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May 15, 2007
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April 11, 2006
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May's Blog
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Class Pic - Grad Party |
Graduation is upon me. No longer will I be roaming the halls of HUC and USC or hunched over my laptop, late into the night, surrounded by piles of books. I have completed my thesis and turned in my final papers. My graduation gown hangs in my closet and all that is left to do is to await graduation day.
At the culmination of any significant moment in one's life, it is common to look back in the hopes of identifying which parts of this experience were noteworthy. Of my last two years of classroom learning, hands-on projects, group study, internships, travel opportunities and informal debates and conversations, what holds the 'stickiness' factor? Which books will I reopen? What lessons will I remember? Which professors or mentors will I call for help? And with which of my classmates will I be in touch?
We Made It! |
As with any Jewish question, the answer is (of course) not easily found. In my future professional life, I might recall lessons I have learned over the past two years: how to conduct a SWOT analysis or analyze a budget; the theories of great Zionist thinkers or parshiot studied in class; the identification of my own leadership traits or professional aspirations. Or it is a possibility that I will instead recall impactful moments from this program: studying American Jewish history as I walked the streets of the Lower East Side, struggling to comprehend Israeli nationalism in Mount Herzl cemetery or the way I felt during our beautiful remembrance service at Buchenwald Concentration Camp. It's also conceivable that instead I will remember the individuals with whom I have shared this experience: I will call my professors and mentors for workplace advice, visit my classmates in their new homes, or run into HUC alum and professionals at various conferences or conventions.
Proud Alum |
As I sit here, trying to discern the main take-away messages of my HUC experience, it's almost as if I have been given this assignment as a final. As if someone has said, "Naomi, you have two hours, please take out your pencil, open your bluebooks and in 1,000 words or less, describe what you have gained from your graduate school experience."
But how can I even do this? How does one begin to explain that despite the impact of these aforementioned experiences, it is not the individual classes, fieldtrips or interactions with professionals that have had the greatest impact? How do I emphasize to potential incoming students that these past two years have been a life-changing experience and I have come away from this program a different person and a stronger professional?
When I came to Los Angeles, I was a bit hesitant - I was only mildly ready to go back to school, unenthusiastic about moving to a traffic-filled metropolis and nervous to meet my classmates who might be smarter / more clever / or better-read than I. But I came. And two years later, I can honestly say that I made the right decision. I found a wonderful center of learning, a welcoming community and great friends. And as I move forward, I take with me not only the coursework, professional network, and life experiences that I have gained over the past two years, but also a stronger understanding of myself as a professional, as a Jew and as a person. When faced with challenges down the road, I look forward to utilizing graduate school lessons and remembering so many wonderful memories from HUC.
Posted by Naomi at 3:21 PM
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April's Blog
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Our Passover Table
Last year around this time, I wrote in my blog about how wonderful it was to celebrate Pesach in Los Angeles. Last year on the second night I had hosted a Seder at my apartment. It was a small group, but we shared a fun evening with good food (of course!) and entertaining discussions.
This year, however, it was a different night... a very different night (sorry - I can't help but throw in some puns when it comes to Passover!). Instead of a small table of eight, my roommates and I hosted twenty-one of our friends. Now, I am often the host. I love having people over for dinners, brunches, study groups, parties, to watch episodes of Hey Dude (yes, that's right. I have the Hey Dude-a-thon on VHS)... you name it. But, hosting a Seder for twenty-one people in the middle of my last semester of graduate school with a thesis looming overhead is not ideal timing... to say the least! But my roommates and I had made the commitment and we really wanted to celebrate the holiday with our friends.
A week before Pesach, we found ourselves ironing out the details: determining who was bringing each dish (because there was NO way our little kitchen would be big enough to feed 21!), where to get extra tables and chairs and which Haggadah we wanted to use. We also decided that each person at our table would lead a different part of the service. Once all of those details were sorted, we were able to relax (a bit) and look forward to the second night Seder.
Some of the winners of Passover trivia holding up their prizes from the dollar store!
The day-of was spent preparing. We cleaned our apartment (a long overdue cleaning!), made matzah ball soup, chicken and Persian charoset (an awesome recipe I learned from my days at Hebrew University). Then, we had the ever-fun task of rearranging our furniture to make room for extra tables and 21 chairs. We also spent some time deciding what our part of the Seder would look like. My roommates and I volunteered to do an intro to the Maggid. We came up with some fun 'rules' to be followed throughout the Seder (e.g. "L'chaim for Mitzrayim," where we would 'L'chaim each time we heard the word Mitzrayim or Egypt, to celebrate our freedom). By the time our friends arrived, the table was set, the bottles of wine were open and we were ready to relax and enjoy the Seder.
The evening was great! There was plenty of food, lots of laughter and the Seder was really interesting. Overall, everyone had a wonderful time (and loved our 'rules!'). And, I have to say, with graduation just around the corner, it was really wonderful to have the opportunity to celebrate Pesach with my classmates and friends in LA.
