Okay, here it goes.
My Chanukah in Edmonton. The one and only. ;)
So I had a few chanukah miracles which I will mention in the stories below and a bunch of cool and funny things happening but mostly it was a really really crazy week. I'm sure you'll understand when you read all about it. Just brace yourselves for story overload and dig in!
So Friday before chanukah I realized that I still didn't have a menorah. After a bit of investigation I found you could buy one from Bed Bath and Beyond for thirty dollars or put tea lights in a row and light them. So i decided that if I couldn't find a cheaper Menorah I would go buy a pack of tea lights from the dollar store and call it a day, despite that I wanted to have a really beautiful menorah and do it the right way with olive oil and whatever. For shabbos I made a split second decision to sleep at the Barak's house [a family here that i'm really close to] and went. Right after shabbos they asked me how i'm lighting the Menorah and I said I wasn't sure yet and they said they had a second menorah that they don't use. I figured its a dinky old one but it turns out to be a beautiful tall silver one that is sitting on a mantel b/c only the father lights and one of the children won this in a raffle once. So that's how I found my beautiful Menorah. I realized though that it was an oil menorah and I hadn't bought oil or wicks or anything. So i came home and started rummaging through the cabinets of this big old house which has been in and out of use for about 100 years. There are hundreds of random things in the cabinets so it took a bit of digging but in the end I had my own miracle of the oil when I found an unopened olive oil [still with the kosher seal on it :) i'm not sure if it was the Kohen Gadols seal but it was good enough for me] and wicks and holders. And that is how I began my chanukah. With the miracle of light.
That night I sat watching the lights and listened to a chanukah shiur by Chevy Garfinkle which was amazing and just sang chanukah songs and prepared for hebrew school the next day.
Sunday I got up early in the morning [since I've been getting up at 6:00] showered and was getting ready when I totally burnt my whole face. It was red and swollen and puffy... basically not a sight most people want to see in the morning. Luckily I was in a good mood and I put on some eye makeup to detract from the redness and finished getting ready for Hebrew school. I teach a class of 7 or 8 kindergarten age kids. We learn the hebrew Alef-Beis, about Mitzvos and Jewish holidays. The agenda for the day was to teach in Hebrew School, and then Devorah Pinson [the head of the chabad hebrew school] had asked me to be a driver for the bat mitzvah club to their performance at the legislature that day and then later to babysit her kids while she ran the program. I didn't really know what the whole thing was about but I said yes either way. She also invited me to eat lunch at her house so I wouldn't have to drive the 20 minute drive home and back again during the 2 hour break I would have in between. That day in Hebrew school was a whirlwind of fun activities. We didn't stop moving for a second while we made our own latkas from peeling the potatoes to frying them on a hot plate, to playing dreidel, to lighting our own menorahs, to eating doughnuts, to doing chanukah projects, to participating in a chanukah game show.
When 12:45 came I was wiped. But I had eaten 3 doughnuts and 10 latkas that morning so I decided to skip lunch at Devorah's house and go ice skating next door for a bit. While I was on the the ice Devorah texted me saying that one of the girls in the bat mitzvah club performance was throwing up with the stomach flu and couldn't come- could I fill in for her. I said yes because I'm not shy and I don't mind performing. =D So she texted me the lines I needed to memorize and I skated around the rink memorizing them until I had to leave. 4 lines of a poem. "I am the 6th candle for those who were lost...." something like that. Then I ran off the ice, got lost on the way out of the mall, then took a wrong turn getting back to her house and finally got there in time to load up the girls and the kids and the food into the car. Devorah threw me a tuna sandwich and we were off. Well I was officially off babysitting duty because now I was the designated back up performer. Now I was the bat mitzvah club supervisor. We drive to this huge building downtown that is all white pillars, huge stone staircases, and sprawling lawns. We get inside and the bell boys are wearing white gloves the giant marble staircase is bedecked in a red carpet and many Xmas decorations cascading down it as well as all over the pillars and trees. I still didn't really have any idea what we would be doing that day when the news cameras showed up and the teeny bopper 12 year olds started dancing around "we're gonna be on TV!" lol.... Then Devorah joined us and started to hand out the costumes.
Then we all had a simultaneous realization- I was wearing a navy shirt and black skirt... all the girls were wearing white shirts and black skirts. Oops. Devorah started to brainstorm about who could bring me a shirt until we realized that she was wearing a white undershirt. So that is how I ended up wearing a short sleeve white undershirt over my navy blue ralf lauren Tshirt. Needless to say it was a bit awkward looking- especially with the Pretty 'Sparkly' silver tinsel [must read with gay voice imitation] around my waste... so one of the girls gave me her white scarf. I felt like a stuffed chicken. We got torches (dollar store flashlights with tissue paper on top which we weren't allowed to turn on during practices b/c they would only last about 2 minutes before burning out). We stood in a line and went to practice. Up the marble staricase, stand on the steps, everyone pass the mike and say your lines as it comes to you. Now i was beginning to get it.
We were all candles in a menorah and we were all reciting verses of a poem. At the end the shamash girl 'lit' all our torches. We had to turn them on when she came to us and we all walked off stage. We were in the legislature building of Edmonton. The Meyer of the city was there and so were all the state Judicial representatives... as well as the entire Jewish community- frum and not frum. My whole class was going to be there as well as their parents and the rest of the school with the principal and everything. That was about the point I started freaking out. My hair had been in a knotty braid and my face was tomato red. All i had was a little lipstick and a few bobby pins. I used the bobby pins and thank G-d my hair went up nicely and then i had to deal with my face but unfortunately none of the 12 year old kids had face makeup... b/c all they were carrying was scary colored eye shadows as 12-year-olds tend to be obsessed with. Finally right before we went on an older girl who i knew came and she had some cover up which i used to effectively fix my face. As we waited the professional band was playing on the side on the baby grande piano, flute, trombone, saxophone... all kinds of cool instruments. They were playing Jewish songs we knew and so we started a line dance in the hallway and had some fun. Then suddenly we heard the booming deep voice on he loudspeaker "and Now- introducing- the Bat Mitzvah Club!" and we all walked out onto the steps. Up 2 3 4, stop, turn turn turn. smile :) I said my lines fine and everything went well until my flashlight didn't light. I told the girl out of the corner of my mouth to move on and fiddled with it quietely. When it finally went on a few seconds later I gave the audience a very dramatic smile and a wink and everyone laughed. I could see a lot of people I knew looking up at me very puzzled and amused as to why i was standing there in the first place. Luckily I didn't have time to explain after coming off stage because I started running the "keep the children quiet" program in the back which basically entailed miming funny things and giving out lolly pops to the kids who weren't talking. The reason we had to do this is so that it would not be a chillul Hashem for there to be a performance for Chanukah honoring Jews in Edmonton and little kids running around hefker and not behaving themselves. After that I took back my babysitting job and went to the carnival and watched the giant 30 foot menorah being lit while standing in line for cotton candy with basically my whole hebrew school class who seemed to find me.
After that I was so tired I just wanted to get home so I didn't wait for directions home I just went. and you know me... I totally got lost in down town edmonton. At some point I figured out though that if I could only get to Jasper Avenue I could figure out my way home. So I asked Hashem to please help me find Jasper Avenue and I turned a random corner and the light I came up to was... lo and behold- Jasper Avenue. Chanukah Miracle number 2. I got home and lit my menorah.
The next day someone came up to me in the hallway and said "I saw you on TV last night" lol. So she told me which news station had it on and I found the clip online. I was shown for just a few seconds but i was laughing like crazy when I saw it. The whole situation is just pretty comical I think. lol
Day 2 was Monday and we had a full day of school. In fact, all week we had full days of school. The staff had a parent counsel appreciation lunch which I unfortunetly missed because I was asked to go pick up balloons and decorations for it and got totally lost on the way back, over an hour out of the way. lol [the store was around the block from the school...]. Then when I did get back I had to run right into a choir practice. But I did manage to grab a doughnut! Dreidels were given out upon leaving school. That night I babysat because there was a wedding happening and everyone needed babysitters. I was out till about midnight and we had left before it was allowed to light candles. I wasn't sure If I could still light with a bracha but a Rav told me it was fine. So that's is what I did. and I almost fell asleep on a dining room chair waiting the half hour next to the lights.
Day 3 Me and my class spent most of the day in school making and decorating 200 giant chanukah cookies for all the kids, staff, and parents of Menorah academy to give out on Thursday. Chanukah Gelt were given out on the way out of school that day. I came home and tutored for an hour and half by the light of the menorah and then was invited to go to sheva brachos but I fell asleep at 7:00 and slept through until the next day.
Day 4 was wednesday. Doughnuts were given out as school was ending. As soon as school was over we went to a special dinner we had been invited to at a friends house. shortly after we got there though we had to leave to the fantasyland hotel to set up for Neis Cafe` which is an event they do every chanukah. I was helping set up and also in 2 choirs. We had been practicing all month for it. I barely had time to change and I ran out of the house forgetting half the girls costume belts. luckily we had half the costumes there and so it was okay. We got there with barely time to spare and flew around setting up the raffle table, the desert buffet, the centerpieces, and making the signs for the front door and cafe` prices. There was no entrance fee but there was a charge for all food and drinks and raffle tickets and all proceeds would go to terror victims in Israel. It started with me at the doorway taking names and email addresses and selling tickets. Then we did the choirs which i think came out really pretty. Then we had 3 speakers telling their stories of modern day miracles that happened to them. And one speech about chanukah and the reason we celebrate it. It was really nice.
As soon as I got back I lit the menorah and again sat falling asleep in front of the lights.
Day 5 we had a crazy fun chagiga in school. There was an assembly, then the girls and boys split, the boys for a giant game of soccer and the girls for cake decorating in the shape of menorahs with coating pretzels in white icing and then covering the tips with red sprinkles and sticking them into the cake. One of the high schoolers and me paired up and made a double decker cake with white frosting in the center, chocolate frosting on top and realistic looking candles. I even drew a menorah onto the cake leading into the candles with icing writers. Then we had a super cool game of bingo with giant prizes like monopoly games, bop its and other cool things. We also did a ton of circle and line dancing to loud blaring music. :)
After the assembly the principal asked me to decorate the stage for the preschool chanukah performance which would be the next day. Apparently the person who had been in charge did not have time. I knew i had a longer prep time but I wasn't going to be able to do it in an hour without paints so I ran around the school collecting paint until I had all the colors and then I worked through lunch and half the afternoon making a mural of chanukah. I put up pictures that the preschoolers made on the sides and on top. Afterward the roll paper i had been working on needed to be moved but i was teaching my class so i told them they could do whatever needed to be done. I wasn't sure what would be done but i looked at it afterward and it looked great. I only found out later that 4 high school girls and 2 teachers sat there doing surgery on it until it was perfect for a few hours that day. The Chanukah cookies we had made were given out at the end of school.
That night, I think was the only night I got to peacefully sit in front of my candles and just think and daven.
Day 6 was friday and we had a giant preschool assembly. All the preschool classes presented 2 songs from 2 year olds to 6 year olds all in cute costumes. The 2 year olds were supposed to bang tamberines to the music and in their costumes they just looked so cute. Unfortunately they were dropping like flies as each saw their parents and started hysterically crying and needed to be taken off the stage by their parents. lol
The 3 year olds twirled hoolahoops and tried to sing along to a CD. All the classes were really cute.
Afterward they gave out doughnuts to everyone and we all got to go home. :)
Day 7 was shabbos and I stayed home and ate out meals. It was quite and relaxing so I was happy. :)
Day 8 was sunday and I believe I spent the day between hebrew school and preparing to teach that week.
This past week has really been a blur. I gave my final chumush test in Parshas VaEira and we had a major siyum where I took the girls out to lunch in the mall in Cafe Levi and then to their old teachers house to have a cumzitz which was really exciting. On friday I gave out prizes to wrap up the last semester with a happy feeling. and Now its Sunday and it was my first day of vacation. B"H! lol not that i got much of a break today but i'm sure tomorrow will be a good day. At least I don't have to go anywhere or see anyone. :)
I think that is most of everything that happened. Being on TV, 2 performances, menorah cakes, dancing, painted murals, miracles.......Now that I think of it I never wrote about the funny school pictures but if anyone is interested, they can email me for the story. Good night from snowy edmonton all!
love,
shayne
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Tales of Miss Kornbleuth in Edmonton, AB...
