Our inner Hungarian Jew
Last September, when our Budapest-bound group met for the first time, I realized that although I was being invited because of my skill as an educator, this trip featured a strong Jewish focus on cultural ...
Fighting Off My Attempts to Fight Off My Instincts
My teaching went fine, as it was, but I apprehensions that I had from the first time I started preparing resurfaced. Why is it that I am here? How do I serve the Lauder Javne Iskola and, especially, ...
“If you will it, it is no dream.”
Sometimes in the US, it feels as if real change is not possible. Sometimes it seems things are the way they are and there’s not much one person can do.
But being here has made it clear to me that ...
Time dissolves
Time dissolves, with the warmth of genuine connection. Today was such a moment sitting with my friend Agi -my very old friend, but still not so old. When met twenty-five years ago, she was still in ...
Excited, energized and overwhelmed
Welcome to Budapest
My sense of excitement and wonder had been at increasingly high levels as this journey approached. What was the country like? The people? The Lauder school that I would be teaching ...
Best classes yet today at school.
Had a double class period with a group of students who do not like to write. Talked a lot about why writing is important in many ways beyond the reasons they had heard before, stressing the personal ...
Interchangeable
Today was the first day with the kids at Lauder.
But first we heard an orientation about the school overall. Fascinating, especially the founder, Anna. I think what struck me most of all though was ...
My First Day at the Lauder Javne Iskola
We arrived at the Lauder Javne Iskola, and we were greeted warmly. The night before we met our school counterparts over dinner. Today they welcomed us onto their home campus. My counterpart is Andras ...
Arrival in Budapest and Discovery of My Mission
I arrived in Budapest with four outstanding educators who are my colleagues at de Toledo High School in West Hills, California, before Shabbat which gave us time to get somewhat acclimated to Budapest. ...
A Gem
Budapest – Early Sunday Morning jog on old and kind of hard to run on, stone streets. Beautiful with memories of other similar places I’ve been. Cities that are not too far from here -like Vilna ...
Third Time’s A Charm
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Transformative experience
We arrived Friday in Budapest and have been able to spend the past few days becoming acquainted with this fascinating city. Although it’s only been two days, it feels like Rome or Paris in the 90s. ...
Shabbat in Budapest
Shabbat has never been something that was observed in my household. I am aware of what it means and some of what it entails, but it is not a regular part of my life. Because of this, I was somewhat ...
Coming Full Circle 2017
As the sun sets on our last day in Budapest, I huddle in the frigid air with my Beth Tfiloh colleagues on the east bank of the Danube River as we say goodbye to Shabbat. The moment should be – and ...
We want more….
I don’t think that I’ve ever had a week like the one that just finished and I suspect that most teachers haven’t. I had a chance to travel to a beautiful and exotic sounding city, Budapest, and ...
We must be vigilant
I was full of conflicted emotions on the last day of our program in Budapest. We spent a good portion of the late afternoon and evening on Saturday walking around the city, learning about the history ...
Celebrate the many joyful aspects of the Jewish tradition
It’s not often that I get to attend a Shabbat dinner led by my cohort and friend (and roommate for this trip), Rabbi Mordechai Soskil. An infectious sense of humor and a passion for Judaism are ...
Don’t give up
Today I met someone I truly admire. The truth is, I’m a pretty critical guy; I tend to start by seeing people’s faults. After I get to know them I usually find something that I like or some aspect ...
Shabbat Candles
This morning we visited the Hungary Jewish Museum, which is in the process of extensive renovation. The museum wanted us, as typical tourists and as educators, to serve as a focus group and give them ...
Inspirational
The Scheiber Sandor school is closed today and tomorrow, so we dedicated our day to learning about the Budapest Jewish community. After spending three days teaching students, many of whom want to leave ...
