Finding My Path

            I have never considered myself to be a “mover and a shaker”, however, a sad turn of events inspired me to take action. The sudden passing of my Dad, in 2003, not only turned my world topsy-turvy, but more importantly, it made me re-evaluate my priorities. While blending into the woodwork was not how I perused through life, standing out in a crowd had certainly never been my forte. In an attempt to set my life on a steady course once again, I dug deep and through much soul-searching realized, what it was that I needed. I have always felt compelled to help those in need and in the process towards my own self-healing, I knew I needed to give back as a way of expressing all that I have been blessed with in life. As an observant Jew and one who possesses a strong faith, I knew that my synagogue would be the perfect venue for restoring the balance I so desperately needed in my life. My plan was to establish a committee of like-minded individuals who wanted to help those less fortunate by making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and wash kits to be distributed to local organizations on Long Island. Bringing this idea to my Rabbi, as well as the Congregational Board (they have a final say in all matters), was a bit unnerving, to say the very least. With a resounding and overwhelming “Yes” vote, the Tikkun Olam committee was born. Like an army of soldiers, the committee (30-40 members at its peak) set about making sandwiches and wash kits each and every month for a solid four years straight. Tikkun Olam means “Healing the World” in Hebrew and in the process of learning and growing with the committee, I realized that I was not only contributing to the greater good, but healing my broken spirit as well. During the four years from its inception until I stepped down as its leader in 2008, the committee took on a life of its own. From its start in a small synagogue in East Northport, to integrating in an Interfaith effort serving homeless men (mostly of Hispanic descent) meals in area churches, the committee developed a favorable reputation locally. I never could have imagined a better turn of events. Three years spent dining with and using my rusty conversational Spanish inspired me to return to community college to take introductory classes in Spanish. After completing two years of coursework, I decided to take my education one step further and enter Graduate School. I believe that things happen for a reason and while I wish everyday that my father was alive today, I know he is watching over me beaming with pride that his little girl has found her path in life. In conclusion, we can never tell what direction life will take us, but for now I take solace in all that I have amassed and look forward with gusto to whatever life has in store for me.

Vocabulary

mover and a shaker (noun)- an important person that has power over what happens in a situation

topsy-turvey (adjective)- in a state of confusion or disorder

perused (verb)- to do something without effort

forte (noun)- to be good at something

synagogue (noun)- a place of worship for Jewish peole

congregational (noun)- a group of people gathered for a religious service

spirit (noun)- how happy or sad one feels

inception (noun)- the start of an organization

Interfaith (adjective)- having to do with two or more religions

gusto (noun)- to do something with a lot of energy and excitement

Exercise

1. There are many different families that belong to the _________________   Church.

2.  The children on the playground were in good ________________.

3.  Cooking is my ____________!

4.  Everything was _______________ after the wild boys entered the room.

5.  She looked at the boy in amazement as he _____________ through the enormous book.

6.  There were so many people at the _________________ during the Jewish holidays.

7.  The boss was a ___________________.

8.  The Church has a huge ____________________.

9.  The kids ran on the playground with such ________________.

10.  He has worked at the company since its _____________________.

Grammar Point:
Verbs are action words. For example: run, jump, and play. Verbs allow the speaker to talk about things in the past, present or future. For example: the word run can be expressed in terms of I ran, I run or I will run. Have you ever experienced a time when you wanted to take action? Using lots of actions words write a verb poem to describe what you did.

I love the following links for learning about verbs!

http://www.instructorweb.com/lesson/verblesson.asp

Listen to the fast moving verbs:  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4QEzJe6_ok