Hello all!
I know I've been so busy lately and so I've not gotten a chance to tell you what has been going on but this is finally the blog post which I promised all of you I would write regaling you of the many tales of Miss Kornbleuth in the frozen land of Edmonton.
So the month before Chanukah was quite crazy with its many activities and happenings. I was trying very hard to get my college work together as well as stay on top of regular school work and all the many school functions that were happening.
I courageously battled parent teacher conferences and with tremendous power of will completed all report cards for the first marking period. Parent teacher conferences were a big Nachas to me [and the principal] because in comparison to the beginning of the year when there were many outcries about homework and skill level and being too hard on the kids and etc.... there were no complaints anymore and all the parents expressed how happy their child was and how happy they were with their progress. I was surprised by this and told one parent how i'm so glad this is so because when I first came I was very nervous about living up to their previous teacher whom all the girls adored and brought up things she taught them all the time. The mother actually laughed and said that she thinks her daughter is actually happier this year. Hearing that made me very proud of the all the hard work I'm putting into everything and more confident to continue.
As much of a Nachas as Conferences were..... report cards were NOT. I hate report cards once and for all! They are annoying and unfair and misleading and just- just- UNFAIR! lol..... its really annoying to want to grade a kid based on their effort, their sportsmanship, and how far they've come- only to have to give them a letter grade which mostly reflects their assessments in relation to the progress of the class as a whole. Phooey
We were also having on average 2 teacher/principal meetings a week to make sure everything went smoothly with both of the above and just teaching in general. We even had a professional development [PD] day where the kids didn't have school but the teachers did :} For once I think all kids would agree its better to be the student. It was basically really funny, the same as the teachers meetings I had in the beginning of the year. All the lady and man teachers of kodesh and general studies sat around colorful tableclothed tables in a semicircle and listened to speakers, took notes, and was asked to participate our thoughts and input. They asked us all to share with the group one thing that we think we've grown in [in regards to teaching] this year and one thing that impresses us about menorah academy this year that we can share. It was really awkward to come up with something on the spot but also to say it in front of 45 adults between the ages of 30 and 60 who are mostly married with children and grandchildren my age... and I feel like the age of the high school girls in the school... I don't remember exactly what I said just that it was funny and everyone laughed... it was something along the lines of how I can't pinpoint any specific area of growth because this is my first year on the other side of the desk although I definitely still feel like a student because I have to learn everything I teach before the students do. :) So we had speeches, sharing, and a professional breakfast and lunch- lol. And then we had a workshop where we experienced a class as the students, given by the principal- to allow us to feel what it feels like to be the student when the teacher does XYZ. I had a couple of thoughts coming out of it, 3 of them I shared with the group and one I didn't. 1 is that when the teacher gives a time limit to complete an activity- there is so much pressure that you almost can't do it at all. 2 is that stories in the middle of the lesson keep the focus sometimes because without it you tune out. 3 is that a lesson that is broken up into different types of activities is better. The last one which I didn't share is that this is the first time in my life when I was in a class with "boys" and just saying, there is a heck of a lot of pressure that I'm glad I didn't have in any of my classrooms growing up. Even though the 'boys' in question were rabbi's and my 'friends' husbands and co-workers and i'm generally comfortable communicating with all of them professionally but to answer questions in a classroom is a whole different story. It was so scary to think of getting an answer wrong! lol... other than that we learned how to use a smart board which i'm not sure if I consider something I will benefit from in my life but I guess it was nice to learn something new.
On top of all that there were 2 new programs introduced to the school which center around educating children in their character traits- the younger kids program being more of an anti-bullying campaign and the older program is teaching and directing the kids in the finer arts of communication, tact, and speaking in a refined and positive way. I get to do both since I teach 2nd and 5th grade. Unfortunately it took quite a bit of figuring out how to start the program and all the rules and how to teach it.... etc. Over Chanukah I finally had some time to begin implementing it and its really cute.
I also finished up my brachos rishonos and acharonos on foods program with 2nd grade and made a brachos bee for a few classes and also a brachos party at the end. I didn't realize how dangerous it is to have any kind of competitive competition in a 2nd grade classroom with boys until I did it.... I've never in my life seen so many desks toppled over, hard objects being thrown across the room, and fist fights in a classroom- as when the boys get out. I was glad when it was over and looked forward to a much calmer brachos party where I can just give out food and direct groups to say brachos and amens.... i might have wished too soon because in all the excitement one little girl got knocked over and hit her head on a metal desk leg in the room and got a quarter sized goose-egg on her forehead for which I needed to fill out an accident report and call the parents.
And that just about brings me to Chanukah which I will write about in great detail in the next post.
Until next post!
Shayne :)
I know I've been so busy lately and so I've not gotten a chance to tell you what has been going on but this is finally the blog post which I promised all of you I would write regaling you of the many tales of Miss Kornbleuth in the frozen land of Edmonton.
So the month before Chanukah was quite crazy with its many activities and happenings. I was trying very hard to get my college work together as well as stay on top of regular school work and all the many school functions that were happening.
I courageously battled parent teacher conferences and with tremendous power of will completed all report cards for the first marking period. Parent teacher conferences were a big Nachas to me [and the principal] because in comparison to the beginning of the year when there were many outcries about homework and skill level and being too hard on the kids and etc.... there were no complaints anymore and all the parents expressed how happy their child was and how happy they were with their progress. I was surprised by this and told one parent how i'm so glad this is so because when I first came I was very nervous about living up to their previous teacher whom all the girls adored and brought up things she taught them all the time. The mother actually laughed and said that she thinks her daughter is actually happier this year. Hearing that made me very proud of the all the hard work I'm putting into everything and more confident to continue.
