Happy happy, joy joy!!

I am VERY happy this evening. I am happy, humbled and overwhelmed with joy.

Tonight was our Temple Micah Chanukah party and menorah lighting. This is one of my favorite events at Temple Micah. The beautiful menorahs all lit up at once is an amazing sight! The kids have such a great time. There's latkes and sufganyiot. There's games and crafts and a book swap! It is an evening full of fun and I look forward to it each year.

One of the best things that happened this evening and took me by surprise was receiving Chanukah gifts from some of the parents of the kids in my class. I now have an amazing supply of Starbucks gift cards to feed my ever growing coffee addiction! Weeeeeee!!!!!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!! Coffee dates in my future! Who's coming with me? What was really amazing about receiving these gifts was not the gift themselves but what the parents had to say to me when they gave me my gift. Having a parent tell me that their child really enjoys coming to my class and is having a good time in my class is THE BEST CHANUKAH PRESENT I COULD ASK  FOR!!! The gift cards and gifts are just an added bonus! I came home tonight and read each card I received to my husband and smiled at each gift that came with it. I then got emotional (cause that's how I roll) and began to cry. My husband asked me why I was crying. I told him that it was because for the first time in my life I was actually doing something that I really enjoyed. I LOVE teaching those kids. I feel very blessed that I get to work in the Lawrence Township School district AND I get to teach Hebrew school at our temple. It has taken just over 40 years but I finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up!! LOL!! Better late than never, right???

I love the connections that are made with the kids. My favorite thing is when I get to see the light bulb go on over a child's head. When you see a kid "get it", there's nothing better. When you know that you made a difference in a child's life, that's the best! I get so excited when I'm in the classroom with the kids and I can see a bunch of light bulbs going off over their little heads. I also get excited when the kids ask me about our next class or how they can participate in the class. I try to keep my classroom very interactive and the kids seem to love it. One favorite of the class is when I allow them to take turns to be the teacher. They really enjoy it. It gets them up and moving and it allows them to do some thinking on their own as well as pay attention. The other favorite is craft/art projects. Even the boys get really into it. Anything to keep their little bodies moving and grooving while keeping their brains active is a huge win!

Temple Micah has been a whirlwind blessing in my life. I have found everything I had ever been looking for in a place of worship as well as a community. Temple Micah has become another home in my life and tonight was another reminder that it feels really good to be home!

Temple Micah menorah lighting - 2015

Happy Chanukah!

Long time, no write...

It has been a few days shy of 8 months since my last blog. I left you with the funeral of my beloved Rabbi Vicki. Since that time I have been grieving her passing, occupying my time trying to keep my children occupied through the summer months, deal with my husband (a Temple Micah board member and committee member for the new rabbi search) search for a new rabbi, gearing up for back to school (both regular and Hebrew school) and simultaneously prepare myself for the plethora of Jewish holidays kicking off with Rosh Hoshana, the Jewish New Year and with a new rabbi. I guess you could say that I have been a little busy. I didn't have any intention of leaving my blog. As a matter of fact I wanted to, and still want to pursue it on a more regular basis. Maybe sometimes we need a break. We need to step away and reclaim what was lost. It is no secret that the loss of Rabbi Vicki was beyond devastating to me. I needed time to heal from that. Time has definitely helped. I still miss her so much but it has gotten a little easier. Just a little. Alas, life must go on. A new year has come. We celebrated Rosh Hoshana in September. Our new rabbi, Roni Handler kicked off our new year and many fall holidays and traditions including Taschich; our tradition of casting away our sins. Rabbi Vicki would walk with us on a trail through the Princeton Battlefields. There we would come to the small body of water and through pieces of bread out into it. Each piece of bread holding onto something that does not benefit us and freeing ourselves from the weight of bad habits and other nonsense. Rabbi Roni performed this ritual with us this year and graciously allowed us to lead her through a beloved custom. Princeton Battlefield is a place where I feel Vicki's presence. It was a beautiful day and a beautiful service/ritual with Rabbi Roni. It was also the first time since Vicki's death that I felt true peace and calmness. I didn't get overwhelmed with emotion over Vicki not being there. Possibly because Vicki WAS THERE. Her spirit was there. Everything was perfect, the weather, the prayers, the ritual and the moments.

Fast forward several more Fall Jewish holidays and Thanksgiving and we here are!! Now it is Chanukah!! BOOM! I have been busy teaching 3rd grade Hebrew school at Temple Micah and I'm LOVING IT!! My boys are all taken care of for Chanukah with their new xbox one and new games!! Whew, that was easy! Expensive but easy! So now we are busy lighting the menorah each night and this Sunday we will be celebrating the last night of Chanukah with some family at my home. You know what that means????!!!??  LATKES! LOTS OF LATKES!!!!! If you're good, I'll make my next post about my fabulous latkes and Chanukah decorating ideas and crafts!!

I'm going to keep this short tonight since I'm just trying to get back into the swing  of my blogging. Plus I'm a huge loser with a bedtime between 9 and 10pm! OMG!!!!! So sad, I know!

Until next time!
Tootles
Ro

Rabbi Vicki at our Temple Micah Chanukah party and menorah lighting - 2013

Happy Chanukah!