Right in the middle of ימים נוראים – Yomim Noraim I find myself thinking about a dilemma: on the one hand, I am totally excited to organize a beit midrash at my house and give the people an opportunity to learn in a non-threatening environment. On the other hand – this is something I am not able to share with my Rabbi and many people in my shul. Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE my shul! I love the feeling of family, community that stands behind you in most of the cases.

However, I also love to learn, and I happen to believe that the more Jews of different walks of life and various degrees of observance (or not) talk to each other, or better yet – learn with each other, the better we all – Jews and Gentiles – will be in the long run. That is precisely why I love Pardes so much. This is the place where you can end up with havruta that comes from another country, different level of kashrut, and the lifestyle completely foreign to you, yet you will enrich each other by discussing the text more than 2000 years old that somehow speaks to both of you .

That is why I’ve decided to start a Beit Midrash in my house. I am hoping to gather people that are indifferent to the Jewish history and Judaism whatever angle they decide to look at it. The first class will take place at the end of October and be given by my amazing teacher-friend Yaffa Epstein! I am very excited and hopeful that my guests will get to love her style of teaching as much as I do.

I just hope that when I pray on Yom Kippur in a few days, I will not be judged from up-high for the hutzpa of stepping into the shoes too big for me to fill.

Heart trembling

Mind cloudy with fear

I am stepping into the unknown I love so much

G’mar Chatima Tova!