As much of a Nachas as Conferences were..... report cards were NOT. I hate report cards once and for all! They are annoying and unfair and misleading and just- just- UNFAIR! lol..... its really annoying to want to grade a kid based on their effort, their sportsmanship, and how far they've come- only to have to give them a letter grade which mostly reflects their assessments in relation to the progress of the class as a whole. Phooey
We were also having on average 2 teacher/principal meetings a week to make sure everything went smoothly with both of the above and just teaching in general. We even had a professional development [PD] day where the kids didn't have school but the teachers did :} For once I think all kids would agree its better to be the student. It was basically really funny, the same as the teachers meetings I had in the beginning of the year. All the lady and man teachers of kodesh and general studies sat around colorful tableclothed tables in a semicircle and listened to speakers, took notes, and was asked to participate our thoughts and input. They asked us all to share with the group one thing that we think we've grown in [in regards to teaching] this year and one thing that impresses us about menorah academy this year that we can share. It was really awkward to come up with something on the spot but also to say it in front of 45 adults between the ages of 30 and 60 who are mostly married with children and grandchildren my age... and I feel like the age of the high school girls in the school... I don't remember exactly what I said just that it was funny and everyone laughed... it was something along the lines of how I can't pinpoint any specific area of growth because this is my first year on the other side of the desk although I definitely still feel like a student because I have to learn everything I teach before the students do. :) So we had speeches, sharing, and a professional breakfast and lunch- lol. And then we had a workshop where we experienced a class as the students, given by the principal- to allow us to feel what it feels like to be the student when the teacher does XYZ. I had a couple of thoughts coming out of it, 3 of them I shared with the group and one I didn't. 1 is that when the teacher gives a time limit to complete an activity- there is so much pressure that you almost can't do it at all. 2 is that stories in the middle of the lesson keep the focus sometimes because without it you tune out. 3 is that a lesson that is broken up into different types of activities is better. The last one which I didn't share is that this is the first time in my life when I was in a class with "boys" and just saying, there is a heck of a lot of pressure that I'm glad I didn't have in any of my classrooms growing up. Even though the 'boys' in question were rabbi's and my 'friends' husbands and co-workers and i'm generally comfortable communicating with all of them professionally but to answer questions in a classroom is a whole different story. It was so scary to think of getting an answer wrong! lol... other than that we learned how to use a smart board which i'm not sure if I consider something I will benefit from in my life but I guess it was nice to learn something new.
On top of all that there were 2 new programs introduced to the school which center around educating children in their character traits- the younger kids program being more of an anti-bullying campaign and the older program is teaching and directing the kids in the finer arts of communication, tact, and speaking in a refined and positive way. I get to do both since I teach 2nd and 5th grade. Unfortunately it took quite a bit of figuring out how to start the program and all the rules and how to teach it.... etc. Over Chanukah I finally had some time to begin implementing it and its really cute.
I also finished up my brachos rishonos and acharonos on foods program with 2nd grade and made a brachos bee for a few classes and also a brachos party at the end. I didn't realize how dangerous it is to have any kind of competitive competition in a 2nd grade classroom with boys until I did it.... I've never in my life seen so many desks toppled over, hard objects being thrown across the room, and fist fights in a classroom- as when the boys get out. I was glad when it was over and looked forward to a much calmer brachos party where I can just give out food and direct groups to say brachos and amens.... i might have wished too soon because in all the excitement one little girl got knocked over and hit her head on a metal desk leg in the room and got a quarter sized goose-egg on her forehead for which I needed to fill out an accident report and call the parents.
And that just about brings me to Chanukah which I will write about in great detail in the next post.
Until next post!
Shayne :)
Sunday, November 4, 2012
The Blues
Hello all,
Don't be fooled by the title. I'm very happy to be in Edmonton and I'm having the best experience of my life. I am just sorely missing meaningful human companionship. Meaning, lol, it's not that there are no people around. There are plenty of people around. I just don't have a lot of really deep meaningful relationships where I feel I can share my inner most feelings and vulnerabilities. Those relationships, I have come to learn are essential in life. For one year though I'm sure it won't kill me it's just the bluesy days like this one that sometimes get to me.
On a more positive note, here are some exciting and interesting current events about my life in Edmonton:
I just bought my very first pair of brand new ice skates!! I'm really excited and I have to find out when I can go break them in. Hopefully later today I can go.
I bought my first kosher sponges for our sinks.
I started to drink soy milk because its 400% cheaper than regular milk.
I've developed a chocolate addiction that is almost as strong as my 2-3 cups of coffee a day addiction.
Preparation for classes is getting easier but the motivation is getting less and less.-never fear this will not lead to burn out! I'm going to fight it with coffee, chocolate, and skype dates with good friends!
I had the best dinner in a month, just this past week- I got to eat dinner with Mordechai. [I put him on the table while I was eating dinner and he was messaging friends.] We hung out for a few hours like that. :D
I found out that there are free public skating rinks in each county starting in a few weeks. There is one close to Menorah Academy so I think i'll keep my skates in the car and go whenever i can!! :)
I just got an excellent lead to getting my first really good guitar. I'll keep you posted!!
I got to bake challah this week to help out a mother who bakes the challos to hand out to non-frum jews all over Edmonton [like 70 ppl!] every single friday. And I was able to spend time with her kids and get to know them a little bit. I especially enjoyed spending time with her daughter who is 12 because I remember being that age and it's really hard! [Go Liba!!!! You can do it!!! I'm your biggest fan!!]
I also heard the most amazing Drasha this week from Rabbi Friedman of Edmonton. I also added my own twist on it in the end where I share about Modeh Ani- b/c i absolutely love Tefillah and finding ways to make it meaningful! I hope you find this dvar Torah as inspiring, chilling, and life changing as I did!!
Tags: Measure for Measure, Hurricane Sandy, Renewal, Letting go
Don't be fooled by the title. I'm very happy to be in Edmonton and I'm having the best experience of my life. I am just sorely missing meaningful human companionship. Meaning, lol, it's not that there are no people around. There are plenty of people around. I just don't have a lot of really deep meaningful relationships where I feel I can share my inner most feelings and vulnerabilities. Those relationships, I have come to learn are essential in life. For one year though I'm sure it won't kill me it's just the bluesy days like this one that sometimes get to me.
On a more positive note, here are some exciting and interesting current events about my life in Edmonton:
I just bought my very first pair of brand new ice skates!! I'm really excited and I have to find out when I can go break them in. Hopefully later today I can go.
I bought my first kosher sponges for our sinks.
I started to drink soy milk because its 400% cheaper than regular milk.