Posted by Naomi at 4:36 PM
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March's Blog
Thursday, March 15, 2007
This past week I was invited to a luncheon at HUC. I was happy to attend for two reasons: first, because as a good grad student, I always appreciate free food. Second, because this luncheon brought together HUC scholarship donors and recipients, which I thought was a great idea.
As a grateful recipient of an HUC scholarship, I was pleased to attend this event. When I first began thinking about grad school, money was a major factor. Before attending school, I had spent two amazing years as a Jewish Campus Service Corps Fellow. Unfortunately, on my fellowship stipend, I wasn't able to save too much. I was nervous that going back to school meant student loan payback through retirement! So, when I was applying to programs, I was happy to hear about HUC's scholarship opportunities. This generosity definitely factored into my decision to come to LA.
Which brings me back to the luncheon. Before I walked in the room, I assumed that we (the students) were there to say a heartfelt thank you to those individuals who have given us the opportunity to study and pursue our respective degrees. I wanted to talk to donors and tell them how much I enjoy my program, what I have found valuable in my studies and experiences and in general, thank them for supporting my education. However, what I failed to realize, was that they were attending the luncheon to thank us as well! They were happy to hear our appreciation for their contributions, but they were also excited to hear about our post-graduation plans and to thank us for taking on the role of building a strong Jewish community. One scholarship donor mentioned L'Dor V'Dor (from generation to generation). For her, contributing to HUC's scholarship program was a way of contributing to my generation's efforts to sustain the Jewish community for the next generation. By coming together at this luncheon, we had the opportunity to see how our distinctive contributions worked together.
The luncheon was a wonderful opportunity to share time with individuals who have contributed to my personal and professional growth...Not to mention, the desserts were delicious! :)
Posted by Naomi at 12:15 PM
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February's Blog
Thursday, February 15, 2007
A picture of my SJCS class
I pulled up to HUC a few minutes early. Balancing my bag, lunch, a large cup of coffee (I need my caffeine in the morning!) and some overdue library books, I wandered into the building. After being greeted cheerfully by the security guards and a few students wandering the hall, I walked into my classroom. My gloomy mood on this particular morning immediately improved as I saw my classmates. Everyone was hovering around the front of the room, laughing, eating and schmoozing - catching one another up on what we've been doing for the last couple weeks.
Lately, we've been taking turns bringing in breakfast for class. On this particular morning, I was overwhelmed with the massive pile of bagels and smell of citrus fruit that welcomed me into the classroom. I chatted with my friends - talking about our weekends, movies, internship, thesis progress, recent dates, and everything in-between. Because of our chatting, Marla (our teacher and the Interim Director of SJCS) had to put forth a bit more effort than usual, trying to get us to calm down so we can begin class. Soon enough, we were busy looking over one another's resumes, giving suggestions on content and formatting.
This class, Field Practicum, is the only one I have at HUC right now. Formally, this class is an opportunity for second year students to discuss our internship experiences as well as develop stronger interviewing skills, resume development and everything that goes into finding jobs post-graduation. Informally, it's a time to catch up with my classmates - who I see far less than I used to, since we only have class together every-other week.
I have spent hours upon hours in these classrooms, with these individuals. After almost two years studying, traveling, learning and playing together, we've really become close. And with this class - our final one, I really appreciate the opportunity to have a formal space to talk through our internship issues, help one another identify personal strengths to be highlighted in our future interviews as well as share job resources from various organizations we've come across. Plus, its fun to schmooze and see my friends!
Because it's my last semester in school, I'm in the classroom a bit less - and in the field a bit more. Countless hours are spent with my head over my iBook: studying, writing papers and working on my thesis. Being in the classroom with my friends and working alongside them on professional development is a welcomed moment in my busy schedule.
Posted by Naomi at 1:00 PM
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January's Blog
Monday, January 15, 2007
Naomi - Hiking
I have just returned from a fifteen-hour flight that followed a one-month adventure in the Holy Land. Alongside my classmates from HUC and future professional colleagues from Bradeis' Hornstein program, I was fortunate enough to spend my winter break studying and traveling throughout Israel. And because this experience is one I wished to share in my JCS blog, I figured it was probably best to write about it while it was fresh on my mind... especially since my jet lag keeps me awake at crazy hours!
So, as I said in my very first blog entry (which I'm sure you remember fondly :) ), one of the reasons I came to HUC was to participate in the JCS Israel Seminar. You see, I studied in Jerusalem for my junior year of undergrad and have been (im)patiently waiting to return.
Jaffa Institute
But, with all the craziness of fall semester, I somehow managed to forget my excitement and anticipation of this experience. I ended up ordering my flight tickets later than I should have (although I still got a decent rate and direct flight from LA to Tel Aviv... thank you El Al!), packing haphazardly and running around like a crazy woman 24 hours before the flight to call my bank, hold my mail, finish finals, call the fam, etc. etc. etc. It wasn't until I sat down in the airplane that I actually had the time to process the fact that I was going to be back in Israel for the first time in 4 1/2 years! Yet, as I glanced through the seminar agenda, and I suddenly became nervous that I wasn't going to enjoy this trip as much as expected. On the agenda, I saw places I'd already been, speakers that only partially-interested me and some heavily packed days.
