Topsy Turvey

They said Be Happy it’s Adar! 

This week they said be careful a strange virus is on its way already here!

A week ago we took off our masks- uncovering our true self.

This week we put a new type mask and gloves.


For Purim, we dressed in costume. Taking on roles and personalities you might not know about us. Our secret self revealed.

A week ago they said drink until you don’t know the difference between Haman and Mordecai (the good guy and the bad guy in the Purim story).

This week they said stay away from everyone! Lockdown- stay home!

‏ A week ago I went hiking in Ein Gedi with friends.



This week I’m lucky to go for a walk to the pharmacy. At least nature is still working her magic.
 
                         Last week look like this!

                        This week looks more like this!

 
Last week I studied in the Beit Midrash (library) at Pardes.

This week all my interactions are on zoom 

Last week everywhere I went was full of merriment and joy!

This week the streets are empty! 

Last week friends from the States came to visit. 

This week classmate neighbors come to check on me. 

Last week is just a beautiful memory, shared with lots of friends, music and fun. This week has been a bit harder, once my school moved to online. 

It's a strange time we are living in. I am ok, I have so many people checking in on me. I am blessed to be living in a country that is taking this virus so seriously. I'm staying here for now. It's my home for now. It's my community. 

You all are my community no matter where I am. 

The month of Adar is a special month for me. 

It's my birthday month! It's Purim! It's Spring! A time for new birth. A time for us to uncover the sprouts of the seeds we planted months ago and see where they will bring us next. The practice for this month is being ok with not knowing. Maybe this virus is here to teach us that lesson. A reset. A redo. A time to heal the world. 

May each of you stay healthy and in contact with me and the people you love.

Here are a couple more photos from my neighborhood. Can you believe I can see the Dead Sea from around the corner from my home? 
So blessed.
Sent with so much love, Tamy

Key to all of the photos:
At the Dead Sea with mud on my face from 3/10.

My friend Julia wearing a mask. 
Purim at Pardes: 
All the Talmudic Women we are studying with Gila Fine this semester: Bruria, Homa, Yalta, Heruta, Imma Shalom, Marta, and, for cultural diversity, Professor Trelawney. Now you have to look them up to know my costume.
Purim Sudah (meal) on my friend's Benji and Josh rooftop. Instructions: dress as your inner self, bring two bottles of wine and food to share. Amazing day!
My apartment before I moved in. It looks a bit different now ;-)
Ein Gedi on 3/10 with Barry and Haley.
Flowers in my neighborhood.
More Purim.
My chevruta (learning buddies) Sara and Michelle.
The empty street is Ben Yehuda St. on a Saturday night. It is usually filled to overflowing with tourists and Israelis alike.
Friends from the States: Sephirah and Craig.
School friends Toby and Cliel.
All photos and videos were posted with their permission.

Guest Blog Post Where Are You

 

Dear Ones,
 

Sometimes my life feels like I'm living the movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles, not the movie itself, thank goodness just the title. :-) 

Here’s what my last 11 days looked like:
Jerusalem to Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv to Amsterdam (change planes)
Amsterdam to Chicago/ Highland Park
Chicago to Milwaukee and back (quick overnight with my kids)
Chicago to NYC
NYC to Falls Village, Connecticut (Isabella Freedman)(DLTI)
CT back to NYC for the night 
NYC to St Louis (SLBC)
St Louis to Chicago (change planes)
Chicago to Paris (change planes)
Paris to TLV
TLV to HOME! Jerusalem (train)

If you are feeling overwhelmed (like I am) just reading my list of travels, please know it was so worth it. I got to see my family and a handful of friends in Chicago before leaving to finish a 2-year prayer leader training Davvennen Leadership Training Institue as well as a music leadership conference Songleader Boot Camp
I am filled to the brim with new knowledge and ideas.
I am filled to overflowing with love from all the people who loved me up in the past week and a half.
I can’t wait to share it all (love and learning) with you.

I'm so blessed and excited to share my friend and classmate Heather Paul's poem, Where Are You 

It spoke to me as I started my travels. I hope you take a look at her blog, I think she’s pretty darn amazing.

 

with love (ahava),

Tamy

 

Where Are You

ON FEBRUARY 11, 2020 BY SCATTEREDLEAVES322IN POETRY, THOUGHTS

“Where are you going?” She’s checking my bag.
It’s not supposed to be an existential question.

“Where are you going?”
The security guard catches me off guard.
Am I on my way there or on my way back?
Am I leaving or arriving?
Am I returning?

“Where are you going?”
I left the rain last week and arrived in the sunlight.
When I landed, tears arrived too,
my eyes and heart unused to piercing brightness.

“Where are you going?”
I’m going to snowy branches and a frozen lake.
I’m going to a fireplace, a sanctuary,
warm hugs and warmer hearts.

“Where are you going?”
I’m leaving the community
that reminds me where I come from.
I’m going to the community that reminds me who I am.
Life is in flight, community is fluid, time is an illusion,
and distance means nothing at all.

