As noted in my last post, this past week was to be a "tough" week due to the fact that I was ending a number of classes that I have been teaching. My Jewish History class ended Tuesday night. It was a sad moment to be sure but I am grateful that we accomplished nearly ALL of the time period in history that I planned out over two years ago.
The end of the Ladies Navi class was much more difficult as this class had been going for 10 years. Emotionally, it was a VERY tough moment to say good-bye to the class and its participants. We ended Sefer Melachim with the destruction of the Bet HaMikdash (temple) and with the prayer that we would all be reunited in the rebuilt Bet haMikdash soon! My thanks to the students in both the JH and the Navi class for attending, rain or shine!
Finally, it was also my last week teaching in Ida Crown for "normal" class. Every year for ten years, my custom has been to give some final words and a talk to the class I am teaching, whether in grammar school or high school. Each year, I find that "talk" a difficult one to give. However, this year was even more difficult given the fact that it was my good-bye to teaching in Chicago! But, at the same time, I am encouraged by the fact that this year's class at ICJA was able to accomplish a magnificent feat: We split up the 157 pages of Masechet Shabbat among all of the students in the grade and over the course of the school year, each student learned a specific section. By doing that, we were able to make a SIYUM ON ALL OF MASSECHET SHABBAT...for Juniors in High School! What a great accomplishment...one of which they and I can be proud of for a very long time!
As we look toward the short-term future, the next major step is the packing and shipping of our lift. We have been very fortunate to work with a wonderful company (Sonigo) and they have been a real class act! The process actually began a few months ago with a walk-through in our home determining what would and would not be packed by us...by them...or what would not be shipped at all. A second walk-through and more fine tuning took place last week, and then the moment of truth arrives in 22 days when they arrive to begin "the deed." I was considering by "crime scene tape" to cordon off the house so no one comes over to check on things as it will be a very intense couple of days. However, instead of the tape, maybe I will just get a couple of very big, scary dogs to sit outside our home to keep away the gawkers...we will have to see what works best!
OK...time to get ready for our trip!
Probably the next time I post, we will be in Israel IYH!
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