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Current Events
(Mar.8)
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| Welcome to Josh
Phillipson's site.
Certainly designed to inform. Possibly also to entertain and enlighten. And to procrastinate. Dear friends and family, It’s been a while since I’ve sent out an update to many of you. For some, it would be fair to say I’ve been entirely negligent. So...Here's a bit of an update: October, 2003 The Josh-Accenture Relationship comes to a timely end. Let’s just say that while I LOVED the job for two years, I was there for over three. Late in the month, I flew to Israel, and began learning at Shappel’s, a yeshiva in the Beit Hakerem neighbourhood of Jerusalem. Coming to the yeshiva allowed me to accomplish two goals: To live in Israel and to “learn how to learn” Talmud and more of the so many texts available to those Jewishly educated. May, 2004 After 6 wonderful months of learning, living, and playing in Israel, I returned to Toronto… Then travelled two days later to California, where I spent a few days with Myles in Palo Alto. After that, a drive into Stockton to celebrate my Grandparent’s 65th (!) Anniversary. The weekend celebrations marked the first time in years that the family was all together – my Grandparents, their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. We were missing only my sister-in-law, who was in her 8th month of pregnancy. After the weekend, and less than a week away from the kedusha of Eretz Israel, and the lofty spiritual heights of fulltime Torah learning, my cousin and I ventured for my first trip to Las Vegas. I gambled a bit, lost a bit (but just a bit), ate at every kosher restaurant in LV (I think), and walked a lot. We stayed at Caesar’s. Apparently, one is meant to share where they stay when they go to Vegas. A fun time, I’m glad I’ve been. The highlight was spending time with my cousin…I’ve never spent as much quality time with the “California” family as I’d have preferred to. June 4, 2004 We welcome my first nephew, a brother to my niece. Summer, 2004 Enjoyed a lovely summer with friends and family in Toronto. I also busied myself with something I like to call my “Secret” project (so-called because, well, you see, not many people knew about it, and I was keeping it quiet….I know – I should’ve gone into marketing). Anyways, the plan concerns my next career choice. Details to follow, once things are firmed up – hopefully late winter. August 23, 2004 Returned to Israel, to Jerusalem, to yeshiva, to continue learning. My old room was still waiting for me, albeit with different roommates. September 27, 2004 September, 2004 Spent my first Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot (a.k.a. The High Holidays) in Israel. The holiday experience is elevated in so many exciting ways here. The sense of community, when the whole country is observing the holidays, is certainly strong, and an improvement over well-meaning colleagues wishing you a “Happy Yom Kippur”. The tefillah (prayer) in yeshiva was intense and meaningful. I achieved levels of intensity, spirituality, meaningfulness, and understanding during tefillah that has always been unattainable elsewhere. Yom Kippur the city shut down – entirely. For example, the traffic lights were off, and the major arteries were entirely empty of traffic, except for the occasional bicycle. October, 2004 There is a phrase in the Torah connected to Sukkot that says “And rejoice in your holidays”…there are more than a handful of commentaries and explanations regarding the phrase. To truly understand it, however, all one needs to do is be here during the holiday. There is joy in building sukkahs, buying the lulav and etrog from street vendors, sleeping comfortably in the sukkah, participating in neighbourhood sukkah songs during meals (in the densely packed neighbourhoods, tunes from one table are easily heard and picked up by families in the sukkah next door), attending many of the outdoor music festivals during the week. There was a sense of joy and celebration in the country throughout the week long Sukkot holiday. A highlight was my first trip to Hevron. Hevron is one of our 4 Holy Cities, and the only one I had not experienced. (Bonus points to those who know the other three Holy cities). The central attraction in Hevron is Ma’arat Ha’machpeila – the Tomb of the Patriarchs, where Avraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rivka, Jacob and Leah, are buried. Jacob’s wife Rachel is our only matriarch who is not buried there. There are only ten days a year in which the entire area is open to Jews; Moslems also revere the sight, and for security purposes, the status quo leaves the largest hall (Isaac) open to Moslems, and the other two halls open to Jews. The first few days of Chol HaMoed Sukkot are among those ten days in which the entire site is open to Jews. Hevron is about a 45 minute ride south of Jerusalem. The Jewish community of Hevron arranged for shuttle buses from the major centres of Israel to take people to the city. We arrived late morning, and spent a couple hours in Ma’arat Ha’Machpeila. The Amidah of Mincha, the daily afternoon prayer, begins “Blessed are you, G-d, Our G-d, and the G-d of our Fathers – G-d of Avraham, G-d of Isaac, and G-d of Jacob…” As I was davening Mincha, I was standing in the Hall of Isaac, right next door to the Hall of Avraham, and just across the court yard from the Hall of Jacob…it was a more moving Mincha than most, and provided yet another example of how Torah, and Judaism, comes alive when living in Israel. After we left Ma’arat HaMachpeila, we stopped briefly at the Tomb of Avner Ben Ner. For those of