“Where are you going?”
I’m going toward myself, I’m going toward growing.
I’m going away, I’m going to, I’m going, going, and gone.
I am in flight, I am landing, I am bringing
too much baggage for carry-on.

“Where are you going?”
I don’t know, I don’t remember,
nothing is certain but
“You are flying out of Gate 19.”
I am ready for take-off.

Six Word Parsha D’var Torah Challenge!

Essence, Distill, Succinct, Concise, Bullet Points

Explain weekly Parsha only 6 words

My friend challenged me, I accepted!
I challenge you, will you accept?

טעם (taste of), sum up, short and sweet

When? Where? Weekly on Facebook Page

This week is Va'eira Exodus 6:2-9:35

1.
Let my people go!

No.......
Go!

2.
G!d: Frees, Saves, Redeems, Takes Us

3.

Divine warning, Pharo acquiesce, pestilential visitation

4.

G!d hardens Pharo's heart...now what?

Free will vs Divine intervention? Hmmm

5.
Aaron’s rod ate all of their rods!

6.

First 7 plagues, 3 more coming

When my friend Nati challenged me to try to do this for a year, it was somewhat in jest. But it ends up to be a fun exercise. I hope you'll play along too. 

This month is both of my parent's yahrzeit (anniversary of their death).
No matter how many years go by, I still miss them terribly.
I am dedicating this blog in their honor, may their souls be raised up. 

 

As always, sending this blog with love באהבה
Tamy

PS

Pasha is the Hebrew word for weekly Torah/bible chapter.

Mel

 

 

 

 

Jackie

What Would You Write to Your 20 Year Old Self?

Here is what I wrote to my 20 something self...

I wrote and presented this last year and updated it to present last Thursday at a Pardes Take 5 (5 minutes to talk about any topic you want). People asked me to share it, so I thought I would share it with all of you too.

 

Dear Tamy,

You will never, ever, ever guess where I am today and what I’m doing!
 I made aliyah and moved to Israel almost 18 months ago. 
I know, what the heck?! Right?! Who knew that was one of our dreams? Ends up it was.


I’ve been thinking a lot about you, my younger self lately. I guess it’s because I’ve spent the last 18 months studying at Pardes with some of the most amazing, and talented 20 and 30-year-olds I’ve ever met. I’m so honored to call them my friends.


Today I’m lucky enough to talk for five minutes (Take 5) at Pardes. I wanted to share my wisdom and guidance without sounding preachy. A quick list seemed to be the most effective way to share information. So take a deep breath – here goes!

     Yes, graduate school was a great idea! University of Chicago has served us well professionally.

     One of the biggest takeaways from social work school has been: ask a question then wait for the answer. Count to 10 slowly in your head. If no answer, count again. Rinse and repeat as many times as needed. Don’t worry, the other person will answer if you give them enough time and space. Oh and if they are your husband count again :-)

     Journal – get out of your own head. 
     
     Write letters to yourself – even mail them six months later. So cool to see what you’ve written. I'm always surprised to get the letter and each time before I open it always wonder why the handwriting looks familiar. They have always given me more insight into where I am now than I would have ever thought.
 
      You will present often – try not to read from your notes if possible.
 
      Live life from the perspective of radical amazement and wonder! Wake up and ask what will today be like? Be curious!


     Stay flexible – in all senses of the word- body, mind and spirit.
 
     Say yes as often as you can. I even said yes to waking up at 2 o’clock in the morning to watch a meteor shower. We ended up just sitting on a bench, watching the stars, no meteors that night. And…I still got up first thing in the morning to be on time for class.
 
     Keep G!d, Prayer, Torah in your life – it will grow and change with you.
 
     Fake it till you make! it really works
 
     Sing – sing out loud, sing with the radio, just sing every day. I even sing when I'm walking down the street. I'm sure the man walking right behind me loved listening to me this morning.
 
     Smile- say hello to everyone you meet... you never know who’s day you’ll make. As I walk to school every morning I say Boker Tov to everyone I pass. Some people have even said Boker Or back to me.
 
All the Bees:
     Be polite- say please and thank you.
           Be kind
                 Be honest
 
     Say you’re sorry when you are.
 
     Put your big girl underpants on and tell the truth, Talk directly to the person who you are angry with, not to all of your friends.
 
     Accept people as they are. You can't change them as much as you think you can.
     
     Life is all about attachments and separations. You will meet people you feel like you’ve known your whole life, keep them close by. There will be people you meet and think ... you can't be my people. Try to get to know them, ask them questions. Hold on to some of them too, they might end up to be your people too in the long run. 
     
     Say goodbye when you can – don’t just sneak out the back door.

So young Tamy, let me just say, first, we look the exact same way we did when we were 15 and we will when we are 100 and 20.  The other thing you would never ever guessed in 1 million years is a year ago you were at your best friend/cousin Sherri‘s funeral. She was about to be 50 years old. You got to spend the last three weeks with her during Thanksgiving. 5 weeks ago she said, I know I’m your younger cousin, but… a zebra is a zebra and a horse is a horse. Don’t expect the zebra to be a horse. Accept people as they are.
 