Little did I know — I had nothing to worry about! I landed in Israel and immediately relaxed. I was far from my daily life in LA and my only responsibility for the next month was to be a student — taking in and processing information I received from scholars, professionals, classmates, museums, cities, sites and anyone/anything else I came across along the way.
Final Group Presentations
I quickly realized that the Zionist Theory course I took over the summer beautifully complemented the trip dialogue. The sites that I revisited with the Seminar came to life anew. I now looked at these places as a future teacher and communal leader, trying to come to terms with the questions and controversies they presented. The speakers we met with encouraged enlightening conversations amongst the group and in many cases, lead to highly-charged discussions. And those long days I was worried about? They were evenly divided between lectures, museums, walking tours, volunteering opportunities... with a few bars and fun restaurants sprinkled in the mix. Our whole group rolled up our sleeves to package food boxes for the Jaffa Institute, put on gloves to clear debris from JNF forests, and danced and sang on the tables (along with our beloved Dean!) at the Yekev restaurant/bar! And like any good Israel travel experience, there were plenty of fun times to be had on the long bus rides as well (I distinctly remember an afternoon where the entire bus sang "Bohemian Rhapsody" in unison)!
Dancing @ the Yekev
This seminar was an important part of my HUC experience. I revisited some of the controversies and conflicts of Israel — territorial and security disagreement, cultural clashes, religious disputes, divide between economic classes, variety of voices amongst Israeli and Diaspora communities, and much more. I had a wonderful time traveling with my classmates and meeting our Brandeis counterparts. After being away from Israel for over 4 1/2 years, I am delighted that I returned on a seminar such as this one.
Posted by Naomi at 11:29 AM
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December's Blog
Friday, December 15, 2006
My MJCS/MPA Folks
So ends another semester of my graduate school career... and as usual, I really don't know where the time went! Seriously, I barely remember the month of November. That is NOT to say that I was disappointed in my fall semester classes or internship – to the contrary. This was one of the most enjoyable semesters thus far... which is impressive to say, since I'm in the midst of final exams!
My course load was pretty fair: I took two classes at HUC and two at USC – which is a significantly lighter load than usual. My main HUC course, Jewish Communal Relations, was taught by 'The Dean' (as Steven jokingly refers to himself). In this course, we examined Jewish political advocacy from a historical perspective as well as the ways in which the Jewish community is involved in today's political sphere. We had a host of visitors from various communities come and speak with us about their interactions with the Jewish community as well as their role in their own community. For my final paper, I had the chance to write about the historical relationship between the Jewish community and organized labor – which was a fascinating topic to research and study. And because this was an elective course offered to Rabbinic, Education & Jewish Communal Service students, I had another chance to learn with new classmates – which always brings something exciting and new to the table!
For my MPA degree, I took two classes – Economics and Budgeting. Now that I think about it, it's a possibility that this semester was so enjoyable because I was somewhat dreading those two MPA courses and they both turned out to be great. I am not a math girl, so analyzing numbers and doing abstract calculations aren't my thing. I have distinct nightmare-like memories of econ tutoring from my freshman year of undergrad... so, as I registered for fall semester classes, I purposely lightened my course load so I would be able to give proper time and energy to these two subjects. And while I did struggle to conceptualize these subjects, I had a much easier time than I thought. My professors were both engaging, passionate people (and I have to give them credit for being passionate about economics or budgeting). They were so accessible and helpful – they really cared to make sure that everyone in class understood the concepts, which was greatly appreciated.
I just finished my Budgeting final – an extensive analysis of the financial condition of a city government. And as dorky as it sounds, I actually enjoyed the process of writing this final. I was able to use all the tools and calculations I had acquired over the past semester and apply them to a real-life situation. So, if any of you are interested in moving to Redondo Beach, CA, you will be happy to know that their city government is in fine financial condition. :)
Overall, this semester – for all its craziness and busy-ness has been enjoyable and truly valuable to my grad school career because I know that the skills I have acquired will be of great value to my future.
Posted by Naomi at 2:39 PM
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HUC's Team Emunah
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Me, at a pit stop, psyching myself up before a big hill
I just spent the weekend walking 60 miles – and let me tell you... my feet ache! I did this because I joined a team of my HUC classmates committed to participate in the San Diego Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk. To prepare, I participated in countless training walks (beginning in June) – ranging from 3 miles to 18 miles all across the city of Los Angeles and have personally raised over $2700 to support the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.
While I made this commitment to honor my grandmother who passed away from breast cancer and show my support for my mother, a survivor, I also signed up for myself. I wanted to push myself physically, challenge myself through fundraising and be a committed, active member of my HUC community.
Second day just finished!!! (40 miles down so far!)
And so, for the past three days, I found myself huffing and puffing up and down the hilly coast of San Diego, downing countless bottles of Gatorade (the red kind is not so tasty), sleeping in a tiny tent (and waking up at 4:45 AM!), laughing and dancing with friends and strangers on the streets of San Diego and having an amazing and powerful experience. I can honestly say that every minute (even those minutes when I thought I was going to collapse) was worth it!
