I’ve been thinking about my Year-In-Israel as a cantorial student more often lately, prompted entirely by the visits of our three incredible candidates for the assistant rabbi position.
The first year at HUC – JIR, the Reform Movement’s seminary on four campuses, is a singular year among the five when one studies in order to become a rabbi or cantor (3 years for an educator!). In my Year-In-Israel, I was the only student who was married, but in Israel without his or her spouse. Matt spent the year in Manhattan, building his own career, and lovingly supporting my year abroad and my education. This means, that I spent a very disproportionate time of my year flying back and forth between New York and Tel Aviv, with a stop or two in Charlotte, no less.
I loved my year in Israel. It was an invaluable year for me to be immersed in Israeli culture, Hebrew, and most importantly for me, to build relationships with new classmates who would become dear friends, supporters, and now colleagues. My personal circumstances, however, meant that as I enjoyed every minute of my stay, I was also biding my time to get back to my husband and the life that we planned to build together and in the same place – not half a world apart.
In the Year-In-Israel, we were warned that the last months of the year would fly by. As early as the first week of the program, the administrators told us about the phenomenon: Purim, Pesach, and Packing. We were told to soak up everything we could until Purim, because by the time we got there, the rest of the year would be in quick succession: Pesach next and packing to go home a few short weeks later.
Tracey Lederer, our Assistant to the Religious School, and I were chatting the other day about how Religious School is actually no different than the Year-In-Israel program in this respect, except in this case, teachers are packing up their classrooms. By the time Purim arrives in just about one week, the religious school year will be hurdling toward its glorious Mitzvah Day conclusion on May 15th. For many of us, Mitzvah Day is a clear marking of the promise of summer to come – less on the calendar, more flexible time.
When we embrace the rhythm of the Jewish calendar, our years become more orderly and anchored. The best example of this is the inextricable force with which we move from Tisha B’av in August toward Rosh Hashanah (by way haftarot of consolation, the month of Elul, and s’lichot), then Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah in very quick succession. Shabbat is our weekly guidepost and rhythm maker, but the larger calendar binds us deeply to our people and to our Jewish and Jewish American identity.
The more we recognize these guideposts, the more we know how quickly time moves and how imperative it is to stop and embrace the moments as they pass.
I never think of Purim anymore without knowing that Passover (my favorite holiday) is not far behind, and that right beyond is – Summer.
So, be still for a moment and know that Purim is next week. Put Purim on your calendar and enjoy every minute of your costumes, cocktails, and hamantaschen, because, before you know it, we will be on to matzah balls, Jered’s brisket, and those awesome jell-rings.
