Starting Volunteering and Classes for the Last Time!

10/3/10

Here's the dealio for the rest of Bat Yam:

I told you before that I'm working at an elementary school. Today was my first day there, and it was great! The kids are adorable, and while it's going to be challenging since Israeli children are insane, I'm excited to try something new and exciting. Today, me and another volunteer were introduced to our first class of 5th graders. We taught them family members and body parts, and taught them the song "Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes"! It was cute! I think I can find a niche for myself at the school. But only time will tell!

I'm excited to have classes again! I ended up being placed in "King David: War, Women, and Song" and "God Talk". I switched out of the first one, though, since it bored me to tears. I'm now taking "Jewish Thinkers" in my first slot. "God Talk" is a fantastic class. We looked at people's questions about God and how we would address them in the coming weeks. We then listened to our first song, "God Said No", and talked about what the composer's theology portrayed. "God Said No" deals with the concept of wanting to go back in time to change things, but eventually accepting that the only thing we truly have control over is the present. I really loved this song. Not only was it beautiful, but it highlighted the idea of 'everything happens for a reason', a concept which I try to live by, but often need to be reminded of. I think I'm going to love this class.

Today, I was also recruited to be a volunteering spokesperson for Hadassah. Essentially, I'm going to be interviewed in the coming weeks, and in July, I'm going to go to the Young Judaea convention in Miami to talk about my experience on Year Course. Despite my issues with the YJ/Hadassah relationship and its implications, I'm excited to have this opportunity!

Endless Love,
Rachel