As I already said, one of the reasons I participated in the 3-Day was to be part of the HUC team. I'm so fortunate that I go to a school where people don't just talk about taking action, but actually get together and do it! When Rachel told me that she was putting together a team, I knew that I needed to jump on board – despite my crazy schedule and overload of schoolwork, internship and work obligations. I knew that this would be as much a part of my education here as anything else I do, so I added another commitment onto my already heaping plate!
Walking along on Day 3
And it started this summer. A few of us would get together and do training walks. After class (and being cooped up inside the windowless HUC building!), it was so refreshing to be outside. We gave ourselves a tour of LA on foot as well as the chance to chat and catch-up with friends outside of the classroom. My favorite part (not surprisingly) was after our walks, when we would gather together in someone's home to have a relaxing dinner. It was nice to know that I had a way to catch up with friends and exercise at the same time. And let me tell you, multitasking is a must when you are earning a dual masters degree!!
And the enthusiasm and passion I felt toward my team and the 3-Day Walk continued through this past weekend. Hours of walking led to amazing conversations with friends and strangers – sharing stories and inspiring one another to persevere through blistered feet and the heat, knowing that we were walking for a purpose. I could have been part of this walk in a dozen other cities any year of my choosing, but it took my personal community to actually encourage and inspire me to step up to the plate and take action. At HUC, I am surrounded by others who share the same passions and desire to be active in their community and I truly appreciate that!
And while I will not miss the way my feet ache today, I'm so happy to have the memories of this experience. So thank you, Team Emunah!
Posted by Naomi at 1:24 PM
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Entry #8
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Late night bite with friends at a local diner
One of the hardest parts about moving to a new city is making a new circle of friends. You move from a place of comfort and ease –with a familiar social network and routine – to a new city, leaving you with a suddenly empty social calendar. Even for the most outgoing person, this transition can be somewhat daunting. They say that it takes three years for you to feel as though a city is your home – for you to know your neighborhood, have acclimated to the local lifestyle and have developed a strong and established group of friends. Well, in grad school you don't get three years. You don't even want to wait half that time to feel comfortable in your new environment! You want to take the fast lane through that social circle acclamation process. And while you may not have time on your side, with the HUC environment, you certainly have opportunity at your fingertips.
The individuals I have met through HUC have had a dramatic impression on me. Not only am I walking away with a strong education, hands-on experience and better understanding of my professional self, but I am also walking away with a strong personal and professional network of colleagues and friends – and for this, I am truly grateful. I can say with great confidence that the friendships I have developed through my dual masters program will be life long.
Engagement party for Amanda & Ben
But coming into this program, I did not know this was the case. I arrived nervous and intimidated: What are my classmates going to be like? Will they be like me? Do they like doing the kinds of things I like doing? What if they don't 'get' me? What if they are all married/single/overachievers/underachievers/too quiet/too loud/older/younger? (Ok, Ok – I think you get the idea!). And these questions were not racing through my head because I am shy or timid – I am a social person who ends up befriending cashiers or waitresses! I love trying new activities, participating in random programs and events. So what was my concern? Mostly, I was nervous about the thought of having to reach out and make new friends. Knowing that once I got to LA, I'd have to put forth a great deal of effort – during an already chaotic time of moving & adjustment – to meet new people and begin new friendships.
Little did I know HUC's SJCS eases this process immensely. The very first program is an overnight JCS Shabbaton/Retreat where you have the opportunity to spend quality time learning and playing with your new classmates: getting a feel for what the next two years have in store for you. You meet the second year students who talk to you about their first year experience and you interact with your new class – getting to know where they are from, whom they are and what they are like. The JCS Retreat is an integral part of the bonding and tone setting process for the program. Plus, it is a truly pleasurable way to begin the graduate school experience.
On a road trip!
And from that point forward, you develop relationships with your classmates. The summer session is intense – all day long you spend in class with the same dozen folks – which can be both wonderful and challenging. But the combination of learning, laughing and quarrelling only helps the friendships develop quicker – fast-forwarding these initial months into strong relationships. And pretty soon – before you realize it, you have new, strong friendships. You have people who want to explore LA with you, travel together, study together (or not study together!) and individuals with whom to share birthdays, celebrations and sorrows.
Having to put yourself out there and start at the beginning with friendships can be so challenging. But in the end, I'm glad I didn't let my insecurities about moving to a new city, starting a new program and having to make new friends stop me from going forth with my education and career goals.
Posted by Naomi at 11:12 AM
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Entry #7
Friday, September 15, 2006
My class at Culmination
It's September... and I'm approaching my second High Holiday season in Los Angeles. I know it sounds cliché, but time really has flown by. It seems like I was just moving to Los Angeles and already I'm weeks into the second year in the program. Because it's the beginning of the school year and Rosh Hashanah, I deem it appropriate to take a moment and reflect on the experiences I've had since I've move to Los Angeles...
Last month, my second summer of the JCS program ended with a culmination ceremony. This ceremony was an opportunity to recognize and share the accomplishments of the past year with our family, friends, classmates and professors. Chosen to speak at culmination, a classmate and I were honored to say a few words expressing what we have gained from the past year.
