Mazel tov!

I enjoyed my first Jewish service on Saturday morning. It really resonated with me and inspired me spiritually, with its emotional focus on God, mixed with the history of the Jewish people. Even if I can't claim that history personally, as a Gentile, I can relate to it and appreciate it.

Well, I was the most "observant" woman in the building, LOL. My rabbi had told me to dress conservatively and even wear a hat or other head covering, but there was only one other woman in a hat, and my skirt was probably the longest in the congregation. And I was one of the few women in long sleeves on a 100-degree day. Some females were even in sleeveless outfits, especially the teens - many of them wore spaghetti-strap dresses with shortish skirts. So... I took the hat back to the store (I'm not a hat person at all; I'd never wear it). In the future, I won't dress so conservatively - I will wear short sleeves, and maybe still a long skirt - but no hat!

Did some shopping at the Jewish market yesterday. Tried blintzes... yum!!!

I'm reading a book on the Baha'i, and they don't seem to conflict with Judaism at all. They accept all the Jewish prophets (as well as Jesus and Muhammad as prophets, along with their founder, Baha'u'llah), and many of the teachings and concepts seem similar. I see no reason not to study both faiths. The book is really resonating with me and I find myself agreeing with just about everything in it.

Next Sunday, I'm going to try the Quakers. I hope to do some preperatory reading this week before attending their service. And Saturday I plan to go to temple again. So it will be a busy religious weekend for me. And of course Thursday night I start my studies with my rabbi, and Tuesday night is BYOT at VUU...

In addition to getting my spiritual life in order, I am trying to get my "outer" life in order as well - cleaning my apartment and my car. I got the car cleaned out over the weekend, and most of my apartment... cleared lots of clutter. I still have a couple areas of the apt to clean. But overall, I'd no longer be embarrassed for someone to enter my apartment. It doesn't look like a total slob lives there anymore!