     Family is and always will be a constant in your life. Even when they make you bat shit crazy. And they will!!! They are still your family.
 
     As a Rabbi James Taylor says, shower the people you love with love. Show them the way you feel. I say… keep telling the people you love, you love them. Say it freely and often. Hug them up as much as you can – even over the oceans and the Internet. Call your family and just say hello, I mean it. Call them today!
 
Take risks – even if you get hurt. And you will… I promise, then you will get out of bed, dust yourself off and start all over again.

Life isn’t linear – it’s not even just a set of ups and downs – but more like a crazy rollercoaster ride. It's full of loops, spirals and changes.  Crazier than you can ever imagine.

So buckle up!

          Hold someone’s hand if you can!

                    Enjoy the ride!

                                Onward and upward!
love you so very much,
Your 5779/2019 and 5780/2020 self



Thank you, my dear blog readers, family and friends for taking the time to read my thoughts. It means the world to me.
Wishing you a Happy, Healthy, Blessed 2020. A year filled with 2020 hindsight to see where we have been and with 2020 vision to see where we are going. Glad to be on this adventure with you.
with love/ ahava,
Tamy

Choice = Bravery

Does Choice = Bravery? 
When’s the last time you were really brave!?

There’s a saying do something that scares you every day. 
It’s funny I don’t consider myself a fearful person, but doing something that scares me or makes me have to be brave seems like a different skill. It’s more like, pushing myself out of my comfort zone. 
How often do you do that?

I have a couple stories to share with you about making choices and being brave.

I got back to Israel a week ago, just in time to go on a field trip with Pardes. We went hiking in the Negev. The desert. It’s humongous, vast and has a unique beauty. The landscapes changed each day as we hiked. 

On the second day, we went to Mitzpe Ramon. We were hiking in the dry river bed. Lots of rocks and sand. Towards the end of the hike, we came upon water. There was no way around it- only through it. I could see from the people in front of me the water came up to their thighs, I knew that meant it would come up to my waist. 

What was my choice?!

So taking off my shoes, I waded through the cold water. As we rounded the next bend, more water. This time really deep. Some people swam through it.  

Choices again!  
Turn around and go back through the cold water again, climb up a really tall part of a cliff using handrails… or climb up the face of the wall… 
Or maybe I could just stay there. No option sounded good to me. 

I couldn’t imagine climbing up using handrails. It was really high and it looked really scary. I’m standing facing the wall thinking how I’m was I ever going to get up. Thank goodness for my friends who said we’re going to help you do it. 
They showed me where to put my feet and hands and I climbed up the face of the wall.*

Before I started climbing I almost started crying. I was shaking inside and out. This took a different type of bravery muscle than I was used to using. 
But I did it! I made it through! 
And no one had to push my butt;-)

We all did it. 

Some of us more skilled or scared than others. Teamwork at its best. When I was retelling this story to one of my wisest friends, she said it's more than teamwork. It's looking outside of yourself to see what another person might need. How you can help someone else. What might be easy for you, could be scaring the life out of another. So more than teamwork, humanity work. Building community.

The other type of choice comes in the form of relationships. I think about this kind all the time. Whether it’s making new friends or meeting new people or going new places, they all take a level of risk. Mostly the risk of rejection. 

I’ve met a handful of people, that have said, 
“I’ve been hurt...
                just broken up with my... 
                                        had my heart broken...
and I’m not sure I can risk getting hurt again. 
So as much as I’d like to get to know you, I just can’t...”

I’m not trying to shame anyone more just trying to put out a spectrum of how different people deal with their wounds. 

We all have scars... 

Times we’ve been hurt or disappointed by people or by life. Most of us don’t show our wounds. Most you don't even see and would never know unless we trusted you enough to tell you. 

Many of you know, I keep pushing through, like an energizer bunny. 
I always say, what choice do I have? 
Of course, like most of you, many days I like to just get in bed with my covers over my head. But I can can’t... don’t. 

I think of these verse of this Regina Spektor song On the Radio

No, this is how it works 

You peer inside yourself
You take the things you like 

And try to love the things you took
And then you take that love you made 

And stick it into some
Someone else's heart 

Pumping someone else's blood 

And walking arm in arm 

You hope it don't get harmed
But even if it does You'll just do it all again

That's me. 
I for sure am not saying this is an easy choice, but for me, it's the only choice. 
Push through the discomfort. 
When you get knocked down (and you will), get up again, dust yourself off and try again. 
I've added a new step, what did I learn from this experience? 

Sde Boker

Sending you blessings to try something new. 
Get out of your comfort zone. 
Courage to push yourself physically. 
Welcome a new friendship.

Just ask them out for a cuppa. 
What do you have to lose? 
With the potential of so much to gain. 
With love
באהבה
Tamy

Video of The Climb

*here’s what my friend a the climber said about what I did. 

... what you did was difficult and impressive

 I would call what you did a: “mildly-deep water free solo V1 Boulder problem"

 The term deepwater free solo is generally reserved for climbing above like an ocean or a lake, but I would say the fear of falling into the water was still there for you.