Internship Visit this Past Weekend

This past weekend, I went up to Boston for my internship. This time consisted of two elements: speaking at the Tremont Street Shul (as I've done previously) and MCed the Yom Iyun that was collaboratively put together by the Center for Modern Torah Leadership and Uri L'Tzedek.
For my speaking at the Tremont Street Shul, I spoke Friday night after the traditional minyan's services on the topic of the Shulhan/table in the mishkan and gave a parshah introduction on Shabbas morning. Following the kiddush luncheon, I led a text study on Ta'anit Esther (source sheet). On Sunday morning, I spoke on the topic of tefillin on the occasion of a boy who was soon to become a bar mitzvah and had wrapped tefillin for the first time.
The other part of it was the Yom Iyun, which I MCed and had helped to put together.

Upcoming Yom Iyun on Consumerism

My next visit up to Boston for my internship will be taking place in a few weeks, where I will be speaking that shabbas at the Tremont Shul and be helping run a yom iyun program. The yom iyun program will be a joint program between the Center for Modern Torah Leadership and Uri L'Tzedek. The official program blurb runs as follows (also on the UTL website):

The Center for Modern Torah Leadership and Uri L'Tzedek will be holding a joint Yom Iyun on Torah Consumer Ethics & Jewish Buyer Responsibilities. There will be case studies along with learning and discussions led by Rabbi Aryeh Klapper of the Center for Modern Torah Leadership and Shmuly Yanklowitz of Uri L’Tzedek. The program will run on Sunday March 1st from 12-4 PM at the Boston University Hillel (213 Bay State Road) with lunch provided. There is no charge for attendance or for lunch. If you have any questions, please contact us at: cmtlintern [at] drewkaplan.info.

If you are interested in attending, the flier for the program is available online here.

Internship Visit #3

This weekend, I went up to Boston, and have been speaking at the Tremont Street Shul, much like my previous visit and first visit for my internship this year. On Friday night, following the traditional services, I led a text-study on the timing of the lighting of Hanukah candles (source sheet). On Shabbas morning, during kidush, I spoke on the name change from Ya'akov (Jacob) to Yisrael (Israel) and the wrestling scene in the parshah.
This morning, following shaharit at the shul, I spoke on "Upon What Did The Academies of Hillel & Shammai Disagree Regarding Mehadrin Min HaMehadrin?" (source sheet) (pictured at the right).
I think this visit went well, receiving some positive feedback for my speaking. I also got to speak with Rabbi Klapper about moving forward in the spring in my internship.

Recent Internship Visit

This past weekend, I went up for my second internship visit and spoke at the Tremont Shul. On Friday night, I spoke about the burial of Abraham and how there is little description in either the written text or in midrash about it and trying to conjure up the burial. On Saturday morning, I spoke on Keturah: is she Hagar or not? On Sunday morning, I spoke after shaharit on Jewish perspectives on Thanksgiving.

First Internship Visit

Last weekend, I went up to Boston for my first internship visit to speak at the Tremont Shul's traditional minyan. Although in the fall I will normally be speaking three times at the Tremont Shul's traditional minyan (the third time being on Sunday morning) when I visit, I was going to be taking a flight that Sunday morning with my wife, so I only spoke twice. These two times were a devar Torah at Friday night davening and a presentation/class after Shabbas morning services.
For the Friday night devar Torah, I spoke about Deut. 30:6 to both better understand it to some degree and to see how it can connect to this holiday season (mainly prior to Rosh HaShanah, but also through Yom Kippur). I think it went decently, though not badly.
For the presentation the following day, I gave it on the topic of Sleeping or Not Sleeping on Rosh HaShanah (click here for the source sheet). I think this class definitely went well.
I think it was a nice visit and now I need to schedule my next visit.

Internship for Year 4

Having not previously noted on my rabbinical student web log, I am hereby noting that my year four internship will be with Rabbi Aryeh Klapper for the Center for Modern Torah Leadership (see).
I had meant to post about my last and ninth visit to my year three internship, although I never got around to it, nor did I have a wrap-up post about my internship (perhaps I will, we'll see).

Eighth Internship Visit

My eighth internship visit consisted of, on Friday afternoon, of visiting the Hartford Jewish Federation and speaking with the staff member in charge of allocations. I hadn’t previously known about how Federations allocated their money, so it was interestingly enlightening (and not so mysterious anymore). I also learned about other elements about federations.
After that, we visited a lady in a hospital who had given birth just that morning. The maternity ward in that hospital was very nice. It was definitely a place in which I wouldn’t mind having a baby. It was fairly newish and definitely nice, especially the woodwork.
That evening, I gave the Friday night devar Torah between kabbalat Shabbat and ma’ariv, my seventh such time. I spoke about how what appeared in the parshah fit into the larger narrative flow.
The next day, I presented on Aleinu during my sixth "Worship Workshop" class (source sheet).

Internship Mentioned in Local Jewish Paper

I kindly thank Rabbi Yonah Berman to pointing me to this new blurb in the Jewish Ledger, entitled "New Rabbi in Town":

There’s a new rabbi at Beth David Synagogue in West Hartford. Sort of. As it has for the past few years, the Orthodox congregation is opening its doors this fall to a third-year rabbinical student from Yeshiva Chovevei Torah, a rabbinical college in New York, who will intern at the shul under the tutelage of its spiritual leader, Rabbi Yitzchok Adler.
Drew Kaplan, a native of suburban Columbus, Ohio who holds a degree in Jewish Studies from Yeshiva University, will soon begin his monthly Shabbat visits and will have a wide range of responsibilities.

Although I will have to let them know that I did attend Yeshivah University for a few semesters, I earned my BA from Indiana University, I do, nevertheless certainly appreciate the mention (thanks!).

First Internship Shabbas

For my first internship shabbas this past weekend, we started off on Friday afternoon, going around with my mentoring rabbi to check out some supermarket bakeries to check their adherence to kosher laws on Friday afternoon. He then got a call about someone's death and went to offer prayers with the family, though I was unable to go, as the body was still there and I am a kohen. On Friday evening, I spoke at the shul between kabbalas shabbas and ma'ariv for a few minutes about Deut. 29.14. On shabbas morning, I gave a sermon - actually, my first ever such sermon - on Deut. 30.6. The little speech was, in my mind, a flop, although the sermon worked decently. However, I was told I needed to speak up, though from the bima, I thought I was being loud enough, but, alas, I was not. Other areas where there is room for improvement are my clarity as well as enunciation/avoiding mumbling.

I Have an Internship

This upcoming school year, my internship will be in West Hartford at Beth David with Rabbi Yitzchok Adler.

Looking For An Internship

As a part of my school's curriculum, third and fourth year students are obligated to take on an internship. As I will be a third-year student this fall, I need an internship. My first choice for an internship fell through, though, fortunately, it went to a classmate of mine, and I wish him הצלחה (success). So, now I am looking for an internship somewhere. Most of the internship opportunities of which I am aware are along the east coast, though I would rather something elsewhere in the country (I am [originally] a midwesterner). We shall see....