I've developed a chocolate addiction that is almost as strong as my 2-3 cups of coffee a day addiction.
Preparation for classes is getting easier but the motivation is getting less and less.-never fear this will not lead to burn out! I'm going to fight it with coffee, chocolate, and skype dates with good friends!
I had the best dinner in a month, just this past week- I got to eat dinner with Mordechai. [I put him on the table while I was eating dinner and he was messaging friends.] We hung out for a few hours like that. :D
I found out that there are free public skating rinks in each county starting in a few weeks. There is one close to Menorah Academy so I think i'll keep my skates in the car and go whenever i can!! :)
I just got an excellent lead to getting my first really good guitar. I'll keep you posted!!
I got to bake challah this week to help out a mother who bakes the challos to hand out to non-frum jews all over Edmonton [like 70 ppl!] every single friday. And I was able to spend time with her kids and get to know them a little bit. I especially enjoyed spending time with her daughter who is 12 because I remember being that age and it's really hard! [Go Liba!!!! You can do it!!! I'm your biggest fan!!]
I also heard the most amazing Drasha this week from Rabbi Friedman of Edmonton. I also added my own twist on it in the end where I share about Modeh Ani- b/c i absolutely love Tefillah and finding ways to make it meaningful! I hope you find this dvar Torah as inspiring, chilling, and life changing as I did!!
Tags: Measure for Measure, Hurricane Sandy, Renewal, Letting go
In this weeks torah portion the wife of Lot was supposedly punished Midah C'Neged Midah [measure for measure]. She had told her husband she was getting salt for the guests but really she had gone around telling the villagers that her husband had invited guests- a crime punishable by death in the wicked city of Sedom. She turned into a pillar of salt and as such was dead- so how is that a punishment of measure for measure. She's dead so she can't see the justice of it all. With the Egyptian's who drowned in the splitting of the sea they drowned Jewish babies and so they were drowned at different torture levels depending on how wicked they were. how are the two comparable and what is a midah c'neged midah really all about?
Midah C'neged Midah is not that Hashem wants to punish and give back to ppl what they deserve. Rather that every single action a person does has a spiritual consequence and that's just the way the world works. Physically 'Every action has an equal and opposite reaction' says Newton. Well everything in the physical world is a reflection of a spiritual reality. Spiritually, every good deed we do creates a good angel and every bad deed creates a bad angel. We walk around and become those creations that we make with our actions. We create ourselves.... So a midah C'neged Midah is really just a natural consequence of what we have done in our lives and who we are.
That there are two types of ppl who don't want to leave their home. Those who don't even believe something will happen, and those who are just so attached to their stuff that they can't let go. So the son's in laws of Lot didn't believe anything would happen but the wife of Lot did. On the other hand she was just so attached to her previous life style that she couldn't let go. Lot's wife was so attached to her home and her lifestyle of yesterday that literally- it was all she was. She was her previous misdeeds [the salt] and her home [destruction]. Therefore she was killed and turned into a pillar of salt.
Life is about changing and moving, about constantly recreating ourselves. But if we don't wake up every morning and say, i'm a new person- but rather stay attached to all our old ways, bad middos, and misdeeds, than that is who we will remain. We are those things. It's part of us.
In hurricane Sandy, destruction came with a warning. Two types of people did not evacuate when the warnings came. Those who didn't believe it would happen, and those who just couldn't part with their stuff, their 'toys', their comforts, etc. To some extent we are all doing this. We refuse to grow and change using excuses like 'that's just not me' and 'it's not my type' and 'this is just what I do and have always done' or even 'this is what my parents did and i'm not about to change that'... Examples may be: There may be a bully out there who would like to do a good thing but stops himself because of his image and reputation. There are people who love Judaism but won't keep kosher outside of their home because they just can't fathom not eating in non-kosher restaurants anymore.
I can relate in many ways but one personal example that i don't mind sharing is that for over 7 years of my life I refused to cut my hair. I just couldn't fathom having shorter hair. To something as silly as hair- i was a slave. Spiritually I don't know if it was 'bringing me down', but certainly cutting my hair helped me define what my priorities in life were and helped me move on past very old fears and immaturities. While I couldn't cut my hair- it was all i felt defined me and, according to this concept, i was right. But after i did cut it- i discovered a world of me that was hiding behind that hair.
It's a really scary concept to think that all the things we just won't let go of, are creating who we are to a real extent and blocking off all the potential we have.
And just to add my own point- that's what Modeh Ani is all about. If a person would recognize and declare upon waking that today Hashem created a totally new world, an entirely new day, and a completely new me- than they would live life that day differently. I don't have to be the same person today as I was yesterday. They are worlds apart. Today I have a fresh start, and Hashem believes in me today that I will make better choices and do it different. Why clog it up with old baggage and dirt if I have the choice to leave it all behind?
As a wise man once said- the greatest gift we have is the ability to go to sleep and leave behind a bad day, to wake up to a new one, refreshed, and ready for new opportunities. So even though today I'm feeling a little big 'Blue'. I know tomorrow will be a new day filled with new opportunities and a new chance to make my world a different one than i've known until now. A new world, a new me!
Thank you all for listening!
Love,
shayna
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Back to Alaska
Hi all,
It feels weirder to be here than it ever felt to be away from home. Mostly because I feel like I am at home. Because I just left for Edmonton, and it feels like just around the corner from that- I went back to Detroit. I got there and it was like I had never left. The flight here was uneventful. I went straight into class from the flight- jumped right into things. It was good because if I would have had the whole night to think about it I would have gotten nervous. This way I didn't have any time to think about it and the girls were really happy to see me I think. They had made me a bunch of signs and written welcome back on the board.
After school I got 'home' and it felt comfortable. Not much had changed there either. I did my thing, ate supper and then thought it was time to go home to my family. And then i realized that it wasn't possible. It's not around the corner.... or even driving distance. It's like my 2 worlds had merged in my mind somehow. It's not the first time that has happened to me but it was pretty disconcerting. I barely said good bye to anyone. It was nothing emotional. Just bread and butter... facts of life.... the way the world works. I'll be home soon enough anyways right? Weird.
