Weather

The constant question here is if I'm getting used to the Florida weather.

In all honesty, it's really not that bad.

Sacramento summers were horrible.  You stepped outside and were slapped in the face with an oven.  It went over 100 degrees regularly and dried out your skin.

Here it's in the 80s and 90s, and humid.  It's still not Long Beach gorgeous summer weather, but it's a different kind of heat than Sacramento.

I go outside more with the kids here now than I did the past few summers, for what it's worth.  I can deal with the weather, and it is kinda fun to go lizard catching, for catch and release.  They're everywhere!

Crazy crazy life

Wow, have I been busy.  Too busy even to download the 4th of July pictures, or the ones with my dad.  Next week I'll put up big picture posts.

But in the meantime:

- I spent a good part of my morning researching how to make our congregation more friendly to LGBTQ and interfaith families.  How awesome that inclusion research is considered work.

- Writing a sermon every week is getting easier.

- Ari and Xander play air hockey together really, really nicely.

- Connor was a tease and slept one night from 8pm-6am.  Then he woke up at 3am the two nights following.  So close and yet so far!

Have a lovely weekend.

Made my children's day

In my office I have a 3-way candy dispenser: M&Ms, peanut M&Ms, and jelly beans.

Connor knocked it over today.

Since I had to throw all the candy away anyway, I told them all to have at.

You'd think it was the first night of Hanukkah!

Reveling in the glory.  (Xander not pictured, he was being JFK Jr. eating candy below the desk.)

Best.  Dinner.  Ever.

Jonathan's description of the events:

Here is a picture of Connor after his candy heist. He saw Michal had a candy dispenser on her desk that he couldn't get into so he picked it up and threw it on the ground to get into it. He was successful and his brothers went in on the take.

Michal wasn't nearly as happy about it.

And ya... I know. We're in trouble. :)

I'm honored by both the article, and the way it's exploded on Facebook!

Female rabbi is first for temple

Rabbi Michal Loving has joined Temple Beth Orr of Coral Springs as the synagogue’s first female rabbi.

 (Submitted photo)

By Marvin Glassman

Temple Beth Orr of Coral Springs recently hired its first female rabbi, Rabbi Michal Loving, to usher in a new era in which the temple is actively reaching out to unaffiliated Jews, foregoing the traditional annual membership fee structure.

It is appropriate that the new rabbi's surname is Loving because TBO hired her on the strength of her warm, charismatic character in their 18-month search to replace the retired Rabbi Mark Gross.

"Rabbi Loving rose to the top of our selection process because she exemplifies what our congregation expressed what were the most important qualities in our next rabbi," said Steve Feinstein, president of Temple Beth Orr.

"Rabbi Loving exudes warmth, wisdom, compassion, a strong sense of self and a sense of humor. Her passion for Judaism is both contagious and energizing. She is a rabbi for our young and young at heart."

Married with three young children aged 18 months to six, Loving also fits the profile of the many young unaffiliated Jewish families that TBO hopes will come to the Coral Springs congregation. 

"Being at Temple Beth Orr is a perfect fit for both me and the new era of the congregation in which it is important to engage everyone who enters our doors," said Loving.

Loving's parents divorced in California when she was three. Her father returned to Israel and remarried. Her mother came out as a lesbian. She married a woman when Michal was five. "I grew up an only child with two mothers in Long Beach, California. Every summer, I traveled to Holton, Israel to spend time with my father and his family where I ate bamba with my half-siblings and learned to speak Hebrew at Israeli summer camps."

"I came to my life's passion while accompanying my husband Jonathan through his conversion process in 2004. I want to provide the opportunity for everyone, no matter our backgrounds or differences, to embrace our own individual Jewish paths and find our own truths. I cherish teaching Torah because I love to impart the rich values and culture of our heritage and install a sense of rootedness in history and l'dor v'dor (from generation through generation)," said Loving.

Following her five years of study and ordination as rabbi at Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Loving served as the rabbi-educator at Congregation B'nai Israel in Sacramento.

Feinstein emphasized that it was crucial in the hiring process that Loving would have approval as the new rabbi by all members of Temple Beth Orr.

"It was a unanimous choice to hire Rabbi Loving and that is the way the process had to work. Although the selection committee narrowed the field of candidates, the congregation voted unanimously to hire her after she spoke to us in February," said Feinstein.

 "TBO is and will continue to be more than a building. TBO is a tapestry of genuine relationships, threaded with laughter, tears and the everyday moments in between," said Loving.

"Together, we will find meaning and Jewish relevance in day to day life and ensure that everyone who comes through our doors considers us a second home and feels accepted and embraced for who they truly are."

Joining Loving as a new clergy member of Temple Beth Orr is Cantor Educator David Sislen. 

"Cantor Sislen has extensive experience and he will be an exceptional pulpit partner with Rabbi Loving. Their backgrounds and interests complement each other and their styles will combine to form an all-inclusive balance on the bimah and beyond," said Feinstein.

Since 1996, Sislen has been cantor and educator at congregations and schools in Florida, Maryland and New York. He has been director of Judaic Studies at Greenfield Day School in Miami.

For more information about Temple Beth Orr, 2151 Riverside Dr. in Coral Springs, call 954-753-3232 or go to http://www.templebethorr.org

My mom and grandmother

In Israel, July 13, 2015

To answer the queries

So how do you like your new congregation?
I love it.
It's the perfect fit.
People are amazing, and kind, and unbelievably helpful.
My coworkers are stellar.
It's definitely been keeping me busy: Two Torah studies and two Shabbat morning and evening services.  One Early Childhood Center Shabbat.  Lots of committee meetings.  Two funerals, and an upcoming baby naming.  Yummy food at all these meetings.  It's really, really good.  I couldn't be happier.


How is Jonathan doing?
He's good.  He's tired, since he's doing more childcare than before and our kids take all your energy.  But he loves the congregation too.  In fact, he just went with someone from temple to a place called Underground Reptiles, and all the kids had an amazing time.  He went with my dad to the beach, and we're thinking of going to a waterpark this weekend.  The only downside for him is the water from our tap; it's still green, and it's really irritating his skin.  He's planning on making a dermatologist appointment on Monday.


How do the kids like Florida?
The older boys think camp is great.  Connor is getting used to it, but would obviously still rather be home with Daddy.  They love swim lessons, and have fun going up and down the stairs, which is novel to them.  They miss their friends at home, but they're mentioning them less and less as time goes on.


Where do you get your energy?
Caffeine!  And I know that I'm only in my 30s once... I'm trying to take advantage of it before 8 hours  of sleep becomes a true requirement. :)

Stair boys

Taken when we got back from last week's Shabbat service.  They wanted to show us how long (tall) they were. :)