8:30-4:00 or 5:00! The last time I was in classes for even close to that amount of time was when I was in high school. It is definitely an adjustment, but I think that once I find a balance between class, homework and everything else that life should get a little less hectic! 


PS- I apologize for any and all grammar and spelling mistakes. I, along with a number of my classmates, have found that as our Hebrew improves, our English worsens!