As the plane touched down I could see that it was snowing outside. A lot. It was pretty cold. It's 32 degrees Fahrenheit here but hopefully it will go up over shabbos. Meanwhile there is still snow on the ground, and the imprint of a snowflake is burying itself in my heart because I need to remember the uniqueness of this opportunity and focus on that- rather than the fact that its still snow and ice.
I was so glad for the vacation though. Spending time with family over sukkos was really nice. I haven't been home for the chaggim in a few years and so this was really special. You know its home when it feels like you never left. Like time just warped and everything stayed the same while I was off changing, growing, and having adventures in another country. Cool right? Vacation also really helped me get perspective on a lot of important things. Trying to hold onto it.... yah.
That's my life.
Miss you all so much.
Love,
shayne
It feels weirder to be here than it ever felt to be away from home. Mostly because I feel like I am at home. Because I just left for Edmonton, and it feels like just around the corner from that- I went back to Detroit. I got there and it was like I had never left. The flight here was uneventful. I went straight into class from the flight- jumped right into things. It was good because if I would have had the whole night to think about it I would have gotten nervous. This way I didn't have any time to think about it and the girls were really happy to see me I think. They had made me a bunch of signs and written welcome back on the board.
After school I got 'home' and it felt comfortable. Not much had changed there either. I did my thing, ate supper and then thought it was time to go home to my family. And then i realized that it wasn't possible. It's not around the corner.... or even driving distance. It's like my 2 worlds had merged in my mind somehow. It's not the first time that has happened to me but it was pretty disconcerting. I barely said good bye to anyone. It was nothing emotional. Just bread and butter... facts of life.... the way the world works. I'll be home soon enough anyways right? Weird.
As the plane touched down I could see that it was snowing outside. A lot. It was pretty cold. It's 32 degrees Fahrenheit here but hopefully it will go up over shabbos. Meanwhile there is still snow on the ground, and the imprint of a snowflake is burying itself in my heart because I need to remember the uniqueness of this opportunity and focus on that- rather than the fact that its still snow and ice.
I was so glad for the vacation though. Spending time with family over sukkos was really nice. I haven't been home for the chaggim in a few years and so this was really special. You know its home when it feels like you never left. Like time just warped and everything stayed the same while I was off changing, growing, and having adventures in another country. Cool right? Vacation also really helped me get perspective on a lot of important things. Trying to hold onto it.... yah.
That's my life.
Miss you all so much.
Love,
shayne
Sunday, September 23, 2012
My life as a teacher
I have labeled this post "My life as a teacher" because I feel like it's a totally different life. It's crazy to say it but I have discovered so much of me that I never knew.... I've learned more in my one month as a teacher than I think I did in the 14 years I've been a student. =0)
Things I've learned in my first month as a teacher:
-Teachers use inky pens because it makes your sheets look professional after they've been through the copy machine- not because they are cool.
-White out can be seen on the original but not on a copied paper.
-Teachers use white out because they love their students. The test paper looks too confusing with the little mistake lines underneath the actual writing and we want the students to do as well as possible so we put in the extra effort to white out those lines.
-The teacher likes the stickers just as much as the students.
-Teachers have more homework than students.
-Teachers are just as tired as their students.
-Teachers are told to pretend they know what they are doing even if they have no clue why the kids trust them to know what today's date is.
-Teachers really see everything.
-Doing this as a job is way more difficult but way more motivating than doing it for a grade.
-It's not good enough anymore as a teacher to say, "Don't mind me- I'm terrible at spelling."
-Never be too cocky in taking on projects- always assume you can do less than you thought you could.
-There is always more to learn.
Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts on this. The last thing i wanted to share was a really inspirational song I just discovered today. It really moved me and I wanted to pass it on because its not easy for me to find Jewish songs I like. Enjoy.
'Tell it to the one' by blesofsky
Things I've learned in my first month as a teacher:
-Teachers use inky pens because it makes your sheets look professional after they've been through the copy machine- not because they are cool.
-White out can be seen on the original but not on a copied paper.
-Teachers use white out because they love their students. The test paper looks too confusing with the little mistake lines underneath the actual writing and we want the students to do as well as possible so we put in the extra effort to white out those lines.
-The teacher likes the stickers just as much as the students.
-Teachers have more homework than students.
-Teachers are just as tired as their students.
-Teachers are told to pretend they know what they are doing even if they have no clue why the kids trust them to know what today's date is.
-Teachers really see everything.
-Doing this as a job is way more difficult but way more motivating than doing it for a grade.
-It's not good enough anymore as a teacher to say, "Don't mind me- I'm terrible at spelling."
-Never be too cocky in taking on projects- always assume you can do less than you thought you could.
-There is always more to learn.
Thank you for allowing me to share my thoughts on this. The last thing i wanted to share was a really inspirational song I just discovered today. It really moved me and I wanted to pass it on because its not easy for me to find Jewish songs I like. Enjoy.
'Tell it to the one' by blesofsky
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Edmonton
Hi guys... its been a while.
For anyone who does not yet know, I am currently in edmonton, AB.
I am teaching 5th grade limudei kodesh lessons (jewish studies). I also teach a davening period in the morning to second grade. I also do tutoring and remedial work with different children in between that... Every day I come to school at 8:oo am and sign in. I need to be in the gym by 8:10 to wait with my second grade class during line up. At 8:20 I walk my class to the classroom and the first thing I do there is pull out my raffle box. Said raffle box is really a disguised pringles can which I had such mesiras nefesh to empty out by eating all the pringles and then brilliantly disguising the container with colorful construction paper. We begin the day by singing a davening song and then I have them pull out their siddurim. They daven for 10 minutes, and then read from a story book on the power of words and shmiras halashon, and then I need to have something to teach them every day for the next ten or twenty minutes. The school wants me to teach them about brachos. Lucky for me that is a topic i have been extremely interested in myself. I bought them cute notebooks and we will hopefully be filling it over the course of the year. I also work on their hebrew reading skills with them.
After that I will be having private tutoring sessions with different students. So far I only have one daily meeting scheduled so the rest of the time I have been using to prepare my afternoon lessons. And I use up all the time because it takes me HOURS to prepare.
