A Word from Rabbi Schulman - 5/13/16

Spring is a time of transition for many students in our congregation. Having completed a year of study, most will be moving on to the next grade level. An even bigger transition lies in store for those who are graduating from elementary or middle school. It is a major event to leave behind familiar confines and experience a larger school with new students, bigger classes, and greater academic challenges.

For our graduating high school seniors, the prospect of going to college next fall marks an even greater transition. With most leaving home to attend school, college marks the first time a student will be living on his or her own. At home your bed is more comfortable; you have far greater privacy; and your meals taste far better. Oh, and there’s always a washer and dryer available for your personal use.

Living in a dorm represents a vast difference from living at home. Yet at college, a student has a vast range of choices to make including what classes to take and what extracurricular interests to pursue. More broadly, college is a time of transition to full adulthood, when a student makes important decisions about core values and in what way he or she wants to focus one’s skills post-college.

In whatever lies ahead for a student, Judaism has value in helping to mark moments of transition. This Shabbat evening, we celebrate students who have begun their religious education. We also celebrate our 7th graders who have completed years of education in our synagogue. On Sunday night, two special seniors, Judith Silverberg-Rajna and Noah Farasat, will be honored for their years of study in Midrasha.

The Jewish world locally, regionally, and nationally is full of excellent opportunities for learning, connection, and growth. Mazel Tov to all our students as they complete a year of study and prepare for the next step in their Jewish journey.