Now for me, writing a speech is never easy. But this is especially the case when you are (1) working with someone on a differing schedule than you, (2) trying to make the message incredibly meaningful –as your closest friends, family members, and your professors are sitting in the audience and (3) trying to juggle the writing of four final papers all due at the same time (which you know you should have started earlier – but come on, Project Runway was on!). So, I'm sure you can see why this process may have been a bit challenging. And it was. But the process of writing this speech was also a blessing, as it helped me reflect on what I have gained from my experience at HUC.
Here we are, giving our speech at Culmination
At our first attempt to begin the speech-writing process, my classmate and I walked away with little more than a general idea of what we hoped to say. We sat together for over two hours talking and reflecting on the classes we had taken, the projects we had worked on, shared stories from our internships and recalled significant moments in our travels. Basically, we were "forced" to take the time to sit and reflect on the past year – which was wonderful! Through this experience we realized how close we have become as a class and how influential that has been on our learning experience at HUC.
We discussed how we felt on the first day of our program – the combination of nervousness and excitement of beginning graduate school. We pointed out the diversity of student backgrounds, which positively influenced our discussions and debates. We recalled the experiences we had in New York and Germany – and how we are looking forward to our trip to Israel (more on that in a later entry). We talked about our internships, our schoolwork at HUC and USC, our experiences getting to know Los Angeles, and everything in-between!
After days of being hunched over the computer, taking too many writing breaks and replaying the same words in our mind over and over again, we wrote a speech that we hoped embodied the meaningful experience of our past year, would guide us into our second year and would help lead us into our future careers are Jewish professionals. It was a daunting assignment - involving a great deal of work. But the end, I was pleased to have this opportunity to reflect and put into words my understanding and appreciation for my first year in graduate school. And as I begin my second year, I'm looking forward to one more!
Posted by Naomi at 4:35 PM
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About LA
Saturday, April 15, 2006
At a Taping of the Ellen Show
I have recently been notified to register for summer and fall semesters – which means that my first year of graduate school is almost coming to an end. Time certainly has flown by! It's exciting to start thinking about my second year: new professors, new classes, new responsibilities. However, while I've been good at turning in papers on time and staying one step ahead of my religious school lesson plans, I have yet to make a dent in my "things to do while I live in LA" list. And with my second (and probably last) year in LA looming on the horizon, I really ought to get out more and see the city!
One of my favorite parts of moving is the intimidation and exhilaration of being in a new place. And my move to LA was no exception. Now, I'm not a big fan of LA. I hate traffic (and driving in general), don't like avocados and pineapple on everything I eat, don't like drinking $7 beers at bars, and I still can't believe that my local grocery store has valet parking. But after committing myself to a two-year program I knew that I should do my best to find some redeeming qualities about this city! After all, dozens of my friends and family seem to think I am quite lucky for getting the opportunity to move to So Cal, so there is probably something here I will find interesting and attractive.
Hollywood Walk of Fame!
But somehow, with the chaos of moving to a new city, meeting people, studying and working, I find myself a year into my program and lots of things left to do! So, I'm sure you are wondering what kind of interesting things there are to do in LA and when a dual-degree graduate student finds time to do them!
First, there is the typical LA stuff that all people should try to do at some point: people-watch in Venice Beach, shopping at Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade outdoor mall, visiting Chinatown for cheap, authentic Chinese food or head to the beach to lay out, swim or surf (ok, in reality you just watch the locals surf!). There are also great theme parks in the area (still haven't been to Universal or Disneyland... but there on my list!) and plenty of daytrips for those rare free weekends (Laguna Beach for its amazing art galleries and cute cafes, Santa Barbara for its great shopping and wineries, or San Diego for its world-famous zoo and close proximity to Mexico!). Plus, when someone wants to go out to eat, there are countless places to go for any kind of cuisine – from Cuban to Mediterranean, American to Ethiopian, which is great for someone like me who hates to go to chain restaurants!
At the Dodgers Game
And while I have definitely made the rounds to these various places (and more), I am currently on the hunt to discover reasonably prices to dine and sites to see that are educational, cultural and entertaining... Some of my favorite finds are the $1 ice cream sandwiches in Westwood, the dozen authentic Mexican restaurants surrounding USC's campus, a dive karaoke bar in Santa Monica (where the drinks are actually a normal price) and the discovery of free days at the local museums. Plus, there are all the awesome "Hollywood" places to visit: studio sets for show tapings, free previews of up-and-coming movies and lots of cool movie theaters around town. There is even a theater here that shows classic scary movies outdoors in an old Hollywood cemetery!
This city really has so much to offer. And I'm going to make it my mission to "cross more things off my list" No more laziness. No more excuses: I'm on the hunt to find some unique entertaining places to visit and some cheap, authentic restaurants (that I can afford with my internship paychecks)... wish me luck!