At 12:10 I go on recess duty and at 12:30 I monitor lunch time with the middle and high school age girls. Mostly I use that to chat with the high school girls. At 12:50 I walk with my class to our classroom and begin the day with homework planners on my desk and check the daily schedule. I teach 7 subjects split into the week. I am with my 5th grade until 4:00 which never seems to be enough time. I go on curb duty at dismissal until 4:15. Once all the kids have left I often return to my classroom to prepare for the next day.... for a few hours.
Just in case your wondering, I have a car. It's a maroon mini van that's not too old and not too new. I don't drive too often because I don't really trust myself at the wheel with all the new roads and rules. Mostly I leave the driving to the British girl who has never driven an automatic before :)
As far as food, we buy our own breakfast, we have hot lunch in school, and we have dinner rotation at different families.
I live on Wellington Crescent, which is Germasian property and its really cute here. It's nothing like i expected. It's really normal. The houses are not ginormous... just regular big. And the Germasian families are the most generous people ever. Every shabbos they prepare meals for between 20 and 50 extra people just because random Jews know they can come without invitation.
We just moved to our permanent house and its really nice. It was hard choosing which room I wanted but I finally just settled on one and I'm happy with it. It has two twin beds, a nice bedside stand, a dresser with a vanity mirror and lamps, a full length mirror, and a nice closet. It's small but cozy. I'm not fully unpacked yet but I hope to be by the time I come back to Detroit so that I can figure out what i need and what I don't.
There is this amazing family here in Edmonton who me and Donna spend most of our time with. We spent Rosh Hashana with them and then the rest of the week after because it was right in the middle of the move. I really don't know what I would do without them here. Baruch Hashem that we have them!
The most expensive thing here is gas for the car, we spend like 60 dollars in 2 weeks.... its crazy. Other than that there is just basic things like cereal, coffee stuff, milk....
Things I can't wait to do is ice skating at the mall, get a guitar, and get ahead in my preparing. :)
Things I have already done is go to the largest indoor waterpark in the world [which is in the mall] when it was closed off by the Germazians for only women in the community. I have also sat by the ice rink for hours drooling, watching the professionals skate during their practice times.
I have to admit that teaching is far harder than i ever imagined it would be but i'm hoping it and I will only keep getting better and better with each day.
It's close to Yom Kippur and Sukkos and so the crescent is beginning to fill up with family. It should get pretty fun around here. It's too bad I'll be missing it but I'm much more excited to be coming home!
I can't wait to get home on Friday. I hope to see you all then! I miss you so much!
Love,
Shayne
For anyone who does not yet know, I am currently in edmonton, AB.
I am teaching 5th grade limudei kodesh lessons (jewish studies). I also teach a davening period in the morning to second grade. I also do tutoring and remedial work with different children in between that... Every day I come to school at 8:oo am and sign in. I need to be in the gym by 8:10 to wait with my second grade class during line up. At 8:20 I walk my class to the classroom and the first thing I do there is pull out my raffle box. Said raffle box is really a disguised pringles can which I had such mesiras nefesh to empty out by eating all the pringles and then brilliantly disguising the container with colorful construction paper. We begin the day by singing a davening song and then I have them pull out their siddurim. They daven for 10 minutes, and then read from a story book on the power of words and shmiras halashon, and then I need to have something to teach them every day for the next ten or twenty minutes. The school wants me to teach them about brachos. Lucky for me that is a topic i have been extremely interested in myself. I bought them cute notebooks and we will hopefully be filling it over the course of the year. I also work on their hebrew reading skills with them.
After that I will be having private tutoring sessions with different students. So far I only have one daily meeting scheduled so the rest of the time I have been using to prepare my afternoon lessons. And I use up all the time because it takes me HOURS to prepare.
At 12:10 I go on recess duty and at 12:30 I monitor lunch time with the middle and high school age girls. Mostly I use that to chat with the high school girls. At 12:50 I walk with my class to our classroom and begin the day with homework planners on my desk and check the daily schedule. I teach 7 subjects split into the week. I am with my 5th grade until 4:00 which never seems to be enough time. I go on curb duty at dismissal until 4:15. Once all the kids have left I often return to my classroom to prepare for the next day.... for a few hours.
Just in case your wondering, I have a car. It's a maroon mini van that's not too old and not too new. I don't drive too often because I don't really trust myself at the wheel with all the new roads and rules. Mostly I leave the driving to the British girl who has never driven an automatic before :)
As far as food, we buy our own breakfast, we have hot lunch in school, and we have dinner rotation at different families.
I live on Wellington Crescent, which is Germasian property and its really cute here. It's nothing like i expected. It's really normal. The houses are not ginormous... just regular big. And the Germasian families are the most generous people ever. Every shabbos they prepare meals for between 20 and 50 extra people just because random Jews know they can come without invitation.
We just moved to our permanent house and its really nice. It was hard choosing which room I wanted but I finally just settled on one and I'm happy with it. It has two twin beds, a nice bedside stand, a dresser with a vanity mirror and lamps, a full length mirror, and a nice closet. It's small but cozy. I'm not fully unpacked yet but I hope to be by the time I come back to Detroit so that I can figure out what i need and what I don't.
There is this amazing family here in Edmonton who me and Donna spend most of our time with. We spent Rosh Hashana with them and then the rest of the week after because it was right in the middle of the move. I really don't know what I would do without them here. Baruch Hashem that we have them!
The most expensive thing here is gas for the car, we spend like 60 dollars in 2 weeks.... its crazy. Other than that there is just basic things like cereal, coffee stuff, milk....
Things I can't wait to do is ice skating at the mall, get a guitar, and get ahead in my preparing. :)
Things I have already done is go to the largest indoor waterpark in the world [which is in the mall] when it was closed off by the Germazians for only women in the community. I have also sat by the ice rink for hours drooling, watching the professionals skate during their practice times.
I have to admit that teaching is far harder than i ever imagined it would be but i'm hoping it and I will only keep getting better and better with each day.
It's close to Yom Kippur and Sukkos and so the crescent is beginning to fill up with family. It should get pretty fun around here. It's too bad I'll be missing it but I'm much more excited to be coming home!
I can't wait to get home on Friday. I hope to see you all then! I miss you so much!
