Officially a Rabbinical student...Holy Cow!

Today I finally reached my lifelong goal - or dream - if you will. I officially became a Rabbinical student - a true-blue card carrying member of the Hebrew Union College - Jewish Institute of Religion. It should be noted that an HUC ID card has little value in Israeli society, will hardly hold court at a student travel agency and could be easily mass produced by merely drawing a smiley face on an index card (best wishes if you are looking to start a business to assist Rabbinical student imposters...)

It's wild to see myself joining in the long line of Rabbinic tradition of the Jewish people. At the end of morning services, we sang Shechiyanu to commemorate the beginning of the five year journey at HUC. I was surprisingly touched.

Who am I to stand in this line of tradition? I'm 24 years old. I still call my mom every morning before school in order to eliminate the pit in my stomach. I occasionally fight with my brother and sister and really hate unloading the dishwasher. In my designer shoulder bag which I bought so I could conform to the fashion style of my sorority sisters at IU, I carry a less than attractive red plaid button down shirt - which has served as my "security blanket" since I found that my parents had these matching shirts from a party they attended twenty years ago. In my zit filled, frizzy hair, grungy sixth grade year - I actually wore the shirt to look 'cool'. Tucked away in my bag, I wonder if my "security blanket" would look nice as a tallit to better fit my current phase in life. I mean, come on! My dad still edits a lot of my writing - sometimes that which sounds like a meaningful biblical text or concept - actually stemmed from the great biblical authority of...Jeff Gubitz. (Thanks daddy!)

So they really let people like me be Rabbis?

In a taxi or a grocery store in Jerusalem, saying that I'm going to be a Rabbi is tremendously confusing. There's hardly a word in Hebrew which means "female Rabbi." Why? Because women aren't rabbis in Israel. I tell the cab driver: I'm here to study to be a Rabbi. They say: Rebbetzin? To be a Rabbi's wife? Me: No - Ani Rabba - I'm the Rabbi. Them: MAH? What? Ee Efshar! Impossible!

So what the hell am I doing here? And for that matter, Mi Anochi? Who am I? The name Jen, on its own, doesn't distinguish me from the next. The name Gubitz, on its own, is more specific but still opens the door to the question "Which Gubitz?" I'm a full name kind of girl: Jen Gubitz. Ah. Ok. Then I know who I am.

I answered the questions I just posed in my HUC application which I started writing nearly 7 months ago.
"It seems not to be coincidence that I was born shortly after a new year began - and on the holiday of Simchat Torah. Although momentarily considered, I am eternally grateful that my parents did not name me simcha to honor the day on which I was born -- Jennifer suits me quite well. As it turns out, I am still able to honor that day by paying tribute to the second word – Torah. From the day I was born, it seems my path in life was laid before me - to bring happiness and Torah, Jewish learning and history, and Jewish custom and tradition to others, as a Rabbi."

I will continue to update this blog as often as I am able and am working on posting pictures, too. As you can see - there was already a week lag because HUC orientation has been quite busy. I tested into the appropriate Hebrew level and look forward to beginning our Ulpan (intensive Hebrew) on Sunday. Today is finally Shabbat and I'm ready once more for a needed day of rest.

From my HUC application - "It seems appropriate to conclude, “Blessed are you…Ruler of the universe, who has sustained me and permitted me to reach this season…” Being a Rabbi would honor and speak to the efforts of not only my goals and success but to those who supported and guided me to this point in my life. It is truly difficult to know where I am going in life, if I do not know from where I have come. I truly value and am committed to innovating Jewish education, strengthening Jewish identity, and sustaining Jewish community. As I live my life walking in the footsteps of those who came before me, I feel passionate about passing on to future generations what we have learned from our teachers and instilling in them a passion for Judaism and learning. In this way, a cycle will be unbroken and for generations to come, Jews will sing their song, create new songs, and never forget the songs that have come before them. Al regel achat - it seems easy - I want to be a Rabbi and the rest is commentary..."

Until next time - Shabbat Shalom and lovin' from Jeru!
Living the dream,
Jen