Posted by Naomi at 3:28 PM
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Entry #5
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Picture of me at Passover |
I'm smack dab in the middle of second-round midterms. The "how-am-I-ever- going-to-get- anything-done?" feeling. I'm sure you know it well. We all do. Sometimes it's work, sometimes it's home life, sometimes it's school... whatever it is, it's STRESSFUL! But, despite the chaos that is my life at this very moment, I know that in the near future (Monday afternoon to be exact), everything will calm down. My research paper will be done. My grant will be written and my classes will be on hiatus for a couple weeks. Why? Because it's that joyous time of year when we clean out our kitchens to make room for matzah and gefilte fish: it's Passover!
Now, I really enjoy Passover. I adore my family's seders – there is always lots of laughter, story-telling and plenty of wine. Some of my earliest Jewish memories are of sitting around the Passover seder table with family and friends. I love the smell of my mother's matzah ball soup cooking, the aroma of brisket and potato kugel in the oven, and the scent of fresh flowers all over the house.
However, there are many things about Passover that I could definitely "pass-over" (sorry for the pun). I do NOT love the matzah-eating-low-carb diet. I'm not thrilled with sitting at the kids' table when I'm in my twenties. And, the seder itself? It's a bit long. See, my family is a Maxwell House Haggadah family – and that Haggadah is a little long and a little dry. Plus, it always seems so unfair that you sit around the table but are unable to eat!
Group Picture of my Friends
This year, my experience is going to be different because I'm staying in Los Angeles. Instead joining my family's seder table, I'll be sharing the experience with my new HUC community – I'm even hosting the second night! I'll be preparing the matzah ball soup, preparing food, setting the table, cleaning the house, putting together a Haggadah... I'm really excited.
I extended the invitation to all of my friends and classmates who were staying in town to join me for seder – with two conditions. 1) You have to prepare a dish or two and 2) you have to lead a part of the seder. One of my favorite things about Passover is the religious, ethical, historical, ideological, political conversation that takes place during the evening and I look forward to my friends' contributions and insights in various pieces of the storytelling. Plus, I'm pretty excited that I get to hide the afikoman! :)
Although it will be difficult to be away from my family during Passover, I am glad that I have found a wonderful group of people to join me in my Passover celebration! Happy Passover & next year in Jerusalem!
Posted by Naomi at 2:55 PM
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The New York Jewish Experience:
The Wacky Wednesday of the East Coast
Monday, March 13, 2006
A group shot on the subway in New York City
It is Monday evening. Today was the first full day back in school after spring break. Now it's usually pretty hard to return to school after any kind of break, but I think today was especially difficult! Why - you ask? Because I just returned from a trip to New York City with the School of Jewish Communal Service! Alongside my classmates, I spent the better part of one week enjoying New York City: taste-testing kosher pickles, attending a karaoke Purim party (entitled "American Shmidol"), getting lost on the subway and remembering first-hand just how cold it gets outside of Los Angeles!
You may be a bit confused as to why exactly HUC would be taking us to New York to taste pickles... so now is probably a good time to really tell you about the trip. Through a generous grant given to the School of Jewish Communal Service, my classmates and I had a first-hand opportunity to learn about the Jewish community of NYC and the Jewish agencies that were founded there. This trip was designed to give us a taste of "New York Jewish Experience" - and we got just that!
We began our trip with a (rainy... very rainy) tour of Ellis Island followed by a walking tour of the Lower East Side - including a fabulous synagogue and plenty of snacking stops! This was a great way to begin our trip because it helped us gain a sense of the initial immigrant Jewish experience in the United States. The next days were devoted to learning about the organizations and agencies founded by the Jewish community of New York.
My roommates and I are "being patriotic" at Ellis Island
The past few days in New York brought back fond memories of our summer "Wacky Wednesday" class with the school's Associate Director, Marla Abraham. This past summer, my classmates and I traveled to various agencies to meet with professionals and learn about the structure and organization of the Jewish community. Because we spend every Wednesday driving around the crazy city of LA, this course was nicknamed "Wacky Wednesday." It's an incredibly interesting and overwhelming experience... and it was a great group-bonding opportunity that drastically impacted my impression of this profession! I'm sure you can imagine why a few intense days of meeting with professionals and maneuvering the subways brings back images of Wacky Wednesday, right?!
It was great to speak with high-ranking professionals and learn about the innovative programs and organizations that are blossoming in the Jewish community. At the end of the trip, we gathered together to debrief the past few days. Some of my classmates took this opportunity to say thank you to Steven, Marla, Sarah & David for planning a great trip. Many people also commented on how great it was to meet new professionals, make contacts in NY and in general, learn about the New York Jewish community. When my turn came, I spoke about my personal experience being in NY. For me, it was a great experience because (somehow) I had forgotten what I was working towards! These past few weeks, I had fallen into the trap of going to school, working at my internship, teaching Sunday School, doing homework - basically: lather, rinse, repeat. But after hearing from these Jewish agencies and organizations, I was re-energized, focused, and invigorated! I walk away from this trip with the motivation to look towards my future career as a Jewish communal professional (not just look towards the end of my week!).
You know, it's funny to talk to family and friends about my graduate program. They'll say, "So, you just went to NYC... you are going to Germany in a couple months... and you are going to Israel?! What kind of degree is this anyways?!" Honestly, I'm happy to be teased in this way. Not because I want them to be jealous of my experience (ok, well they can be a little jealous!), but because it reminds me how fortunate I am to have these amazing hands-on opportunities and experiences.
