A post-shabz pre-oz post

Hi world,

Shabbat was lovely.

Here's what I did.

I went to my usual adorable hippie minyan thats about the size of my kitchen and had a very intense prayer experience. Which is surprising for me b/c I'm close to being the worst davener in history - after Yeshayahu Leibowitz.

Then I had a million people over for dinner (read: 10). As usual with me it was over-catered. But the culinary highlights include split pea soup, Doritos salad and sweet potato pie (the real star of the evening) The company was lovely and I basically just live to be a hostess so I went to bed very satisfied.

Today, I went to Shira Hadasha for shacharit (well I got there in time for torah reading...). There were less women in kippot and talisim this week so I felt more comfortable. The best part however (apart from having hot drinks and whole oranges at the kiddush) was the shiur after shule by Rabbi Ethan Tucker the rosh yeshiva of Machon Hadar. I'll be honest, it wasn't the best shiur I've ever heard (I tend to think that liberal orthodoxy isn't too intellectually honest) but it was pretty good nonetheless.

Then lunch was wonderful. I went to a friend of mine's mum and not only does she have great kids and vegetarian food but also really interesting guests. One was getting his phd in biblical studies. Another works as a researcher for the human rights organisation 'B'Tzelem' and another was a South African human rights lawyer/lecturer. Everybody was lovely and interesting and helped remind me that your can be orthodox and a good person. Surprising, I know.

Other than that, I gotta give y'all a heads up that I may be absent for the next 2 weeks or so. I'm going back to oz for my best friend's wedding and may be a bit distracted by that.

So consider yourselves warned.

Shavua Bov, Ms.b