you who read Haftorah for parshat Vayechi (Darren, Dad), you should remember the name. Shortly after, we joined a walking tour of the current Jewish neighbourhoods of Hevron. Our guide initially said the tour would take an hour, but instead took six of us around for 2.5 hours. The history of Hevron is long, deep, and rich – I couldn’t share everything we saw, and learned during the tour – so I’ll mention just a couple: We met Naom Arnon, one of 11 Jews in the past 800 years confirmed to have been down into the actual Cave (Ma’arah), where 6 of our Matriarchs and Patriarchs are buried; Baruch Marsen (the left-wing press include him as a leader among the “crazy, right-wing, settlers”); Three Norwegian monitors of the Hebron Accords (hopefully they don’t understand Hebrew, as one of our soldiers shared, loudly, with us, that the European “peace-keepers” hate Israel, are anti-semites, and wish us nothing but harm); Ancient synagogues destroyed by our enemies that we have rebuilt since 1967. In all, Hevron is exciting, moving, and dynamic; y’all should consider tacking on a visit when you come visit me! October 14, 2004 The long break between semesters is nearing an end - back to school on Sunday. October 22, 2004 The first week of Winter Semester has been the best week of learning since I returned in August. A new masechet (Volume of Talmud), a new Rav (teacher), and a new attitude (work harder!) must’ve combined to give me a fulfilling week in yeshiva. The new masechet is “Baba Metzia”, chapter 3 – which begins discussing laws concerning obligations if an item deposited with a friend for safekeeping is lost or stolen. I’m also now in Rabbi Meir’s class – his style is more suited to my way of thinking; at the same time, he moves quickly (the concepts and analysis come fast), which makes it a challenge to keep up! The new attitude includes the realization that I’ve only a few more weeks of full time learning remaining, which has given me increased motivation to work and focus harder and longer, so as to get the most out of the yeshiva experience while I’m still fortunate to be immersed. October 26, 2004 A memorable day for the State of Israel. Today, the Knesset elected, by a margin of 22 votes, to approve the Gaza Disengagement plan. As I live just about a 10 minute walk from the Knesset, I went last night to witness 6000 supporters of the plan rally on the street outside. Today, I joined the 15000 protesting against the plan. It’s wonderful that we have a country where people can express their opinions openly, even when they are misguided. (Yes, I do have a strong opinion on this one, but the point of this note is to provide a Josh update. Perhaps I’ll provide a Josh Reality Check some other time). Oct. 29 – 31, 2004 Weekend up north in the lovely Golan with the yeshiva…see the pics! November, 2004 Found a fantastic apartment in Katamon (60 Palmach, for you map readers). It comes with furniture, kitchen stuff, an American-sized washer/dryer (apparently a very exciting thing in Israel, as the local machines tend to max out at a load of 3 socks), and two flatmates who appear to be ideal flatmates. The place is also a 30 second walk from the Shtiblach (no matter what time I show up, I'll never be late for minyan), close to a big supermarket, bus lines, many friends, and about a 10 min. bike ride from the ulpan. Now all I need to do is get a bike. December, 2004 Spent a wonderful few weeks in Toronto, and a few days in California, where I visited with my Grandparents, Uncle Doug, Cousin Melissa, and Friend Myles. My time in Toronto was mostly spent with friends and family. Parties included the Minsker Chanukah party, an "Aliyah Party" hosted by Darren and Judith, and Dad's 65th birthday. December 30, 2004 I'm Israeli! I've made Aliyah! I have
Al Jazeera to prove it! And the
NY Daily News!
January 13, 2005 “He will charge His angels concerning
you, to protect you in all your ways. They will carry you on their palms,
in case you strike your foot against a stone”
(Psalms 91:11-12) This past Friday, we lost Michael Shapiro Z”L. I only had the pleasure of meeting Michael a couple times. That said, Maish was a friend, a term I try to use conservatively and sincerely. He was warm, friendly, sincere, caring, and giving. I was honoured to be a witness for the ketuba [Jewish marriage contract] at his marriage to my long time friend Gena less than two years ago. He clearly made Gena so very happy. He was also generously involved with many community organizations and activities in Calgary. In Michael’s memory, Gena has asked that donations be made to any of the organizations dear to his heart, and to donate blood. One of the reasons that it was easy to consider Michael a friend was that he exuded a warmth for others, and an enthusiasm for life. Perhaps he was one of those people who deeply felt the preciousness of life, love, friends, and family. I’d like to suggest, that in addition to donations, we all live to give of ourselves. Live in the way that Maish apparently did, so that we no longer need tragic reminders of the precious and ephemeral quality of our earthly existence. Love your friends, your family, your loved ones, and perfect strangers. Live to be an example to others, that we should all enjoy the wonder, beauty, and love G-d has granted us. May the memory of Michael serve us as a blessing. Obituary (Calgary Herald) / Guest Book / Article (Calgary Sun)
Looking Forward My current plan goes a little something like this:
So that’s about it with the updates. I’d love to hear from y’all about what you’re up to, and when you’re coming to visit! Love, Josh |
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