Return to Religion: Post-script

Read these posts first, I warn you these are long but essential to what I will refer to next.

http://anothersjwf.blogspot.com/2005/10/is-return-to-religion-in-cards-for-me.html
http://anothersjwf.blogspot.com/2005/10/return-to-religionpart-ii.html

Before I started this blog, I had another blog titled "Thirtynothing" but after several months, I was bored with it so I decided to change things up. For old times sake, this week I will post some of my favorite entries from the previous blog with some updates. After that, "Thirtynothing" will go into the Land of Deleted Blogs.

I assume that you have read the links, if not that's ok too; War and Peace sized posts are not for the faint of heart. Without any delay:

1. Keeping Shabbat: First of all, I no longer work on Shabbas. Thank G-d the people I work for were very accomodating and understanding and we were able to work out an alternate schedule. I agonized so much over this and this was for a part-time job; can you imagine how challenging this must be if one was in a full-time job?

So, my observance from Shabbat is far from perfect but I am real happy with where I'm at. I go to services on Friday night and Shabbat morning, and try to go to group dinners or have a dinner with a family every Friday night and lunch on Shabbas. I have gone to afternoon (Mincha) and evening (Maariv) services on Shabbat but so far, I am not comfortable doing that on a regular basis. As for 3rd meal, sometimes I go and sometimes I don't. I will eat at home if I'm hungry. More often than not, I stuff myself during the kiddush and lunch so I find myself not wanting to eat later on.

As for hosting meals, well I am still learning the nitty-gritty of how to cook hot food on Shabbas and since it's the summer, I am putting this part off for several months. I enjoy being a 'guest' and will hopefully sometime in the future, make the transition to 'host'.

I'll find myself occasionally switching a light on/off by accident, tearing a sheet of paper, so many little details to remember about keeping Shabbat. I will have the rest of my life (G-d willing) to learn these details.

I cannot stress enough that no Jew is an island; put yourself out there, find a synagogue where you feel at home, meet people, make friends, find rabbis that you feel comfortable with. I have found a wonderful Modern Orthodox synagogue that I love and have made some really great friendships, including a couple who I think of as my 2nd set of parents. Since the days are getting longer, the most difficult part is not giving in to the temptation to check my e-mail, use my phone. Believe me, these temptations are very, very strong. Thank G-d for my friends in the community : )

2. Keeping Kosher: When I moved into my place a few years back, I called up a friend who worked for an outreach organization and she put me in touch with an organization that goes to peoples' homes and makes their kitchens kosher. Have I kept up with that? For the most part, yes. I decided to make my kitchen vegetarian since I don't eat meat often. For someone who didn't grow up with a kosher kitchen, it's a nice gentle way to learn about the ins and outs of a kosher kitchen. In general, I eat fish and dairy in non-kosher restaurants. It is such a big leap to go to eating in only kosher restaurants; at this point it seems like an insurmountable barrier.

I make time for learning (1-2 hours a week), pray daily (2x a day, at least most days). I would love to donate at least a month of my time to full time learning, preferably in Israel. So, this is where it ends for now. If you are still with me, then I commend you; this one was a doozy : )

ETA: As for the whole pants/skirt debate, I wear skirts and pants (definitely not at the same time!) depending on my mood. Thankfully, it is acceptable to wear pants in the synagogue I go to (almost all the women wear skirts or dresses during services except for Beginners' services on Friday night dinner). Do I see myself wearing skirts exclusively? Probably not.