Posted by Naomi at 10:22 AM
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Entry #3
Thursday, March 9, 2006
A picture of the Vagina Monologues
I guess I did come to LA to be an actor...
I never thought I'd say this, but I just performed in the HUC-LA production of the Vagina Monologues. I don't have a lot of extra time on my hands and I'm not an actor... so, why did I audition for the Vagina Monologues, you ask? Good question. One that I'm still trying to come up with an answer for!
So, once upon a time (in December) I was chatting with a rabbinical student friend of mine who I NEVER get to see - I'm at my internship when she is in classes, I'm at USC when she has free time. I run into her in the gym every now and then... but we always have that same conversation "yeah... we should definitely get coffee together sometime. I'll call you." We mean it, but it just doesn't happen. Being in school keeps both of us a little busy - as you can probably imagine! So, when she informed me that some HUC students were interested in putting on the Vagina Monologues, I thought it might be a great opportunity to see some of my rabbinical/education student friends AND might be fun.
Now, let me tell you again that I am NOT an actor. The last production I was in was at Hebrew University in Jerusalem and the only reason they gave me a part was because they gave everyone who auditioned a part. They put me in the background. In the chorus. Singing along with the entire cast. No solo. No monologue. And I was completely content.
That isn't to say that I'm afraid to be center stage. I am comfortable giving speeches, leading a group discussion or running a program or event. But, acting - that's different. So, when I auditioned for the Vagina Monologues and the director and producer (my friend) asked me to read a specific monologue that was about a dominatrix - I was a little put-off. If they thought I would wear any kind of leather, anything revealing, or stand in front of everyone I knew in Los Angeles pretending to be a dominatrix -they had another thing coming. But, somehow they convinced me to audition with the piece. Somehow they convinced me to read the part. And sure enough, this past week, in the show, I performed as a dominatrix.
The show was great! It was fun and really successful. We raised a lot of money for our charities. Everyone read their monologues really well (I even pulled-off a dominatrix!!!). But the most important thing that happened was that this show created dialogue. I knew that performing the Vagina Monologues at HUC was something unique. Something significant. I just didn't realize how much it would influence everyone around me.
Take my roommate, for example. He has never been interested in the Vagina Monologues. He dislikes the show - it makes him feel uncomfortable. But he came to support me (and my fellow classmates) - which was great. Afterwards, a bunch of us had this great conversation about why we are doing this show. These guys were talking about how they have a deeper respect for women, a better understanding of the issues, and learned a few things as well. This was an important conversation to start - and without this performance, it wouldn't have happened.
For the past couple months, I'd been having that same conversation during rehearsals with the cast. We would get together, joke about our pieces, have discussions about our characters, listen to one another's monologues. We shared our own stories, worries, and beliefs. We'd been having this conversation for months. But, for my classmates and friends - the show was significant because it invoked this dialogue. We were doing something different. And what were doing was significant and important.
At our first rehearsal, each of us explained why we decided to get involved in the Vagina Monologues. One of the cast members said, "because this too is Torah, and we must learn it." And, I think she's right.
Posted by Naomi at 3:10 PM
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Entry #2
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Working at Super Sunday!
Just got home from my internship - it was an entire workday of sorting donor information cards with my fellow staff members (leaving time, of course, for plenty of chats, chocolate, and some much needed caffeine!).
My internship is at the Jewish Federation Valley Alliance Campaign Department. And, today, my whole staff was really working hard to get ready for Super Sunday. For those of you who are not familiar with
Super Sunday - let me start by telling you that it's the largest community-building fundraising day for the Jewish Federation. And as such, I'm sure you understand why I'm taking a role in this massive effort. It's bigger and crazier than you can probably imagine. Over 600 volunteers, thousands of donor solicitation calls made, kids running around playing games (even enjoying a moon-bounce house - which I hope to jump around on at some point), and TONS and TONS of food - it is one intense day!!!
Super Sunday is just one of the many campaign events I am helping coordinate (since it's coming up shortly, I am spending a good amount of my time on it). While I help out on random events here and there, my two big projects for the year are the Valley Jewish Career Women and the Jewish Federation - El Caballero Country Club Men's Golf Tournament. And let me tell you - they really cannot be any different!
The Valley Jewish Career Women is in its first year. In fact, their first event was my first event with the Federation. I helped John (he's my supervisor) run everything - from writing the agendas to arranging tables to advertising to working with our committee lay leaders. And since then, I have pretty much taken over the group. I am their contact person in the office and I am taking a large role in shaping their events and being the Federation's voice for our lay professionals. Its great experience working with this brand-new group - I'm learning so much about how Federation programs run, how we arrange food and set-up, and everything in-between.
