Monday, September 29, 2008

Shanah Tovah Um'tukah!!!

Wishing everyone a good, sweet new year!

Friday, September 12, 2008

Hello all!  So, real classes have finally begun!  The school week here goes from Sunday until Thursday, and our weekend is Friday and Saturday.  I’m taking some really interesting classes!  I have one class of Biblical Hebrew and about 5 classes of Modern Hebrew per week.  I also have a history class and a T’filah/liturgy class.  My cantorial courses include History of Jewish music, Cantillation of the Bible, Sight-Singing/Music Theory, Israeli Folk and Popular Music, and a Cantorial Workshop.  Although he is not the head of the Cantorial program this year, Eliyahu Schleifer, a highly renowned cantor, is one of our professors.

 

The first week of classes is over and we already have lots of work to do!  I have solos to prepare for High Holy Days and a cold that’s preventing me from practicing!  Nonetheless, I’m very excited that things here are moving along.  I still have to keep convincing myself that I’m living in Israel and in Cantorial School at HUC!

 

Also, during our break between summer ulpan and classes, I went with a group of students on a vacation to Greece.  We had a lot of fun visiting an Acropolis and playing on the beach.  Here are some pictures: