Comments on: The rewards of teaching

By: Rahel

Rahel — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 18:47:32 +0000

I’d make the trip, too.

By: Joel

Joel — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:59:34 +0000

Meryl
Haiving spent only a small time in Richmond (actually touring the Civil War sites outside of Richmond) I did not realize that crime was so high in the former capital of the Confederacy. Too bad.

By: Meryl Yourish

Meryl Yourish — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:25:53 +0000

Joel, they’re always looking for new cops here. It’s a tough city, and burnout level is high. We’re among the top cities in homicide and other violent crime, unfortunately.

By: Meryl Yourish

Meryl Yourish — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:24:35 +0000

Sabba Hillel, we knew this, but the family wanted the twins to have their Bar and Bat Mitzvah together. There are actually a lot of brother-sister b’nai mitzvot around here. Richmond is full of transplants, and it’s expensive to fly the family in every couple of years.

By: Meryl Yourish

Meryl Yourish — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 16:21:50 +0000

First weekend in November, 2007. Save the date. Chayyei Sarah.

By: Elisson

Elisson — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 15:45:26 +0000

All your former students volunteering to read aliyot is wonderful - and it gets me off the hook as well, because I'd make the trip to read an aliyah for you. I may do it anyway, just to hear you daven.

By: Joel

Joel — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 14:17:41 +0000

Speaking of Richmond I notice that at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan (where I take my Krav Maga classes) there was an ad posted on the bulletin board from the Richmond police department seeking applications.

By: Sabba Hillel

Sabba Hillel — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 11:32:23 +0000

Mazal Tov on seeing them reach “adulthood”. The only mistake that I see is that a set of boy-girl twins do not reach bar/bat mitzvah simultaneously. They reach that stage a year apart. Girls are more mature than boys.

We could probably get into a patrilineal/matrilineal argument, but that would not accomplish anythig.

By: Connecticut Yankee

Connecticut Yankee — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 04:53:11 +0000

Have you thought about writing a book for kids about Judaism (and maybe a teachers’ guide to go with it?) One reason my (Christian) confirmation at age 13 meant so much to me was the first-rate book that the pastor used alongside the church’s official catechism. It is a gift to be able to communicate one’s love for one’s faith to the next generation without talking down to the kids, and the writer of that book certainly had the gift. I have a friend who teaches sociology of religion at the local state university and also helps kids prepare for their Bar or Bas Mitzvah at his (Conservative) synagogue. I’m sure he and his wife (who teaches Hebrew) would be delighted to have a book they or other teachers could use as a guide in “teaching little Jews to become big Jews.” It might be part of your purpose in life to pass on your faith through encouraging other teachers. I’m not likely to have children of my own either, but I’ve found that writing (and editing) can be a form of teaching as well as fulfilling in its own way.
Your students sound like a great bunch of kids!

By: Meryl Yourish

Meryl Yourish — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 01:29:36 +0000

Yes, I considered it. I decided against it for numerous reasons, economic and otherwise.

I also discovered that I really like teaching little Jews to become big Jews. It makes me feel like I have a larger purpose in life.

Odds are very high I’ll never have children of my own. This is how I get to pass on my love of Judaism to the next generation.