And on the completely opposite end of the spectrum is the Jewish Federation - El Caballero Country Club Men's Golf Tournament (or my 'Golf Men' as I refer to them). This event has been a long-standing tradition (over fifty years) and as such, has alumni who are incredibly dedicated to this tournament as a fundraiser. Each month we have a planning meeting and in May, I get to help run the whole tournament. This tournament is incredibly important to the campaign - raising a few hundred thousand dollars - so I have my work cut out for me! I still think they are trying to get used to seeing a female at these meetings (usually I get this feeling when they look in my direction to apologize for swearing), but overall, I think the Tournament is shaping up nicely and that it will be even more successful than last year.
I am so incredibly lucky to have gotten this internship. At first, my classmates felt bad for me because I had to drive out to the Valley (for city people - it's like driving off the face of the earth) but I really lucked out. John is amazing and I am learning so much from him. He is an incredible professional and is becoming a great friend. And while my drive to and from work really sucks (seriously - it sucks big time), I know I'm in the right placement - which is worth more than the time I'm wasting in my car, singing along with the radio when other drivers can't see me.
I had one of those "I-know-I'm-in-the-right-place" moments when I went to the "thank you for a great campaign" luncheon at my Director's home a couple weeks ago. We were celebrating because the 2005 Valley Alliance campaign hit the $8 million mark - which was a big deal. And to say thank you, we all received these cute plaques with gold records on them (get it - a record-breaking year). We also received grab-bag presents. Each present was different, but they all had the theme "8." There were magic eight balls, Crazy Eights card game, the movie: Eight Men Out, V-8 (so funny), and my favorite: a coloring book about Van Buren ... our eighth president! As I was driving home I realized how much the staff enjoyed themselves at this luncheon - that each person was individually thanked and appreciated for their hard work and that staff members went to the effort of putting together joke gifts and making plaques for everyone - even at this busy time of year!
So, as you can tell, my internship is great - I am getting to know so much about the way in which the Federation runs, good and bad fundraising techniques, how the Federation interacts with the community, and I am getting to know great people in the process. So, that is all for now... until we meet again.
Posted by Naomi at 11:23 AM
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Shalom! My name is Naomi and I am a
first-year Jewish Communal Service/ Public Administration student.
Wednesday, February 8, 2006
Now, you're probably reading this because you're contemplating coming to Hebrew Union College, eh? Choosing between different schools, different programs, different cities - it's a big decision! The process of finding a school is a pain-in-the-____ (not so appropriate to swear on a college website, huh?). In order to (hopefully) make your decision easier, let me share with you why I chose HUC and a little bit about my life here in LA. So, relax and enjoy - cause here we go...
In 2003, I graduated from University of Wisconsin (Go Badgers!) with a degree in Political Science and Jewish Studies. Since I was not interested in running for public office (not that I have any ghosts in my closets!), I figured I ought to do something with my other degree. I ended up as a Hillel JCSC Fellow- working one year at THE Ohio State University and the second year, I found myself at University of Wisconsin Hillel. I guess you could say that my two years at Hillel were my "Jewish Communal Service" test drive - I wanted to see what this whole "Jewish profession" was and if it was for me.
As you have probably guessed, it was! And so I began looking for a graduate studies program. If you have found Hebrew Union College, I'm guessing you have also found the other half-dozen or so schools that offer similar programs across the country. I found those as well... and after much deliberation, decided upon HUC. I know I made the right decision (it is SO nice to be able to say that!). This is exactly the kind of program I was looking for - although I didn't know that at the time.
I found HUC through a friend who was already enrolled in the JCS program. She convinced me to fill out the application. I came out to interview and take a look around - and was impressed with the program. Now, the HUC building is nothing special and I am NOT a fan of Los Angeles, but this program was right for me:
For starters, I was excited at the idea of earning a double-masters, with my second degree being from University of Southern California (a university everyone has heard of). I was also looking for variety in their "double" program - I was not interested in getting my MSW (I'm just not a touchy-feely person) and I appreciated that JCS students can earn a second degree in one of six different programs! I chose to earn a Masters in Public Administration because I was looking for a program that would help me develop strong non-profit management skills.
The second big draw for me was the Israel component. I had spent time in Israel before (study abroad) and I am always looking for ways to go back! I knew that studying there as a graduate student would be an intense, unique opportunity that I would greatly benefit from.
Third reason: the internship opportunities and Jewish community here in LA. I have never lived a city with this kind of Jewish community (I grew up in Springfield, IL!). HUC constantly creates opportunities to bring communal professionals and leaders to us - and to bring us to them! Our required internships are a great example of that - my classmates and I are all over the city doing vastly different thing and learning a lot about the Jewish community here (more about that, later...).
And finally, I came here because of HUC itself! The HUC Jewish Communal Service graduate program has been around for years and is a well-respected program. I wanted my graduate experience to be within a well-established, structured program that is also known for being creative and innovative. I knew I wanted to earn a Masters in Jewish Communal Service because I wanted a program that focused on historical, cultural, community-oriented and religion. And ok, lets face it... the LA weather didn't hurt!
So, here I am. I'm still not the biggest fan of LA, but I am very satisfied with my decision to be here. I spend my time studying, working, finding cheap things to do in Los Angeles, studying some more, and enjoying the unique Jewish community that is constantly changing in this city... I'll be telling you more, just stay tuned!
Posted by Naomi at 11:37 AM
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