The semester started off in September through Yom Kippur in a different style than in any of my previous four years at YCT: we spent the time not on professional stuff. That is to say, we had no professional development classes or any other classes for the rabbinate. That also extended to the learning, wherein we spent our mornings learning Tractate Makos rather than the laws of Shabbas as we are doing for the remainder of the year.

Following the holidays, we had the first of three sessions with Eitzah in training on topics such as “The Rabbi as Leader”, “Authority”, and “Necessary Partnerships”. Following the three-day seminar, our learning kicked off for the semester, with a focus on the laws of Shabbas.

In this semester, for my internship, I went up to Boston to speak at the Tremont Shul (primarily the traditional minyan there) a few times.

I also attended, as part of my pastoral counseling training, a JACS retreat. Also, I attended a seminar at the HealthCare Chaplaincy. Also during this semester, I gave a two-part presentation on siman 91 in the Shulhan Arukh in November (Part One | Part Two).