Anxiety and Hope

[debka_notion]

I'm pretty nervous about tomorrow's interview.

On the other hand, the dean of admissions just told me that he's rooting for me, the dean of the rab school has wished me good luck, and the second and third years' dean keeps checking in on me. Oh, and one of the rabbis on my committee is one of my teachers and the rabbi who really encouraged him to come to the seminary is the father-in-law of one of my favorite teachers from Hebrew High, who is, with his wife, one of two families in the conservative shul at home who have ever had me over for a shabbos or yontif meal. I write all this to try and calm myself down.

I really need a good question to ask my committee when they're done asking me questions. So far my list of potential questions is as follows: asking for a piece of advice, or asking what they'd want me to take away from this year at JTS, regardless of whether or not I get in.

Comments

[hotshot2000.livejournal.com]

At a testing the waters schmooze, J asked them what their ideal vision for their rabbis was, which proved to be stumpful to them.

I have some suggestions, but you seem to want to actually get in, so I'll keep them to myself. ;-P

[hatam-soferet.livejournal.com]

I didn't say ideal vision, I just said what was their vision for their graduates as rabbis. You could also ask what their vision for the laity is - both of those are good professional questions. Or how they see the Sem riding the tension between the shift to the left and the shift to the right. I'd be interested to hear what they had to say about that one! Maybe how they think the recent staff changes will affect the ethos of the school (just because "ethos" is a terrific word).

You'll be fine. I bet you two tubs of Ben & Jerry's.

[debka-notion.livejournal.com]

Thanks. That's a good idea though- I've been thinking that I should do something either to celebrate getting in or to console myself that my friends still like me even though I didn't get in, after this whole business. Perhaps a melave d'malka type Saturday night thing with ice cream might be a good way of doing so... (Not this week, no time to plan and invite people and such. Next weekend or something maybe.) This worthy of your bet?

[hotshot2000.livejournal.com]

Sounds good to me. You like chocolate, I hope?

[debka-notion.livejournal.com]

I do. I'll start planning soon. Either that or I'll start planning if I can't sleep tonight.

[debka-notion.livejournal.com]

I'll take the funny/troublemaker-type questions after the interview, if you feel like sharing sometime after noonish tomorrow...