My first month of school!

Shana tova friends and family,
I wish you a sweet and healthy new year!  As we usher in the holiday, I thought I should attempt to give an update about what I'm doing here and how things are.  Those of you who know me well, will no be surprised that I have decided to do this in list form because I LOVE lists! Be well and enjoy the fall season. Next time you walk outside take a deep breath for me. I love the smell of fall!
Alicia

1. Classes
My classes are so interesting! I am finally learning what I always should have been learning-- it feels like my whole school life before this was just shallow water I had to wade through to get to the deep end where I can really swim! I have a ton of work and I'm at school everyday from 8:30-5:30 or 6 (sometimes later than that!) everyday. But I'm not upset about it!

• I'm taking  Hebrew four days a week (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday) and I can feel my Hebrew increasing dramatically! It's awesome! 

•  I take 2nd Temple History (it's interesting to learn about things that happened so long ago in our history but still influence us today-- although I find it a struggle to place epochs on the timeline of history. I'm still trying to figure that out.)
• Mondays are  AWESOME. We are taking Rabbinic text for 3 hours every Monday. We break down texts and translate them and work together to understand them. It's SO cool. 
• Monday afternoon is Biblical Grammar. I am really enjoying learning the tricks and tips that help decode a language that is so central.
• Tuesdays after Hebrew we have The History of Zionism. My professor is INCREDIBLE and I am learning so much. I also am beginning to realize just how complicated Zionism is and how many layers it has.
• Then, after lunch on Tuesday, we have Liturgy class. We are deciphering the prayers and learning about their history, evolution, and use. I am just beyond excited to be in this class.
• Wednesdays are our Tiuyl days. On Wednesdays, we go exploring with our Israel Seminar. We have seen all kinds of neat things and I expect this will continue. We are lucky to have the opportunity to understand the complications of this country and its founding from the ground. 
• Thursdays we take a Tanakh (Bible) class. We are reading, translating, learning the history of the writing, the way to understand the origin of the words and their meaning. It's fascinating. 

As you may be able to tell from my enthusiasm, I'm SO excited to be studying here. It's sincerely incredible.

I will continue this list this week. I am running to services early because I'm singing in the choir!
Happy New Year everyone. Check back soon!