Love,
Shayne
Monday, April 23, 2012
and the Megilla.... ;)
Hi, sorry its been so long. Life has a way of living you sometimes and catching up takes being in shape... and so since i've been in seminary for 2 yrs almost you can imagine how well that's working out ;) pun intended
Either way i didn't have much to write about but lately things have gotten more interesting so here is the latest.....
I started a job about a month and a half ago where i wake up at 6:30 in the morning and get to work at 7:00. I get kids ready for Gan (playgroup or nursery school) and drop them off. A double stroller with a 2 yr old and a baby and also 2 kids holding on to the sides. Speaking of being in shape- i'm sure i'll be by the time i'm done with this gig. lol
I took the job b/c i doesn't interfere with my college or sem schedule and helps me keep focused on a schedule. Also, if i don't leave the dorm in the morning... i just will never get out that day. Which is fine by me but in truth ones skin starts turning bluish when they haven't been outside in a few weeks (cough... not that i would know such a thing personally) and besides, it doesn't seem to healthy. :D
I also started 2 new online courses and for those of you who heard about my burn out session in Jan-Feb.... well that's OVER. We're back in business, thank G-d. I'm just trying to snowball and after not doing any solid work for 2 months, i need all the divine help i can get. I'm now taking Physiological Psychology and History and Systems of Psychology. They are actually really interesting. So interesting, in fact, that i'm sitting here writing on my blog rather than opening my text book- lol.
Pesach break came at a great time. I also did a small data entry job for a few days at an international company called Oramed which created an orally administered insulin medication for diabetes. cool right??
I went to froyo the other day with a friend and got the most amazing frozen ever! [lol, no i'm not kidding they call frozen yogurts 'frozen' here.] I put in strawberries, mango, halva, sugar coated peanuts, white mekupelet and it was YUM! for all of you who are not farmiliar with what a froyo is b/c its a native to israel thing- its a frozen yogurt place that you pick what gets blended... like all types of fruits, chocolates, candies... etc. And then they blend it with the frozen yogurt/ice cream stuff and its really really yummy :) So that was my 3rd that i ever got... 2nd that i bought for myself. It was also really nice b/c i had good company.
My friend finished her psychometry last month (SAT equivelent only way harder... she was in class from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm with a 2 hr break in the middle 5 days a week for 5 months for it.) and we made a book burning party for her. I made the fire and it was very impressive. Thanx tatty for teaching me how to make a tepee b/c it impresses ppl and it works rlly well! :}
Another friend who didn't come back to P'ninim was in Israel for Pesach and i saw her a few times. It's really nice to be with ppl who know who you used to be... u know what i'm saying? I feel really comfortable with her... more than with most ppl i think. Either way it makes me happy.
Chedvas had a bondfire and we FROZE.... i brought like 10 sweatshirts and just handed them out and it still wasn't enough. ppl were turning colors so we didn't end up playing frizbee. A different night all the girls who stayed in Israel [who live in America] went out to pizza and it was also really nice. We went to a packed place in shefa mall.
O- and i drove for my first time in Israel too! Rabbi Meisels needed s/o to do errands and there was no one else besides for me and a friend who's name is also shayna but neither of us were comfortable driving here in Israel so we decided to do it together for emotional support... it ended up being more like emotional abuse b/c we were both nervous and we're both terrible back seat drivers. :) We went to Har Nof, and Givat Shaul, and Kiryat Moshe, and Geula, and Shefa Mall and back again. It was so much fun!
O- and i drove for my first time in Israel too! Rabbi Meisels needed s/o to do errands and there was no one else besides for me and a friend who's name is also shayna but neither of us were comfortable driving here in Israel so we decided to do it together for emotional support... it ended up being more like emotional abuse b/c we were both nervous and we're both terrible back seat drivers. :) We went to Har Nof, and Givat Shaul, and Kiryat Moshe, and Geula, and Shefa Mall and back again. It was so much fun!
It's like, this whole year i feel like a little girl in a little seminary with my little roommates and e/t is rosy and college is grand and i'm in my little bubble... and then i got behind the wheel, put my shades up, and its like reality changed. I felt suddenly so much older... idk why but it was cool. Either way it was sooo much better than walking or busing. I think i have to get an international license this summer before i make aliyah though b/c once ur a citizen you can't drive with a foreign license anymore.
After pesach i restarted my walking kids to Gan job and started taking some serious tests. I Since pesach i have been to Ramat Gan and taken 2 other big tests, one by Shmuel HaNavi and one in my school building. Hopefully it will keep going. Chedvas has also started again and i'm super happy to get back into a schedule. Unfortunately though, its not the most ideal schedule.... dorm is usually noisy until late at night but i wake up sometimes hours earlier than most of the girls so it gets annoying when i can't sleep all night and then have to wake up and either take a test or go to work. Besides for that though, i'm totally managing to accomplish and that's really all that matters.
O- MAZAL TOV YOCHEVED AND MINDY!!! in case you didn't know these are 2 of my 4 best friends in the whole world and they are both engaged! lol- i feel soo blessed that i'll be able to go to both of their weddings imy"H!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sooo excited!
Can't wait for the summer!!!
can't wait to come home and see everyone! Can't wait for Rivky's graduation! can't wait to spend the summer with family and friends.
Love you all!
shayne :)
After pesach i restarted my walking kids to Gan job and started taking some serious tests. I Since pesach i have been to Ramat Gan and taken 2 other big tests, one by Shmuel HaNavi and one in my school building. Hopefully it will keep going. Chedvas has also started again and i'm super happy to get back into a schedule. Unfortunately though, its not the most ideal schedule.... dorm is usually noisy until late at night but i wake up sometimes hours earlier than most of the girls so it gets annoying when i can't sleep all night and then have to wake up and either take a test or go to work. Besides for that though, i'm totally managing to accomplish and that's really all that matters.
O- MAZAL TOV YOCHEVED AND MINDY!!! in case you didn't know these are 2 of my 4 best friends in the whole world and they are both engaged! lol- i feel soo blessed that i'll be able to go to both of their weddings imy"H!!!!!!!!!!! I'm sooo excited!
Can't wait for the summer!!!
can't wait to come home and see everyone! Can't wait for Rivky's graduation! can't wait to spend the summer with family and friends.
Love you all!
shayne :)
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