#BlogBOmer: Hod B'Tiferet

In all full humility (and honesty): I am not much of a blogger. I think that I thought this challenge would be much easier than it's actually become--(but perhaps that's what makes it a challenge?). I was lucky enough to be invited to sit in on an AEPi banquet the other evening, where one of my students was given an award and asked to give a speech. "Awards are for egos," he said, and I choose to share this one with all of my brothers here tonight." (Shout out to Connor!). 

In thinking about the people who have inspired me through their own humility, I thought about who also inspired me through their ability to appreciate harmony and compassion in their daily lives. In thinking it through, I dedicate this blog post to Rachel N.

Shabbat at Hillel Institute, Rachel, Jordan, & Esther leading the party!

When I first met Rachel, I was at WHO Conference in the Winter of 2012, approximately three weeks into starting my job. She was my group leader at the time, ensuring that west coast engagement professionals were learning to bond and practice best practices with each other. It wasn't surprising then, for me to begin to look at Rachel as a teacher first, and a colleague second in my Hillel professional world. Rachel (also part of the Lunch Table Experiment) is a staple in my Hillel professional conference life--I can often find her teaching, dancing, or chatting with those around her and her level of compassion for her peers in the field is unparalleled. 

When the #BlogBOmer initiative was shared by Hillel International, Rachel was one of the first people I reached out to--unsure of how I felt about the publicity. Rachel's humility shone through in the conversation when she reminded me that I was struggling because "we aren't in this for the glory, but for the outcome." I don't know how many people are participating in #BlogBOmer (either writing, posting, or reading), but I know that my hope was that it would reach people in a new and positive way. I wanted to ensure that Judaism could be accessible, that it would resonate with people in a relevant manner. I'm hoping that these posts bring forward some harmony, some small amount of humble appreciation for all of the good that these people have done in the world and to hopefully inspire others to act in kind. 

Mostly, I'm thankful to have all these people to thank. They're pretty great.